Description
Delightful gingerbread men cookies bring holiday cheer with their perfect blend of spices and sweetness. Festive treats will delight friends and family, creating memorable moments of joy and warmth.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (120 ml) unsulfured molasses
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 ½ tsps ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- royal icing (store-bought or homemade)
- assorted sprinkles or candies
Instructions
- Dough Preparation: Cream butter and brown sugar until smooth, then blend in egg, molasses, and vanilla to create a rich, fragrant base.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt, whisking to distribute spices evenly throughout the mixture.
- Dough Formation: Incorporate dry ingredients into wet mixture, kneading until a cohesive, pliable dough forms. Divide into two disks, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least one hour to intensify flavors and improve texture.
- Shaping and Cutting: Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Use gingerbread man cookie cutter to create festive shapes, placing them one inch apart on prepared sheets.
- Baking Process: Bake for 8-10 minutes, watching for set edges and slightly soft centers. Allow cookies to rest briefly on baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Decorative Finishing: Once completely cooled, adorn gingerbread men with royal icing, sprinkles, or candy embellishments. Let decorations set before serving or storing.
Notes
- Chill Dough Thoroughly: Refrigerate for at least one hour to prevent spreading and maintain crisp cookie shapes during baking.
- Control Spice Intensity: Adjust ground spices according to personal preference, balancing ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg for a personalized flavor profile.
- Prevent Sticking Technique: Dust rolling pin and work surface generously with flour to ensure smooth dough handling and easy cookie cutting.
- Bake with Precision: Watch cookies carefully during last few minutes to achieve soft, chewy texture without over-browning edges, removing from oven when edges just start to firm up.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 170
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg