Gingerbread Man Cookies
These classic Gingerbread Man Cookies are soft, flavorful, and perfect for decorating! With warm spices and a touch of sweetness, they’re fun to bake with the kids or get creative with royal icing and sprinkles. A holiday favorite that looks as good as it tastes!
Servings 36 cookies
Calories 94kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar - packed
- ½ cup butter softened - unsalted
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 egg large
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Cream the butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl until fluffy.
- Beat in molasses and egg until well combined.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until a dough forms.
- Divide the dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/4-inch thick.
- Cut with cookie cutters and place on the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until edges are firm.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Lift with care: Use a thin spatula to transfer cookies to the baking sheet so they keep their shape.
Roll smart: Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment to prevent sticking and cut back on extra flour.
Chill before baking: Pop the cut-out shapes in the fridge for 5–10 minutes to help them hold crisp, clean edges.
Bake evenly: Group cookies of similar size on the same tray so they bake at the same rate.
Keep them soft: Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread—the bread absorbs moisture, keeping your cookies fresh and soft.
Decorate with this Royal Icing Recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg | Net Carbohydrates: 16g