Description
These classic Christmas Gingerbread Man Cookies are perfect for holiday baking. Flavored with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, then decorated with sweet vanilla icing, these soft and chewy treats bring festive joy and are great for sharing with family and friends.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Gingerbread Dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup molasses
- 2 tbsp milk
For the Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2-3 tbsp milk or water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and baking soda until well combined. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the softened butter, dark brown sugar, and molasses until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with milk, mixing well each time, until a consistent dough forms. Divide the dough into two halves, wrap each in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight for best texture.
- Roll and Cut the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion of the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use gingerbread man cookie cutters to cut out shapes and carefully transfer them onto the prepared baking sheets. Repeat the rolling and cutting process with the remaining dough.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown slightly. Once baked, remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate with Icing: In a bowl, combine powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk or water and vanilla extract. Stir until the icing reaches a thick but pipeable consistency. Fill a piping bag fitted with a small round tip with the icing, then decorate the cooled gingerbread men as desired. Allow the icing to set for about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Chilling the dough overnight helps develop flavors and makes it easier to roll out.
- Use parchment paper for easy cookie removal and cleanup.
- Adjust icing consistency by adding more milk if too thick, or more powdered sugar if too thin.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approximate)
- Calories: 160 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
