These Gingerbread Men Cookies are easy to make and bake up soft, chewy with slightly crispy edges and full of warm and cozy spices with cinnamon, ginger, and molasses. A family favorite and perfect for holiday gifting, cookie exchanges and Christmas cookie plates!
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Gingerbread Men Cookies: A Festive Delight for All Occasions
If you’re looking for a delightful treat that perfectly captures the essence of the holiday season, look no further. These Gingerbread Men Cookies are not only a delicious indulgence but also a joy to make.
Whether it’s a cozy family gathering or a festive celebration, these gingerbread cookies are sure to be a hit. Plus, they’re easy to make and perfect whether you’re a seasoned baker or just getting started and bound to become a staple in your festive repertoire.
Why you’ll love this soft and chewy gingerbread men cookie recipe
We’ve tried quite a few recipes throughout the years and finally found one that our family loves best. It’s based off of the no fail recipe from America’s Test Kitchen but we’ve tweaked it to make gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan-friendly and refined-sugar free. We also dial down the ginger, add some nutmeg and freeze the dough briefly before popping the pan in the oven.
These gingerbread cookies bake up soft, chewy and are full of that warm ginger, brown sugar and molasses flavor. Plus, we love that the cookies hold their shape without any spreading in the oven. They’re just the right amount of sweetness and are packed with all the warm holiday spices and will make the house smell amazing.
And if you’re looking for a crispier cookie, just roll the dough a bit thinner than listed and bake for 1-2 minutes longer if needed.
Whether you’re following a gluten-free diet or not, this recipe adapts effortlessly. Use gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour for a celiac-friendly option, or opt for all-purpose flour if gluten isn’t a concern. Versatility is at the heart of our recipe.
Ingredients: Unveiling the Magic Behind the Flavor
Creating the perfect Gingerbread Men Cookies involves a careful selection of ingredients, each playing a crucial role in the symphony of flavors. Let’s take a closer look at the key players:
Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Man Cookie Ingredients:
- Gluten-free 1-to-1 Baking Flour: Achieve that perfect texture with gluten-free flour, measured using the spoon, sweep, and level method. If gluten isn’t a concern, all-purpose flour works just as well.
- Coconut Sugar: Add a natural sweetness to your cookies. Alternatively, opt for packed dark brown sugar or your preferred granulated brown sugar substitute for a lower sugar option.
- Ground Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves, and Nutmeg: These spices bring warmth and depth to your cookies, creating that unmistakable gingerbread flavor.
- Fine Sea Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the overall taste, balancing the sweetness and spice.
- Baking Soda: The secret ingredient for that ideal rise and softness in your cookies.
- Unsalted Butter or Vegan Butter: For richness and a buttery goodness in every bite. Ghee works too if you’re not dairy-free.
- Unsulphured Molasses: Infuse your cookies with a deep, rich flavor that defines classic gingerbread.
- Unsweetened Almond Milk: Ensure a moist and tender texture. Feel free to use any milk of your choice if you’re not plant-based.
Royal Icing Ingredients:
- Powdered Sugar: The base for your icing, offering sweetness and structure.
- Meringue Powder: Creates that perfect consistency for decorating your cookies.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Adds a subtle yet delightful aroma to your icing.
- Warm Water: Adjust the consistency of your icing to your liking.
Optional: Gel Food Coloring for a Vibrant Finish.
Instructions: How to make Gingerbread Men Cookies
- Mixing the Dough: In a stand mixer, combine the dry ingredients first starting with the gluten-free or all-purpose flour, coconut sugar (or substitutes), cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda. Add the wet ingredients such as the softened butter gradually until the mixture is slightly gritty. Slowly incorporate molasses and milk until thoroughly combined.
- Chilling the Dough: Divide the dough in half and roll each portion between parchment paper sheets to a 1/4-inch thickness. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours or the freezer for 25 minutes.
- Prepping for Baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking pans with parchment paper. Roll out the chilled dough, cut shapes using a cookie cutter, and place on the lined pans, leaving space between each. Freeze for 10 minutes.
- Baking the Cookies: Bake one pan at a time in the preheated oven for 8 to 11 minutes, rotating halfway through. Ensure cookies are puffy and just set around the edges. Avoid overbaking.
- Cooling and Decorating: Let the cookies cool on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Meanwhile, prepare the royal icing by beating together powdered sugar, meringue powder, vanilla extract, and warm water. Tint with gel food coloring if desired. Frost the cooled cookies using piping bags.
How to frost Gingerbread Men Cookies
For our frosting, we went with our simple go-to royal icing recipe for used in our sugar cookies.
We use this fail-proof frosting recipe for decorating sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies. It uses meringue powder to stabilize the icing instead of egg whites but feel free to use your favorite royal icing to decorate your cookies.
- Mix: Beat all ingredients together until icing forms peaks, about 7 minutes.
- Color: Tint with gel food coloring as desired.
- Decorate: Fill piping bags with frosting and decorate cookies.
Once they’re all dressed up, you can enjoy them as is or package them up for friends, family or your neighbors.
Tips for Success: Mastering the Art of Gingerbread Perfection
- Over-mixing: Once you add the flour to the rest of the ingredients, mix until just combined. This ensures the cookies stay soft and chewy.
- Chill the Dough: Take the time to refrigerate or freeze the dough before rolling and cutting. This ensures easy handling and well-defined shapes.
- Parchment Paper Magic: Rolling the dough between sheets of parchment paper not only prevents sticking but also makes cleanup a breeze.
- Dough Rolling: Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick between two parchment papers. The parchment paper helps to ensure the dough does not stick without having to incorporate any extra flour into the dough. For a crispier cookie, roll the dough out to 1/8 inch.
- Freeze the dough before baking: Just before baking, pop the baking pan once more into the freezer for about 10 minutes to help the butter firm up and prevent spreading.
- Precision in Cutting: Use a quality cookie cutter for consistent shapes. Ensure your cookies are at least 3/4 inch apart for even baking.
- Do not overcrowd the pan: Place the gingerbread cutouts at least 1 inch apart so they have enough room to breathe.
- Be careful not to overbake: If you are using a standard sized gingerbread cookie cutter, the cookies should only take about 8-11 minutes in the oven. For smaller cookies, you may have to reduce the time to 7-8 minutes.
Serving Suggestions: Elevate Your Cookie Game
These Gingerbread Men Cookies are delightful on their own, but you can take them to the next level:
- Icing Perfection: Pipe royal icing onto your cookies for a festive and personalized touch.
- Cookie Decorating Party: Gather friends and family for a cookie decorating party. Provide various toppings for a creative and fun experience.
Variations and Substitutions: Make it Your Own
Feel free to experiment with the gingerbread men cookie recipe:
- Gluten-Free Alternatives: Explore different gluten-free flours for a personalized touch.
- Sugar Substitutes: Swap out coconut sugar for your preferred sweetener.
- Vegan Delight: Use plant-based ingredients to make these cookies suitable for vegans.
- Citrus Zest Zing: Add a burst of freshness by incorporating citrus zest (orange or lemon) into the dough for a delightful twist.
- Choco-Ginger Indulgence: Mix in chocolate chips or chunks for a decadent chocolate-ginger fusion. White chocolate pairs exceptionally well.
- Nutty Crunch: Introduce a crunchy texture by folding in chopped nuts such as almonds or pecans. Toast them for an extra layer of flavor.
- Spiced Glaze: Brush the cooled cookies with a spiced glaze made with a hint of cinnamon and powdered sugar for an added sweet kick.
Storage and Freezer Instructions: Plan Ahead for Festive Baking
Baked cookies:
- Storage: Keep your Gingerbread Men Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Freezer Friendly: Freeze baked gingerbread cookies for future enjoyment. Simply place the gingerbread cookies on large baking sheets and freeze for 20 minutes, or until hard. Transfer the frozen cookies to an resealable containers or large ziptop bags for up to 3 months.
- To thaw: Remove frozen baked cookies from the freezer and allow to that at room temperature. Once thawed, you can roll the balls in more powdered sugar, if desired before serving.
Unbaked Cookies:
- Freeze: You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough in an air-tight storage container or large resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Your Gingerbread Men Cookies Queries Answered:
Q: Can I use molasses substitutes? A: Absolutely! If molasses isn’t in your pantry, try dark corn syrup, honey, or maple syrup for a unique flavor twist.
Q: Can I freeze the cookie dough instead of the baked cookies?
A: Yes, freeze the rolled-out dough between parchment paper sheets. When ready to bake, simply cut and proceed as instructed, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Q: How do I prevent my cookies from spreading too much?
A: Ensure the dough is well-chilled before baking. If using a warm kitchen, place the cut-out shapes in the freezer for a few extra minutes before baking.
Q: Can I make the royal icing ahead of time?
A: Absolutely! Store the royal icing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature and give it a good stir before using.
Q: What’s the ideal consistency for royal icing?
A: Aim for a peak consistency, where the icing holds its shape when piped. Adjust the water quantity for thicker or thinner icing based on your decorating preferences.
More Christmas Cookies you will love:
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These Gingerbread Men Cookies are easy to make and bake up soft, chewy with slightly crispy edges and full of warm and cozy spices with cinnamon, ginger, and molasses. A family favorite and perfect for holiday gifting, cookie exchanges and Christmas cookie plates!
- 3 cups gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour , measured correctly using the spoon, sweep and level method. You can also use all purpose flour if you're not gluten-free.
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar , you can also use packed dark brown sugar or preferred granulated brown sugar substitute
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tbsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter or vegan butter, cut into cubes and softened slightly
- 3/4 cup unsulphured molasses
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk , room temperature. You can use any other milk of choice.
- 2 cups powdered sugar or powdered sugar substitute / sweetener of your choice , sifted
- 1-1/2 tbsp meringue powder
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2-3 tbsp warm water , less for stiff icing and more for thin icing
- Gel food coloring optional
- In the bowl of a stand mixer on low speed fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda at low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the butter, one piece at a time while mixing at medium-low speed until the mixture is slightly gritty, about 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly add in the molasses and milk, and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Divide the dough in half and roll the first dough portion out between two large sheets of parchment paper, into a 1/4 inch thickness. Place rolled dough sheet (with parchment papers) on a large baking pan.
- Repeat with second half of dough and stack on top of the first sheet.
- Place the baking pan in the fridge for 2 hours (or the freezer for 25 minutes).
- Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line two large baking pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- Remove one dough sheet from the freezer, peel off both parchment papers to ensure the dough is not sticking and lay back on top of the bottom parchment sheet.
- Using a cookie cutter (we used a 3-inch), cut into shapes and transfer each cookie to the lined baking pans at least 3/4 inch apart. Repeat with remaining dough. Place the baking sheet back in the freezer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the other dough sheet and repeat.
- Bake (one pan at a time) in preheated oven until the cookies are puffy and just set around the edges, 8 to 11 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Be careful not to overbake.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking pan for 2 minutes, then remove with wide metal spatula to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with any remaining dough.
- Beat all ingredients together until icing forms peaks, about 7 minutes.
- Tint with gel food coloring as desired.
- Fill piping bags with icing and frost cookies.
Storage and Freezer Instructions: Plan Ahead for Festive Baking
Baked cookies:
- Storage: Keep your Gingerbread Men Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Freezer Friendly: Freeze baked gingerbread cookies for future enjoyment. Simply place the gingerbread cookies on large baking sheets and freeze for 20 minutes, or until hard. Transfer the frozen cookies to an resealable containers or large ziptop bags for up to 3 months.
- To thaw: Remove frozen baked cookies from the freezer and allow to that at room temperature. Once thawed, you can roll the balls in more powdered sugar, if desired before serving.
Unbaked Cookies:
- Freeze: You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough in an air-tight storage container or large resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen
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Eva @ Eva Bakes -
What a great project with your son, Kelly! My daughter loved baking and decorating gingerbread people with me a few years ago. We might have to do it again this holiday season!