Description
These classic gingerbread men cookies are perfectly spiced, soft, and chewy with just the right amount of sweetness. Decorate them with icing for a fun and festive holiday treat!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Cookies:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream butter & sugar: In another large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add wet ingredients: Mix in the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract.
- Combine: Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until dough forms.
- Chill dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight for deeper flavor).
- Preheat oven: Set to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll & cut: Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut out gingerbread men using cookie cutters.
- Bake: Place cookies on baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes (shorter for softer cookies, longer for crispier).
- Cool: Let cookies cool completely before decorating.
- Prepare icing: Mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag or use a spoon to decorate cookies.
- Decorate & enjoy!
Notes
- For extra chewy cookies, slightly underbake them.
- Dough can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months.
- Let the icing fully set before stacking cookies for storage.
