Gingerbread Men
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Additional Time
3 hrs
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Total Time
3 hrs 30 mins
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Servings
24 gingerbread men
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Calories
188 kcal
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Course
Dessert, Baked Goods
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Cuisine
American
Gingerbread Men
Description
The Gingerbread Men cookies start with a dough rich in molasses and brown sugar that provides deep sweetness and chewiness. Butter and egg create a tender texture, while spices including ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg add classic warm spiciness that balances the sweetness. The dough requires chilling to become firm enough for rolling but remains soft.
After chilling, the dough is rolled out with flour dusting to prevent sticking, then cut into shapes and baked until set with lightly firm edges. The recipe includes a flexible icing made from powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla, allowing decorating with sprinkles and candies. The result is colorful, festive gingerbread men with smooth, sweet icing.
These cookies work well for holiday baking, gifting, or family activities. Their storage is convenient: the dough can be chilled for several days before baking, and the finished cookies can be kept in airtight containers up to two weeks, maintaining texture and flavor.
The icing can be made ahead and stored, simply stirred before use. Adjust flour when rolling to manage stickiness, and let stiff dough rest briefly at room temperature to ease handling. Both light and dark brown sugars are suitable, offering slight color and flavor variations.
Ingredients
For Gingerbread Men
- ½ cup butter softened, unsalted
- ½ cup light brown sugar tightly packed, or dark brown sugar
- ½ cup unsulphured molasses (I use Grandma's or Brer Rabbit brand and avoid using blackstrap)
- 1 egg large
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves ground
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For Icing:
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2-4 Tablespoons milk
- 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- candies as desired, decorative
- Sprinkles as desired, decorative
Instructions
For Cookies:
- Combine butter, sugar, and molasses and use an electric mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment to beat until ingredients are creamy and well-combined.
- Stir in egg and vanilla extract until well-combined. The mixture may look piecey/like it's separating, this is fine and it will come together when you add the dry ingredients.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices (ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg).
- With mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until the dough is smooth, cohesive, and completely combined.
- Divide the dough into two parts (it will be quite sticky, use a spatula) and wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Rolling and Cutting Cookies
- Once dough has chilled, preheat oven to 375F (190C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (alternatively bake cookies directly on ungreased baking sheet)
- Generously flour a clean surface and lightly flour the dough as well (see note).
- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to be approximately ¼” (.6cm) thick, and use a cookie cutter (my cookie cutter for these was about 3.5” long) to cut out shapes.
- Use a spatula to place cookies on prepared baking sheet, spacing at least 2" apart and then transfer to 375F (190C) oven, and bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet before decorating.
Gingerbread Cookie Icing
- Combine sugar, 2 Tablespoons of milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract in a medium-sized bowl and stir until combined. Look for a consistency where the icing that drizzles off the spoon and back into the bowl holds its shape for several seconds before dissolving back into the rest of the icing. If frosting is too thick, add more milk, about a teaspoon at a time, until the frosting is thick but pipeable. If too thin, add additional powdered sugar until desired texture is reached.
- Transfer to a piping bag with a piping tip (I used Wilton #5), or place in a Ziploc bag and snip a small piece of the corner off. Pipe frosting on cookies and decorate with decorative candies, if desired.
- Allow frosting to harden before enjoying (this took only about 30 minutes for me, but may take longer if your frosting is wetter)
- Keep uneaten cookies sealed in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- Use either light or dark brown sugar based on availability; dark sugar yields richer color and stronger molasses flavor.
- Dust work surfaces and rolling pin generously with flour to prevent sticky dough from adhering during rolling.
- If dough is too stiff or cracks when rolling, let it rest at room temperature for 10-20 minutes.
- Cookie dough can be refrigerated up to 5 days before rolling and baking, allowing flexible preparation.
- Icing can be prepared 2-3 days in advance and stored covered; stir before using.
- Store finished cookies in airtight containers at room temperature for up to two weeks, best within one week.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24gingerbread men
Amount Per Serving
Calories 188 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cookie | |
| Calories | 188kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 36g | 12% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 4g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 17mg | 6% |
| Sodium | 92mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 132mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 26g | 52% |
| Vitamin A | 131IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 26mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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