Gingerbread Man Cookies
These soft and chewy gingerbread man cookies are perfect for the holidays, featuring warm flavors of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses. Ideal for decorating and family baking traditions.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups All-purpose flour Measured carefully to avoid dryness
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 tablespoon Ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup Brown sugar Packed
- 1/2 cup Molasses
- 1 large Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
For Decorating
- Royal icing, powdered sugar glaze, sprinkles, sanding sugar, mini candies, or melted chocolate Use any combination for decorating
Instructions
Preparation
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until light and creamy.
Mixing
- Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix just until a soft dough forms.
Chilling
- Divide the dough into two portions and flatten each into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm.
Baking
- Roll the dough to an even thickness on a floured surface and cut out shapes with a cookie cutter.
- Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets and bake until edges look set.
- Let the cookies rest briefly before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Decorating
- Once cool, decorate with icing, sprinkles, and other toppings as desired.
Notes
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze in a container with parchment between layers. Optional: Add orange zest or other spices for variations.