Description
These Christmas Gingerbread Man Cookies are a festive treat featuring a perfectly spiced gingerbread dough and sweet vanilla icing. Soft yet sturdy, these classic holiday cookies are deliciously flavored with ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, then decorated with smooth vanilla icing to add a cheerful finishing touch. Ideal for holiday gatherings, family baking activities, or gifting during the season, these cookies are sure to bring warmth and joy to any celebration.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Gingerbread Dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup molasses
- 2 tbsp milk
For the Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2-3 tbsp milk or water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, salt, and baking soda to evenly distribute the dry spices and leavening agent. In a separate mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the softened unsalted butter, packed dark brown sugar, and molasses until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, alternating with milk to ensure an even, consistent dough that’s neither too dry nor too sticky. Once combined, divide the dough into two portions, wrap each in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours or up to overnight to firm up and enhance the flavors.
- Roll and Cut the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking. On a lightly floured surface, roll one half of the chilled dough to approximately 1/4 inch thickness, ensuring an even layer for uniform baking. Using gingerbread man cookie cutters, cut out shapes and carefully transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them slightly apart to allow for slight spreading during baking. Repeat this process with the remaining dough portion.
- Bake the Cookies: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges just begin to brown, indicating they are perfectly baked but still soft inside. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature before decorating.
- Decorate with Icing: To prepare the icing, mix the sifted powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk or water and the vanilla extract until the mixture is thick yet pipeable. Fill a piping bag fitted with a small round tip with the prepared icing and carefully decorate each cooled gingerbread man cookie with desired designs such as eyes, buttons, and outlines. Allow the icing to set and harden for about 30 minutes at room temperature before serving or packaging.
- Enjoy and Share: These charming gingerbread man cookies are perfect for holiday gatherings, gifting, or simply enjoying with a cup of warm tea or hot chocolate. Store in an airtight container to keep them fresh for several days.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is crucial for easier rolling and to prevent excessive spreading during baking.
- You can substitute molasses with dark corn syrup if unavailable, but molasses provides authentic flavor.
- Ensure cookies are completely cooled before icing to prevent melting and running of the decorations.
- For stiffer icing suitable for detailed decorating, reduce the liquid to 2 tablespoons.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
