Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe

Today, I’m thrilled to share a classic recipe that’s close to my heart and always a hit in our family kitchen. These delicious soft and chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies. These little guys are not just delicious treats; they’re a delightful activity that brings the whole family together, especially during the holiday season.

Christmas Gingerbread Men Cookie Recipe

Gingerbread men cookies are perfect for holiday gatherings, as a cozy treat with a hot cup of cocoa, or even as personalized edible gifts for friends and neighbors. So, tie on your apron, get the rolling pin ready, and let the magic of baking begin.

Gingerbread men cookies with simple white royal icing decoration a plate with milk behind and green foliage nearby.

In our family, baking these cookies is a tradition that goes beyond the kitchen. It’s about coming together, sharing stories, and creating memories that last a lifetime. Each gingerbread man, with its unique decoration, tells a story – a story of creativity, family, and the simple joys of life.

And let’s not forget the decorating gingerbread men! Once the cookies are cool, gather all sorts of icings (royal icing is our favorite), candies, and sprinkles, and let everyone’s imagination run wild. In our house, we’ve had everything from classic gingerbread men to superhero-themed ones. It’s a wonderful way to express creativity and enjoy quality family time.

Pinterest image for a holiday recipe for Simple Family Favorite Gingerbread men cookies showing the cookies on a plate.

Ingredients for Your Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe

  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

How to Make Delicious Gingerbread Men Cookies

1. Beat together the butter, brown sugar, and molasses until light and fluffy.

step 1 in making gingerbread men cookies, the sugars, butter and molasses in a bowl.

2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine.

egg added to the sugar mixture in the bowl for making Christmas gingerbread men.

3. Add the dry ingredients (flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt). Mix to combine.

dry ingredients added to the bowl to mix including the spices for gingerbread men cookies.

4. Press the dough into a disk and wrap the dough plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Gingerbread dough ready to chill in the fridge for 4 hours.

5. When ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s around 1/4 inch thick.

cutting gingerbread men out of the cookie dough for Christmas cookies.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Gingerbread men cookies on parchment paper ready to go in the oven and bake.

7. Use a cookie cutter to cut out the gingerbread men and place the cut out cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, then allow the cookies to cool on the pan for five minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

8. Decorate when the cookies are completely cool. If you don’t wish to do anything fancy why not leave them plain and sprinkle with a little powdered sugar.

Cookies and milk for Christmas, a plate of gingerbread men cookies with Christmas greenery around.

More Holiday Cookies

Soft and Chewy Oat and Raisin Cookies stacked on a mini cake stand ready for the kids to grab to eat.
Simple Christmas frosted Sugar Cookies on a plate with cedar beside it.
beginner chocolate chip cookie recipe ideal for those learning to cook and easy to make anytime
Yield: 24 Cookies

Holiday Gingerbread Men Cookies

a set of 4 simply decorated gingerbread men cookies on a plate with Christmas decor around.

Celebrate the holiday season with our classic Gingerbread Men Cookies recipe. Perfect for family baking, these festive treats are infused with warm spices and molasses, creating the ultimate comfort food. Easy to make and fun to decorate, they're ideal for creating lasting memories in the kitchen.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Beat together the butter, brown sugar, and molasses until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine.
  3. Add the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix to combine.
  4. Press the dough into a disk and wrap it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
  5. When ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then roll out the dough until it’s around 1/4 inch thick.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  7. Use a cookie cutter to cut out the gingerbread men and place the cutout cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, then allow the cookies to cool on the pan for five minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  8. Decorate when the cookies are completely cool.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 154Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 138mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 2g

Did you make this recipe and loved it?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Sharing is caring!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.