Gingerbread Men
User Reviews
4.7
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
40 mins
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Dough chilling
2 hrs
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Servings
18 - 20 gingerbread (depending on cutter size)
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Calories
181 kcal
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Course
Baked Goods
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Cuisine
American
Gingerbread Men
Description
Gingerbread Men feature a combination of aromatic spices including ginger, cinnamon, mixed spice, and cloves, creating a warm flavor profile typical of holiday baking. The addition of molasses contributes a rich caramel undertone and a moist texture. The dough is creamed with butter and brown sugar to provide lightness before blending in egg and vanilla for depth. Refrigeration firms the soft, slightly sticky dough, facilitating rolling and cutting into the traditional gingerbread men shapes without excessive stickiness.
The baking occurs at a moderate temperature to achieve a golden color with some chewy softness inside and crisp edges. The recipe suggests baking times to control texture, whether a softer or crunchier cookie is preferred. These cookies pair well with tea or coffee and are commonly decorated with icing for festive occasions.
Practical advice includes using softened butter to achieve the right dough consistency, cooling dough before rolling, and careful use of flour to avoid drying or flour dust on cookies. Dough can be prepared ahead and refrigerated or frozen, which helps with planning. The resulting cookies keep well in an airtight container for about a week.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 3 cups flour , plain/all purpose
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed spice (Note 1)
- 1/4 tsp cloves Note 2, ground
Wet Ingredients:
- 85g / 5 1/2 tbsp butter softened (Note 3, unsalted
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (Note 4 re: light or dark brown)
- 1 egg at room temperature (Note 5, large
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup light molasses NOT blackstrap)(Note 6, true
Instructions
- Whisk Dry Ingredients on one bowl.
- Cream butter & sugar - In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together using a stand mixer or electric beater on speed 7 for 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
- Egg & vanilla - Add the egg and vanilla, then mix on speed 5 until combined (~30 sec).
- Molasses - Add the molasses, mix for 1 minute using speed 2.
- Gradually add dry ingredients - Add 1/4 of the Dry ingredients, then mix until you can't see flour (start on speed 1 to stop flour flying everywhere!). Repeat until all Dry ingredients are mixed in, then mix for further 15 seconds. Dough should be soft and a bit sticky - see video for texture.
- Refrigerate - Pat dough into a disc shape, wrap in the cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm. (Can refrigerate 5 days or freeze 3 months).
- Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C (170°C fan) and set a shelf in the middle. Line 3 x baking trays with parchment/baking paper.
- Take the dough out of the refrigerator and cut into half. Wrap half and return to the fridge.
- Roll out (Note 7)- Sprinkle a sheet of baking paper very lightly with flour. Place dough on top, sprinkle surface very lightly with flour. Place another sheet of baking paper on top. Roll dough out until 4mm / 1/6" thick using a rolling pin. As you work, flip and if paper is wrinkling, peel it off then put if back on, smoothing out wrinkles.
- Cut out shapes (Note 8) - Use a gingerbread cookie cutter to cut out gingerbread men shapes, firmly pressing to cut all the way through. If the dough sticks to the cutter, dip it into flour.
- Transfer - Use a palette knife (or large knife) to transfer shapes onto baking sheet. Place 6 on the first sheet. Tidy edges if necessary using a butter knife.
- Bake Tray 1 - Bake for 12 minutes (for classic light golden) or 14 minutes (dark golden and crisp). Then remove and cool fully on tray.
- Repeat - Meanwhile, gather scraps of dough, press together then roll out again. If dough is sticky, return to refrigerator and work on the other half of the dough instead. Repeat rolling out and cutting out. You should have 18 to 20 gingerbread men in total (depending on cutter size)
- Trays 2 & 3 - Fill and bake 2nd and 3rd tray with gingerbread men, 6 to 8 on each tray. I find the workflow that works best is baking one tray at a time ie. roll/cut-out/fill/bake one tray while you prepare the next.
- Decorate - Fully cool on trays, then decorate! Use a half batch of this Royal Icing recipe to pipe and stick on decorations (sets hard and doesn't soak into cookies). The recipe makes more than you need, but it's impractical to make less. So freeze leftovers in fully sealed piping bag for future use.
Notes
- Use butter softened to about 17°C/63°F for best dough consistency.
- Chill the dough at least 2 hours or up to 5 days before rolling to manage softness.
- Roll dough between sheets of parchment to reduce stickiness and prevent flour dust on cookies.
- Adjust baking time for softer (12 minutes) or crunchier (14 minutes) cookies as desired.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container; they keep well for about one week.
- The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months and thawed in the refrigerator before use.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 18- 20 gingerbread (depending on cutter size)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 181 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 181cal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 33g | 11% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 20mg | 7% |
| Sodium | 11mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 263mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 16g | 32% |
| Vitamin A | 139IU | 3% |
| Calcium | 72mg | 7% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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