Gingerbread Men Cookies

Name: Gingerbread Men Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 146 min
Ingredients: 3 ¼ cup all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp ground ginger; 1 ½ tsp cinnamon; ½ tsp ground cloves; ½ tsp ground nutmeg; ½ tsp baking soda; ¾ tsp baking powder; ½ tsp Kosher salt; 1 stick butter (softened); 1/3 cup brown sugar (lightly packed); 1/3 cup granulated sugar; 1 large egg (at room temperature); ½ cup fancy molasses; 2 tsp pure vanilla extract; 2 tbsp Greek yogurt; 1 large egg white; 1 ½-2 cups powdered sugar adjust for desired thickness; ¼ tsp cream of tartar; ½ tsp vanilla extract optional

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Making Gingerbread Men Cookies is a holiday tradition in our house, and this recipe is my go-to every year! Not only do they taste fantastic and remind me of the holiday season, but they are so fun to decorate! I love getting everyone involved in the decorating. It is a festive activity that young and old alike can participate in!

If you are looking for another great cookie recipe idea, look no further than these Chocolate Peppermint Cookies. They are simply amazing! And for a great idea for Halloween, these Headless Gingerbread Men are a must-make!

Decorated gingerbread men cookies in a tin.

Warm spices, rich molasses, and creamy butter come together in these soft and chewy gingerbread men cookies, filling your kitchen with the nostalgic scent of the holidays. Perfectly tender with just the right snap of ginger, they’re as fun to decorate as they are to devour.

Why I Love This Recipe

Amazing gingery taste
Kids love these cookies
Easy to make
Great for the holidays
Fun for everyone to decorate

Helpful Items for This Recipe

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small portion from qualifying purchases at no extra charge to you.

Cookie Cutters Set of 3, Gingerbread Man Cookie Cutter Tools

French Rolling Pin (17 Inches) –Wooden

KitchenAid 5-Speed Ultra Power Hand Mixer

Where did Gingerbread Men originate?

It is said to have originated in 16th-century England by Queen Elizabeth I. She wanted the cookies in the likeness of her courtiers (advisers). The tradition then continued on from there, having cookies in human form.

Ingredients for Gingerbread Men

This recipe utilizes the standard ingredients commonly found in most gingerbread cookie recipes, but it does include one ingredient not typically found in other cookies.

Recipe Ingredients

All-purpose flour – The basis for any great cookie!

Ground ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg – Make sure all your spices are fresh; they do lose their flavor over time sitting in your pantry.

Baking soda & baking powder – Both are important ingredients in baking to help cookies rise and crisp.

Salt – I like to use Kosher salt when I’m cooking.

Butter (softened) – You can use salted or unsalted butter. Keep in mind you may need to adjust the salt up or down accordingly.

Brown sugar (lightly packed) & Granulated sugar – Adds the needed sweetness.

Large egg (at room temperature) – Acts as a binder for the cookie dough.

Molasses – Use Fancy Molasses for cookies; the regular or Blackstrap Molasses are to bitter.

Pure vanilla extract – Use pure vanilla extract if you can; the artificial extracts tend to be less flavorful.

Plain Greek yogurt – Adds a little tang to the cookies that sets them apart from regular ginger cookies. You can substitute sour cream for the yogurt.

Royal Icing

(Yields approx: 1 cup)

Egg white – This helps the icing bind and then harden when finished.

Powdered sugar – You can adjust this for desired thickness. You need to use a sugar like this as it dissolves easily and won’t leave your icing grainy.

Cream of tartar – This is a stabilizer for icing to keep it from weeping or not setting properly. It gives the icing a smooth, hard finish.

Vanilla extract (optional) – This adds a nice flavor to the icing, which otherwise would be just sweet.

Use whatever you like for the little candies for decorating the cookies. Here are some links to Amazon. (As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small portion from qualifying purchases at no extra charge to you.)

Christmas Sprinkles Mix – 6-Cell

Sprinkles for Baking & Cake Decorative | Assorted pack of 5

Hollies & Berries Christmas Candy (1 Lb)

How to Make Gingerbread Men Cookies

In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients, including flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate large bowl, add butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, molasses, vanilla, and Greek yogurt. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat until smooth.

Don’t worry if there’s some separation; that’s completely normal. With the mixer on low, gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until just combined. Dough will be slightly firm and quite sticky.

Dough divded into two parts and wrapped in plastic.

Divide the dough into two equal-sized discs. Wrap each part tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours or, if you prefer, overnight.

When ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and allow to sit for 5 minutes before rolling.

Before you begin, preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Sprinkle a clean, flat surface generously with flour. You can also slightly flour the dough, rolling pin, and cookie cutters.

Roll the dough into a circle that’s approximately 1/4 inch thick. Use a cookie cutter and cut out as many cookies as you can. Separate scraps of dough from gingerbread men and set aside for the next batch.

Use a spatula to place cookies on your prepared cookie sheets, making sure they’re at least 2 inches apart. DO NOT OVERCROWD THEM. Repeat the process until all the dough is used.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, depending on your oven. They may come out of the oven looking a little undercooked. This is ok. They will firm up during the cooling process.

Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack for 15 minutes, then, using a spatula, gently remove them from the baking sheet and place them back on the cooling rack to cool completely.

Once at room temperature, decorate with your favorite icing recipe, sprinkles, candies, and more.

Royal Icing

Combine egg white + cream of tartar in a clean, grease-free bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on medium until foamy, 1-2 minutes.

Add powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, mixing on low speed until fully incorporated.

Once all the sugar is in, beat on medium-high until the icing is thick, glossy, and holds stiff peaks, about 4–6 minutes.

Transfer to a frosting bag (you don’t need a tip). When ready to use, cut a very small piece off the tip of the bag, like the size of the tip of a pencil as you want to be able to “write” with it.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container in layers for up to 5 days. Be sure to place a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper between each layer and don’t overlap the cookies.

To Freeze: Wrap each gingerbread man separately in wax paper or parchment paper and then place in an airtight container to freeze for up to 3 months.

Little Chef’s Secrets

Gingerbread Man Cookies FAQS

When combining the wet ingredients, it’s normal for there to be some degree of separation. This is nothing to worry about and to be expected.
If dough is too thick, simply thin it with a little bit of milk until it reaches the desired consistency. If too thin, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time.
Remember to leave at least 2 inches between each cookie on the cookie sheet before baking. This ensures your gingerbread men aren’t holding hands (sticking together) during the baking process.
Some recipes call for adding an extra step of creaming the butter and sugar together and then beating in the rest of the wet ingredients in with the creamed butter. I’ve done it both ways, and it doesn’t make a difference. That’s why in this recipe, we skip that extra step.

Pin it HERE!!

Pin it HERE!!

Tara Noland