As the holiday season approaches, there’s nothing quite like the comforting scent of freshly baked gingerbread cookies wafting through the kitchen.
Baking and decorating Gingerbread men cookies have a long-standing tradition associated with the holiday season.
The combination of fragrant spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves giving them a rich, aromatic flavor that’s quintessentially Christmasy.
If you’re on the hunt for the perfect gingerbread cookie recipe – one that yields cookies with a delightful balance of spice, chewiness, and just a hint of sweetness – you’ve come to the right place.
Whether you’re baking these cookies as gifts, decorating them with family, or simply enjoying their cozy flavor by the fireside, gingerbread cookies are a delightful way to celebrate the season.
How to Make Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground all-spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup unsulphured or dark molasses
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- icing of your choice
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, all-spice, and cloves.
In a separate large bowl, using a handheld or standing mixer, beat the butter for one minute until smooth. Add the brown sugar and molasses and continue to beat until creamy. Then, add in the egg and vanilla and mix for two minutes.
Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and beat on low speed until well combined.
Separate the dough into two parts and form both into a disk shape. Place the dough into a bowl and cover. The dough will need to chill for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. This step is necessary.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 1-2 baking trays with parchment paper.
Roll out the dough between sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking and make it easier to transfer the cut-out shapes to the baking sheet.
Begin to roll out the dough. It is likely that the dough will crack. Work slowly and as you notice a crack while rolling, mend the crack using your fingers. The dough will become smoother as you continue to roll.
Repeat the process with both disks of dough.
A thickness of about 1/4 inch is a common choice for gingerbread men.
Cut into shapes using your gingerbread man cookie cutter.
Dip the cutters in flour before each use to prevent sticking.
Reroll the scraps and cut into shapes until all the dough is gone.
Place the cookies into the oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes. If your cookies are smaller than 4 inches, start with 8 minutes. If they are larger than 4 inches, bake for approximately 11 minutes.
Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to the cooling rack. The cookies are ready to decorate as desired once fully cooled.
Gingerbread cookies often improve in flavor after a day or two as the spices meld, so consider making them in advance for a richer taste.
What is the Best Way to Decorate Gingerbread Men?
The best way to decorate gingerbread men is to let your creativity shine while following these general steps:
- Ensure your gingerbread men cookies are completely cooled before decorating.
- Prepare royal icing or icing of your choice. Divide it into smaller portions and add food coloring as needed for different colors.
- Use a thin consistency icing (often called “piping icing”) to outline the shape of the gingerbread men and any desired details. A piping bag with a small round tip is handy for this step.
- Use a slightly thicker consistency icing (often called “flooding icing”) to fill in the outlined areas. You can use a toothpick or a scribe tool to spread the icing evenly and eliminate air bubbles.
- While the icing is still wet, add decorative elements like eyes, buttons, and smiles using colored icing or edible decorations like mini chocolate chips or candies.
- Allow the icing to dry completely. This can take several hours or overnight, depending on the thickness of the icing.
- If desired, you can add texture using sanding sugar or edible glitter for a festive touch.
- Once decorated, store the gingerbread men cookies in a single layer or separated by parchment paper in an airtight container to preserve their appearance.
Relevant Recipes
Gingerbread Cookies Recipe FAQs
Gingerbread men cookies can stay fresh for several weeks when properly stored. After baking, it’s essential to let them cool completely on wire racks. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper or wax paper to prevent sticking. Keep the container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to avoid moisture that can make the cookies soft or cause them to lose their shape.
Yes, gingerbread men cookies can be frozen to extend their shelf life. To freeze them, allow the freshly baked cookies to cool completely, flash freeze them on a baking sheet to prevent sticking, and then transfer them to airtight freezer bags or containers with parchment paper between layers. Label and date the containers and store them in the freezer for several months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw the cookies at room temperature inside their container to prevent condensation, ensuring they maintain their delicious flavor and texture.
Gingerbread cookies can vary in texture, and whether they should be hard or soft depends on personal preference and the specific recipe. Traditional gingerbread cookies, such as gingerbread people or houses, are often slightly firm and crisp, making them ideal for decorating and constructing gingerbread houses. However, other gingerbread cookie recipes aim for a softer, chewier texture, which some people prefer. Ultimately, whether gingerbread cookies should be hard or soft is a matter of taste, and you can choose or adapt a recipe to achieve your desired texture.
Ginger cookies can become hard for several reasons. Overbaking is a common cause, as cookies left in the oven too long can lose moisture and become excessively firm. Using too much flour or not enough fat can also result in a dry and hard texture. To prevent hard ginger cookies, ensure you follow the recipe’s instructions accurately, avoid overbaking, and store them properly in an airtight container to retain moisture and keep them soft.
Gingerbread men are typically decorated after baking. Here’s the usual process:
First, you bake the gingerbread cookie dough. Once the cookies are baked and have cooled completely, they are ready for decoration.
After the cookies have cooled, you can then decorate them with icing, candies, sprinkles, and other edible decorations.
Decorating after baking allows you to have a clean canvas to work on and ensures that the decorations stay in place. It’s a common and traditional approach to gingerbread cookie decorating.
To stick decorations to gingerbread cookies, use royal icing, which acts as both glue and decoration. Ensure your royal icing is of the right consistency—thicker for outlining and attaching decorations, and slightly thinner for flooding and adhering embellishments. Apply small dabs of the thick icing to the back of the decoration, gently press it onto the cookie, and allow it to dry completely before handling or storing.
Gingerbread Man Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground all-spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup unsulphured or dark molasses
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- icing of your choice
Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, all-spice, and cloves.
In a separate large bowl, using a handheld or standing mixer, beat the butter for one minute until smooth. Add the brown sugar and molasses and continue to beat until creamy. Then, add in the egg and vanilla and mix for two minutes.
Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and beat on low speed until well combined.
Separate the dough into two parts and form both into a disk shape. Place the dough into a bowl and cover. The dough will need to chill for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. This step is necessary.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 1-2 baking trays with parchment paper.
Roll out the dough between sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking and make it easier to transfer the cut-out shapes to the baking sheet.
Begin to roll out the dough. It is likely that the dough will crack. Work slowly and as you notice a crack while rolling, mend the crack using your fingers. The dough will become smoother as you continue to roll.
Repeat the process with both disks of dough.
A thickness of about 1/4 inch is a common choice for gingerbread men.
Cut into shapes using your gingerbread man cookie cutter.
Dip the cutters in flour before each use to prevent sticking.
Reroll the scraps and cut into shapes until all the dough is gone.
Place the cookies into the oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes. If your cookies are smaller than 4 inches, start with 8 minutes. If they are larger than 4 inches, bake for approximately 11 minutes.
Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to the cooling rack. The cookies are ready to decorate as desired once fully cooled.
Gingerbread cookies often improve in flavor after a day or two as the spices meld, so consider making them in advance for a richer taste.
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