Playful classic gingerbread man (Printable version)

Crisp and tender spiced gingerbread shaped for festive decorating and sharing.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour (approx. 375 g)
02 - 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 tablespoon ground ginger
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (170 g)
09 - 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar (150 g)
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses (120 ml)
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Decoration (optional)

13 - Royal icing or colored icing
14 - Mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, or candies

# How to Make It:

01 - Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Set aside.
02 - Beat softened butter and dark brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
03 - Add egg, molasses, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and blend until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just incorporated.
05 - Divide dough into two halves, form each into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch (6 mm) thickness and cut shapes using a cookie cutter.
08 - Place cookie shapes 2 inches apart on prepared sheets.
09 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set and beginning to brown.
10 - Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
11 - Decorate cooled cookies with royal icing, colored icing, or candies as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The cookies hold their shape beautifully, staying crisp at the edges while staying tender inside where it counts.
  • One batch makes enough to decorate, gift, or sneak a few extra into your mouth when no one is looking.
  • The spice blend is bold enough to taste homemade but welcoming enough that even skeptics will reach for seconds.
02 -
  • Don't skip the chilling step thinking you'll save time—warm dough spreads like pancake batter and your gingerbread men become gingerbread blobs.
  • The cookies continue to firm up as they cool, so remove them from the oven when they still look slightly underbaked in the center; they'll set perfectly.
03 -
  • Room temperature butter truly matters—set it out 30 minutes early or your creaming won't work and the dough will be grainy.
  • Brush cooled cookies with a light glaze of apricot jam before decorating; it helps icing and toppings stick while adding subtle flavor.

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