Gingerbread Man Cookies

These gingerbread man cookies are a holiday staple, full of warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. The dough creates cookies that are soft in the middle with slightly crisp edges, providing a wonderful canvas for your favorite icing and decorations.

This recipe requires about 30 minutes of active preparation, but the dough needs to chill for at least two hours before baking. It’s a fun project for a quiet afternoon and fills your home with a festive aroma.

Ingredients You Need

• Molasses: Be sure to use a light or ‘true’ molasses. Blackstrap molasses has a much stronger, more bitter flavor and will change the taste of the cookies.
• Brown Sugar: Either light or dark brown sugar will work. Dark brown sugar will result in a slightly deeper color and a more pronounced molasses flavor.
• Spices: Feel free to adjust the amount of ground ginger or other spices based on your preference. For a milder cookie, you can slightly reduce the ginger.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter that has been properly softened to room temperature. It should give slightly when pressed but not be greasy or melted.

Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

How to Make It

Make the Cookie Dough: Start by whisking together your dry ingredients in one bowl. In a separate, larger bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, then mix in the egg, vanilla, and molasses. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined.

Chill the Dough: Gather the soft dough into a ball and flatten it into a 1-inch thick disk. Wrap the disk securely in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least two hours to allow it to firm up, which is key for rolling and cutting.

Roll and Cut the Cookies: Once chilled, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it to about a 1/6-inch thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake and Cool: Bake the cookies in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. The edges should be set and firm. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely before you begin decorating.

Baking Tips

• Chilling the dough is a required step. It prevents the cookies from spreading too much and makes the dough much easier to roll and handle.
• For crispier cookies, bake for an additional 1-2 minutes. For softer cookies, stick to the lower end of the baking time.
• The egg in this recipe is fully cooked once the cookies are baked through.
• This dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight before rolling.

Serving Ideas

Enjoy these cookies on their own with a glass of milk or a warm mug of hot chocolate.

Storing and Freezing

Store undecorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Once decorated with royal icing, let the icing set completely before storing them in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the baked, undecorated cookies for up to 3 months.

FAQ

Gingerbread Man Cookies

Print Recipe

Classic gingerbread cookies spiced with ginger and cinnamon, ready to be cut out and decorated for the holidays.

• Author: Sofia
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 165 minutes
• Yield: About 18-20 cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup (165g) packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup (120ml) molasses (not blackstrap)

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the softened butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing on medium speed until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix in the molasses on low speed.
4. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients in three or four additions. Mix until the flour is just incorporated and a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Do not overmix.
5. Form the dough into a flat disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm.
6. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two or three baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Cut the chilled dough in half. Return one half to the fridge. On a lightly floured surface, roll the other half to about 1/6-inch (4mm) thickness. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter, dipping the cutter in flour as needed to prevent sticking.
8. Carefully transfer the cutouts to the prepared baking sheets, placing them about 1 inch apart. Reroll scraps as needed.
9. Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are firm. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

Notes

• Chilling the dough is a required step. It prevents the cookies from spreading too much and makes the dough much easier to roll and handle.
• For crispier cookies, bake for an additional 1-2 minutes. For softer cookies, stick to the lower end of the baking time.
• The egg in this recipe is fully cooked once the cookies are baked through.
• This dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight before rolling.

Keywords: gingerbread man, gingerbread, christmas cookies, holiday baking, cutout cookies