Description
This classic Gingerbread Man Cookies recipe yields soft and flavorful cookies infused with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Perfectly decorated with a sweet, smooth vanilla icing, these charming holiday treats are ideal for festive gatherings or gift-giving.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Gingerbread Man Cookies:
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ⅔ cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 to 4 tablespoons milk, or water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and baking soda to evenly distribute the spices and leavening agent.
- Cream butter and sugar: Using a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Add wet ingredients: Add the egg, vanilla extract, and molasses to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until fully incorporated, ensuring the dough is smooth and uniform.
- Combine dry and wet mixtures: Slowly add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing well between additions until the dough is fully combined. Divide the dough into two balls, wrap each in plastic wrap, flatten into disks, and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up.
- Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Roll and cut dough: On a heavily floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to about 1/8” to 1/4” inch thickness. Use gingerbread man cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Re-roll scraps as needed to maximize yield.
- Arrange and bake: Place the cut cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake standard-sized gingerbread men for 10 to 12 minutes or smaller ones closer to 8 minutes. Bake until edges are set but cookies remain soft in the center.
- Cool the cookies: Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
- Make the icing: In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add additional milk by the tablespoon to reach a thick but pipeable consistency that holds its shape.
- Decorate the cookies: Fill a piping bag fitted with a small tip with the icing. Pipe faces, buttons, and decorative lines onto the cooled gingerbread men as desired. Allow icing to set before serving or storing.
Notes
- Refrigerating the dough is essential for easier rolling and better cookie shape retention during baking.
- If the icing consistency becomes too runny, add more powdered sugar to thicken it up.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness for up to one week.
- Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
- For a spicier cookie, increase the amount of ground ginger or cinnamon slightly according to taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
