Classic Gingerbread Man Cookies (Print View)

Traditional gingerbread man treats flavored with warm spices and molasses, ideal for festive occasions.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
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
10 - 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
11 - 1 large egg
12 - 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
13 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ For Decorating

14 - Royal icing or simple icing
15 - Assorted candies or sprinkles (optional)

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside.
02 - Beat softened butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
03 - Add egg, molasses, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and blend until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just incorporated.
05 - Divide dough into two disks, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough disk to 1/4-inch thickness and cut out gingerbread man shapes using a cookie cutter.
08 - Place cutouts on prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.
09 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are firm. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Once cooled, decorate cookies with royal or simple icing and add candies or sprinkles as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're sturdy enough to decorate but still have that tender, almost cake-like crumb that makes you want another.
  • The molasses gives them a deep, honest flavor that tastes nothing like those flat sugar cookies from the grocery store.
  • Kids get genuinely excited about decorating them, and adults sneak extras when they think no one's looking.
02 -
  • Don't skip the chilling time—warm dough spreads and your gingerbread men become blobs, which taught me a hard lesson one year.
  • Molasses brands vary wildly in how dark and thick they are, so if your dough feels too soft after mixing, chill it for an extra 15 minutes.
  • Baking time is the difference between crispy and perfect; too long and they're hard, too short and they're fragile when you try to decorate.
03 -
  • Keep your rolling surface cool and use a bench scraper to help you flip the dough—it keeps the shapes from stretching and distorting.
  • If you're making these for kids, let them decorate their own and you'll see how much more excited they are to eat something they built themselves.

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