Gingerbread cookies are the very archetype of holiday baking, aromatic spices, and cute shapes. The following represents a great way to do that. There is just something so utterly and completely nostalgic about gingerbread cookies: the spice-scented air of the kitchen, the jolly shapes of gingerbread, and creative decorating that made each one an individual, tiny work of art.
These are the classic gingerbread man cookies, so much fun to make and devour. Here is all you need to get going on making these classic cookies from scratch, with a few insider tips to take them from great to amazing.
This gingerbread man cookie recipe is part of my popular collection of 50 Easy Christmas Cookies—be sure to check out the full list for more delightful holiday treats!
Why Gingerbread Cookies Are a Holiday Favorite
Gingerbread cookies have been a part of holiday tradition for centuries and were once made for good luck and to celebrate the season. There is something timeless in the cutting of those little gingerbread men and the decorating with your favorite icing designs.
To me, it’s gingerbread cookies with the family that ushers in the holiday season: flour-dusted counters, giggles over crooked cookie shapes, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves comforting the air. Every cookie has a personality all to its own, but most fun on family baking days are delightful as gifts!
Key Ingredients for Perfect Gingerbread Cookies
The Gingerbread Dough
The ideal gingerbread dough strikes a balance between cookies holding their shapes, without spreading overly much, and retaining a somewhat soft and chewy texture. Below is the ingredient breakdown that makes these cookies so deliciously distinctive.
- Flour and Butter: The structure of your cookie depends on a solid foundation of flour, while butter adds richness. Using unsalted butter lets you control the salt levels in the dough.
- Dark Brown Sugar and Molasses: Dark brown sugar enhances the depth of flavor, and molasses gives the cookie its classic dark color and robust, almost smoky flavor that defines gingerbread.
- Warm Spices: Ginger, cinnamon, and cloves are essential to the gingerbread flavor profile, filling your cookies with that cozy holiday spice.
- Baking Soda: This provides just enough lift to prevent the cookies from being too dense, ensuring a soft, slightly puffy result.
- Milk: A small addition of milk helps to bind the dough and keep it smooth, making it easier to roll out and shape.
The Icing for Decorating
The classic royal-style icing makes decorating so easy. It’s just a matter of beating together powdered sugar, milk or water, and vanilla extract until smooth. The trick is to get it thick enough to pipe but still soft enough to flow into smooth outlines and designs. The addition of vanilla extract in here gives such a hint of flavor to the cookies that really complements the spice.
Step-by-Step: Crafting Your Gingerbread Cookies
1. Mixing the Dough
For perfect dough, mix together all the dry ingredients such as flour, spices, baking soda, and salt. Using the other bowl, with the aid of an electric mixer beat in the butter with the brown sugar and the molasses until smooth and creamy.
This mix is the most important part within the mix since it gives the cookies the smoothness and well-distributed spices. After combining, mix both wet and dry mixtures together, adding milk alternately, until a combined dough forms.
This is an extremely sticky dough, but that is okay. Divide in half and, wrapping each half in plastic, refrigerate at least two hours or overnight to let firm up and meld flavors.
2. Rolling and Cutting the Dough
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. The dough is much easier to work with once it has been chilled. On a lightly-floured surface, roll out each portion of dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Most fun of all, cut out the gingerbread men-or whatever shape you want! Place the cutouts on the prepared baking sheets, leaving room around each cookie for even baking.
3. Baking
Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are set and just lightly browned, to get a crispy exterior and a chewy interior. Let them rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes after baking. Then, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Decorating with Icing
Mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together until thick but pipeable. Transfer icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip: great for smiles, buttons, and outlines on the gingerbread men. Allow icing to set for about 30 minutes to harden before serving.
Bonus Tips for Gingerbread Cookie Success
- Chill the Dough: Chilling is essential for easy rolling and helps the cookies maintain their shape.
- Uniform Thickness: Rolling the dough to an even thickness helps all cookies bake consistently. A rolling pin with adjustable guides can make this process easier.
- Use Parchment Paper: This not only prevents sticking but also makes transferring cookies easier.
- Choose the Right Icing Consistency: If you find your icing too runny, add a bit more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add a few drops of milk at a time until it reaches the desired texture.
Serving Suggestions for Your Gingerbread Cookies
These cookies are delightful on their own but can be served with a few holiday touches:
- With Hot Cocoa: Serve alongside a cup of rich, spiced hot chocolate or classic hot cocoa for a cozy winter treat.
- As Edible Ornaments: Add a small hole at the top of each cookie before baking, then string them with ribbon after they’re decorated to hang on your Christmas tree!
- Holiday Cookie Plates: Gingerbread men make a beautiful addition to a holiday cookie plate, paired with sugar cookies, shortbread, and peppermint bark.
Wrapping Up
But gingerbread cookies are not exclusively for holidays; they are a medium to memories through decoration, sharing with friends, or savoring the smell of ginger and cinnamon wafting from the home. I hope this guide will inspire you to create these classic cookies with a little of your own personal flair.
For more holiday baking inspiration, try my Peppermint Chocolate Blossom Cookies, Coconut Almond Cookies, or indulgent Cinnamon Rolls with Glaze!
Gingerbread Man Cookies
Ingredients
- FOR THE GINGERBREAD DOUGH:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons milk
- FOR THE ICING:
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2–3 tablespoons milk or water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- WHISK DRY INGREDIENTS: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and baking soda until evenly blended.
- CREAM BUTTER, SUGAR, AND MOLASSES: In a separate bowl, use a mixer to blend the softened butter, brown sugar, and molasses until smooth and uniform.
- COMBINE WET AND DRY INGREDIENTS: Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in several additions, alternating with the milk. Mix until a consistent dough forms without overmixing.
- CHILL THE DOUGH: Divide the dough into two equal portions, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to firm up.
- PREHEAT THE OVEN: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- ROLL AND CUT: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one chilled dough disc to about ¼‑inch thickness. Cut out gingerbread man shapes and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
- BAKE: Bake for 8–10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown slightly. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- MIX THE ICING: Combine powdered sugar, milk or water, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Stir until the icing is smooth and thick enough for piping.
- DECORATE: Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe details on the cooled cookies and let the icing set for about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
For deeper spice flavor, increase ginger slightly or add a pinch of nutmeg. If the dough softens during cutting, refrigerate briefly before baking. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Information
Yield
20Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 347Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 3gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 13mgSodium 123mgCarbohydrates 71gFiber 2gSugar 41gProtein 4g
Love this recipe? Pin it to your favorite holiday dessert board, and share it with friends! Let me know how your cookies turn out—I’d love to hear your creative decorating ideas!
