Classic Gingerbread Men Cookies (Printable version)
Soft and spiced gingerbread men, ideal for holiday decorating with icing and assorted candies.
# What you need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour (375 g)
02 - 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 tablespoon ground ginger
06 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
→ Wet Ingredients
09 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (170 g)
10 - 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar (150 g)
11 - 1 large egg
12 - 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses (120 ml)
13 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ For Decorating
14 - Royal icing (store-bought or homemade)
15 - Assorted candies, sprinkles, or chocolate chips
# How To:
01 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.
02 - In another large bowl, beat softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
03 - Add egg, molasses, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture; beat until fully combined.
04 - Gradually mix dry ingredients into the wet mixture until a soft dough forms.
05 - Divide dough in half, shape each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk to approximately 1/4 inch (6 mm) thickness.
08 - Use a gingerbread man cookie cutter to cut out shapes and place them 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are firm and centers set. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Once cooled, decorate with royal icing and candies as desired. Allow icing to set before serving or storing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- They're deeply spiced without being overwhelming—a warmth that unfolds as you chew, like a secret ingredient in every bite.
- The dough is forgiving and actually gets better when you make it ahead, so you can spread the joy across multiple days of baking.
- Decorating them becomes a moment of real creativity, whether you're working alone or with people you love.
- They stay soft in the center with just enough crispness at the edges, finding that perfect texture sweet spot.
02 -
- Molasses is not sugar—it's a liquid that adds moisture, so measure it by volume, not weight, and add it slowly to prevent the dough from becoming too slack.
- Cold dough is patient dough. Rushing the chilling time results in cookies that spread thin and bake too quickly on the edges while staying raw in the middle.
- The difference between a crispy cookie and a soft one is literally one minute of baking time. Write down your preferred bake time once you find it, because your oven is unique.
03 -
- Room-temperature butter creams better than anything straight from the fridge, and it makes a visible difference in the final texture of the cookies.
- Measure spices by weight if possible, because one baker's pinch is another baker's handful, and precision matters when flavor is the point.
- The dough will look almost too soft when you first make it, but trust the chilling time—cold dough is forgiving dough that bakes evenly.