These cute gingerbread man cookies are a delicious and festive treat for the holidays! They’re easy to make and they’re a popular cookie for a Christmas party!
Molasses, ground cinnamon, and cloves- my favorite trio! These gingerbread man cookies are the best chewy gingerbread cookie recipe you’ll find on the internet and frosted with meringue powder and vanilla extract these bundles of joy will be the cutest centerpiece display for your holiday spread.
Why You Will Love These Gingerbread Man Cookies
- Fun to decorate
- Gift approved
- Festive treat
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
- Baking Sheet
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Hand or Stand Mixer
- Plastic Wrap
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Cutter
- Piping Bags
Tips for Making Gingerbread Man Cookies
- Roll with Precision: Roll out the dough to an even thickness, approximately 1/4 inch, to ensure that the cookies bake uniformly. Use a lightly floured surface and rolling pin to prevent sticking.
- Use Cookie Cutters: Invest in sturdy and festive-shaped cookie cutters to create consistent shapes. Dip the cookie cutters in flour before cutting to prevent sticking.
- Bake Time and Temperature: Follow the recipe instructions carefully for the baking time and temperature. Overbaking can result in dry and brittle cookies, while underbaking can lead to cookies that are too soft.
- Spice it Up: Adjust the amount of spices according to your preference. If you enjoy a stronger ginger flavor, add a bit more ginger. Experiment with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, or even a pinch of black pepper to add depth of flavor.
- Decorate with Care: Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating with icing, candies, or colored sugar. Use piping bags or small paintbrushes to apply intricate designs. Let the icing dry completely before storing or stacking the cookies.
- Store Properly: Store the gingerbread cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh and maintain their texture. Adding a slice of bread to the container can help retain moisture.
- Have Fun and Be Creative: Gingerbread cookies are not just delicious; they’re also an opportunity for creativity. Feel free to experiment with different shapes, decorations, and even flavors to make your gingerbread cookies unique and memorable.
Gingerbread Man Cookies
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Description
These cute gingerbread man cookies are a delicious and festive treat for the holidays! They’re easy to make and they’re a popular cookie for a Christmas party!
Ingredients
For Cookies
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup molasses
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For Royal Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp warm water
- 1 ½ tbsp meringue powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Few drops of red food color
- Few drops of green food color
Instructions
Preparing the Batter
-
In a bowl take butter and beat until creamy, next add brown sugar and molasses and beat on medium-high speed until creamy.
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Add egg and vanilla extract, beat at high speed for 2 minutes.
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Sift and add flour, salt, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves into the mixture and mix all together to form a dough.
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Divide the dough into half, make them into a disc shape and wrap them tightly in a plastic wrap.
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Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Baking the cookies
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Preheat the oven to 350 F or 175 C.
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Remove 1 disc of the chilled dough and roll out the disc until ¼ inch thick. With the help of a gingerbread man cookie cutter, cut into shapes.
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Bake the cookies for about 9-10 minutes for soft cookies (to make it little bit crisp bake for few more minutes)
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Allow the cookies to cool completely after cooling, decorate as desired.
Preparing the Royal Icing
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In a bowl take powdered sugar, meringue powder, and vanilla extract and beat for 2-3 minutes adding water gradually (1 teaspoon at a time)
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Beat until stiff peaks are formed.
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Divide the icing into different bowls and add desired colors.
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Fill it into individual piping bags for decorating.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
