Description
These Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies are a delightful holiday treat with warm spices and a tender texture. Perfect for festive decorating and sharing, these cookies combine classic gingerbread flavors with an easy-to-follow recipe that yields irresistibly soft centers and slightly crisp edges.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Decorations
- Royal icing or store-bought icing
- Edible decorations (sprinkles, candy, etc.)
Instructions
- Make the Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter and brown sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly to incorporate all the ingredients.
- Combine Ingredients: Gradually add the dry spice and flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms with no visible flour.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into two equal portions. Wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up the dough for easy rolling and cutting.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Roll and Cut the Cookies: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion of the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use gingerbread men cookie cutters to cut out shapes and gently transfer them to the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the second dough portion.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers remain soft. Remove the sheets from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
- Decorate: Once the cookies are fully cooled, decorate them with royal icing or your choice of store-bought icing. Add edible decorations such as sprinkles or candy as desired. Let the icing set before serving or storing.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential for maintaining the shape of cookies and ensuring they bake evenly.
- Do not overbake the cookies; remove them when edges are set but centers are still soft to keep them chewy.
- Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent cookies from sticking.
- The spices can be adjusted to taste; adding a pinch of black pepper can enhance the gingerbread flavor.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh for up to a week.
