Gingerbread Man Cookies
Get into the festive spirit with these charming Gingerbread Man Cookies, a timeless holiday classic bursting with warm spices and rich molasses flavor. This easy-to-follow recipe combines the perfect blend of ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to create delicately spiced cookies with just the right amount of sweetness. The dough is simple to prepare and chills to perfection for stress-free rolling and cutting into whimsical shapes. Baked to a soft, chewy texture and adorned with colorful icing, these cookies are as fun to decorate as they are to eat. Whether you're hosting a holiday party, baking gifts for loved ones, or creating a cozy family tradition, these iconic gingerbread cookies are sure to spread holiday cheer. Perfect for Christmas baking and festive decorating, they’ll quickly become a seasonal favorite in your home!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 0.3333 cup Brown sugar
- 0.3333 cup Molasses
- 1 Large egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 0.5 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 0.25 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 0.25 teaspoon Ground cloves
- 0.25 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Powdered sugar (for decorating)
- 1-2 tablespoons Milk (for icing)
- Food coloring (optional)
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy.
Mix in molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms. The dough should be firm and slightly sticky. If it's too sticky, add a bit more flour, one tablespoon at a time.
Divide the dough into two portions, flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Keep the other disk in the refrigerator until ready to roll.
Use gingerbread man cookie cutters to cut shapes from the dough and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between each cookie.
Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to brown. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the icing, combine the powdered sugar and 1-2 tablespoons of milk in a small bowl. Add food coloring if desired to make colorful decorations.
Transfer the icing to a piping bag or a resealable plastic bag with a small corner snipped off, and decorate the cooled cookies as desired.
Allow the icing to set before serving or storing the cookies in an airtight container.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
2267 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 43.9 g | 56% | |
| Saturated Fat | 23.2 g | 116% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.1 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 280 mg | 93% | |
| Sodium | 1364 mg | 59% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 440.7 g | 160% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 8.4 g | 30% | |
| Total Sugars | 253.6 g | ||
| Protein | 32.1 g | 64% | |
| Vitamin D | 1.2 mcg | 6% | |
| Calcium | 382 mg | 29% | |
| Iron | 17.9 mg | 99% | |
| Potassium | 2017 mg | 43% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
