Gingerbread Men Cookies
Gingerbread men cookies are the ultimate holiday treat, bringing warmth, nostalgia, and festive fun to your kitchen.
Learn how to make this classic Christmas dessert from scratch, along with tips to get the perfect flavor, texture, and decoration every single time.
Whether you’re baking with kids, preparing for a Christmas party, or simply want to fill your home with that irresistible ginger and cinnamon aroma, this guide has everything you need to make these classic Christmas cookies.
Ingredients for Gingerbread Men
- Molasses – This is the star ingredient that gives the cookies their deep color, rich flavor, and signature chewiness. Choose dark molasses for the best results.
- Brown Sugar – Adds sweetness while also keeping the cookies soft and moist thanks to its molasses content.
- Warm Spices – Ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice work together to create that cozy, unmistakable gingerbread flavor. The balance of these spices is what makes these cookies stand out.
- Butter – Provides richness and a tender crumb. Make sure it’s softened so it blends smoothly into the dough.
- Egg – Helps bind the ingredients and adds structure, ensuring your cookies hold their shape when baked.
Pantry staples—flour, baking soda, salt, and vanilla—work quietly in the background to give gingerbread men cookies their structure, balance, and depth of flavor.
How to Make Gingerbread Man Cookies
Be sure to scroll down and print the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the full list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions.
You’ll want to plan ahead as Gingerbread cookies taste even better the next day as the spices meld together.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients—flour, baking soda, salt, and warm spices.
- In a separate bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and molasses until creamy, then add the egg and vanilla.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients, divide the dough into two disks, and chill for at least 3 hours. This step is non-negotiable! Chilling helps the dough firm up so your cookies hold their shape while baking.
- Roll out the dough, cut into shapes with a floured cookie cutter, and bake at 350°F for 8–11 minutes depending on cookie size.
- Let the cookies cool completely before decorating with icing.
About ¼ inch thick is ideal. Thinner cookies will be crispier, while thicker ones will be softer.
Yes! You can refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days before baking or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Royal icing is great for crisp designs, while a simple powdered sugar glaze is quick and easy for kids.
They can be made soft or crunchy depending on your preference. For softer cookies, roll the dough thicker and bake for a shorter time. For crunchier cookies, roll the dough thinner and bake a little longer. Many bakers aim for a happy medium—slightly crisp edges with tender centers.
Gingerbread Man Cookie Cutters 3PCS, Stainless Steel Christmas Cookie Cutter Tools with Red Environmental PVC, Gingerbread Boy Shape Moulds Set for BakingFarberware Nonstick Bakeware 3-Piece Cookie Pan Set, Gray
Unbleached Parchment Paper Baking Sheets, 9x13IN Precut Non-Stick Parchment Paper for Baking, Grilling, Air Fryer, Steaming-70 Sheets Unbleached Parchment Sheets for Bread Cup Cake Cookie And More
Cooling Racks for Cooking and Baking – 2 PCS 10
Wilton Cookie Icing, Fast-Drying Squeeze Bottle Icing for Decorating Sugar Cookies & Gingerbread, 7.5 oz., White, Packaging May Vary
If you love baking gingerbread men cookies, be sure to check out these great ideas too!
- How to Keep Christmas Cookies Fresh will show you the best ways to store your treats so they stay soft and flavorful.
- For more festive baking inspiration, don’t miss gingerbread recipes.
- Add some festive fun to your holiday table with Cute Christmas Desserts that are almost too pretty to eat.
- Planning a cookie exchange? How to Host a Cookie Swap gives you simple tips for organizing a sweet and memorable gathering.
- Make party prep easier with Cookie Swap Printables that include labels, invites, and more for your holiday event.
Fix baking fails fast with this handy troubleshooting guide.
Gingerbread Man Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground all-spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅔ 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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