Gingerbread People Cookies
Get ready to bring a classic holiday tradition to life with these delightful Gingerbread People Cookies! Made with a perfectly spiced dough featuring warm notes of ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, these cookies are soft, flavorful, and easy to customize. The recipe starts with rich molasses, buttery goodness, and a touch of brown sugar to create the perfect base for cutting into adorable gingerbread person shapes. Whether you decorate them with powdered sugar, colorful icing, or festive candies, these cookies are as fun to make as they are to eat. Perfect for holiday cookie exchanges, family baking days, or as an edible gift, these whimsical treats are sure to spread joy. With simple ingredients and easy-to-follow steps, you’ll transform your kitchen into a winter wonderland in no time.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 3 ounces unsalted butter
- 0.5 cup brown sugar
- 0.67 cup molasses
- 1 whole large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 0.25 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 assorted decorating icing or candies
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract, and mix until fully combined.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
Divide the dough into two equal portions. Flatten each portion into a disk, wrap them in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).
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 refrigerated while you work.
Use gingerbread person-shaped cookie cutters to cut out cookies, then transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to firm up. Avoid overbaking to keep the cookies soft.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Repeat the rolling, cutting, and baking process with the remaining dough.
Once the cookies are completely cooled, decorate as desired with powdered sugar, icing, or candies.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
3466 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 82.0 g | 105% | |
| Saturated Fat | 44.7 g | 224% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.1 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 374 mg | 125% | |
| Sodium | 2046 mg | 89% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 647.5 g | 235% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 12.0 g | 43% | |
| Total Sugars | 363.6 g | ||
| Protein | 44.5 g | 89% | |
| Vitamin D | 1.0 mcg | 5% | |
| Calcium | 632 mg | 49% | |
| Iron | 28.9 mg | 161% | |
| Potassium | 3744 mg | 80% | |
*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.
