Description
Classic gingerbread man cookies featuring warm spices and rich molasses, perfect for holiday baking and decorating with festive icings and candies. These soft yet slightly crisp cookies are easy to make and fun to customize.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 3/4 cup unsulfured molasses
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
Optional for Decorating
- Royal icing or powdered sugar glaze
- Mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, or candy buttons
Instructions
- Cream butter & sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together until the mixture is fluffy and light in color. Then add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract, and mix until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Mix dry ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg thoroughly to ensure even distribution of spices.
- Combine & chill: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms. Divide the dough into two equal portions, flatten each into a disk shape, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.
- Preheat & roll out: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use gingerbread man cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the dough.
- Bake: Place the cut-out cookies onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes if you prefer softer cookies, or 10 to 12 minutes for a crisper texture. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
- Decorate: Once cooled, decorate your gingerbread men using royal icing or powdered sugar glaze and add mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, or candy buttons to give each cookie a festive personality.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential for easier rolling and cleaner cut shapes.
- Adjust baking time based on your desired cookie texture—less time for soft, more for crunchy.
- Use parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and ease clean-up.
- For allergy-friendly versions, consider coconut oil instead of butter and vegan substitutes for egg and molasses.
