Description
This classic gingerbread men recipe produces soft, spicy, and slightly sticky dough that bakes into delightful, light golden or dark crisp cookies. Perfect for holiday baking, these charming gingerbread men are easy to make with simple ingredients, chilled dough for easy rolling, and decorated with royal icing for a festive touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups plain/all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
Wet Ingredients
- 85g (5 1/2 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark brown recommended)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup light molasses (true molasses, NOT blackstrap)
Instructions
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In one bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, mixed spice, and ground cloves thoroughly.
- Cream Butter & Sugar: In a separate bowl, use a stand mixer or electric beater on speed 7 to cream the softened butter and brown sugar together for 2 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Egg & Vanilla: Incorporate the egg and vanilla extract, mixing on speed 5 for about 30 seconds until fully combined.
- Add Molasses: Pour in the molasses and mix on speed 2 for 1 minute until evenly distributed.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry mixture in four batches, mixing on speed 1 to prevent flour flying, until fully incorporated. Mix for an additional 15 seconds once all dry ingredients are added. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Refrigerate Dough: Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm. It can be refrigerated up to 5 days or frozen for 3 months.
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Trays: Set oven to 375°F/190°C (170°C fan) and position a shelf in the middle. Line three baking trays with parchment or baking paper.
- Divide Dough: Remove dough from refrigerator, cut in half, wrap one half and return it to chill.
- Roll Out Dough: Lightly flour a baking paper sheet and place dough on it. Lightly flour dough surface, place another sheet on top, and roll out to 4mm (1/6 inch) thickness. Flip dough occasionally and smooth wrinkles in paper as needed.
- Cut Shapes: Use a gingerbread man cookie cutter pressing firmly through dough. Dip cutter in flour if dough sticks.
- Transfer to Baking Tray: Use a palette or large knife to transfer cut cookies onto tray, spacing six per sheet. Clean edges as needed with a butter knife.
- Bake First Tray: Bake for 12 minutes for light golden cookies or 14 minutes for dark golden and crisp cookies. Cool fully on the tray.
- Re-roll Scraps: Gather and press dough scraps together. If sticky, chill before rerolling. Use the second half of chilled dough when ready.
- Bake Remaining Trays: Continue rolling, cutting, and baking the second and third trays with 6 to 8 cookies each, baking one tray at a time for workflow efficiency.
- Decorate: Once completely cooled on trays, decorate gingerbread men using royal icing. Use half of the recommended royal icing batch; leftovers can be frozen in sealed piping bags for future use.
Notes
- Note 1: Mixed spice typically includes cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and sometimes mace, giving depth to the flavor.
- Note 2: Ground cloves add warmth but should be used sparingly due to their pungency.
- Note 3: Softened butter ensures proper creaming for a lighter cookie texture.
- Note 4: Light or dark brown sugar both work; dark brown will yield a richer flavor.
- Note 5: Using an egg at room temperature improves incorporation and dough texture.
- Note 6: Use light molasses (true molasses), not blackstrap molasses which is more bitter and less sweet.
- Note 7: Rolling between sheets of baking paper prevents sticking and tear; lightly flour each surface.
- Note 8: Keep the cookie cutter floured to easily cut through dough without sticking.
