Gingerbread Men Cookies

4.80 from 15 votes
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Homemade Gingerbread Men Cookies! Spiced ginger cookies paired with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and rich molasses make this warm Christmas cookie classic what it is today! Decorated with cute little buttons, scarfs, and smiles these gingerbread men are sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike.   

I can’t think of a cuter, more classic, or more fun cookie to make for the holidays than these Homemade Christmas Gingerbread Men Cookies.

Not only do they have a delicious sweet and spicy taste, but you and your family will love decorating them!  We’ve even turned it into an annual family cookie decorating contest (I may or may not be the reigning champion).

homemade gingerbread men cookies decorated with eyes, mouth, scarf, and buttons using icing

This gingerbread recipe makes the tastiest classic Christmas Gingerbread Men cookies! Made with molasses and brown sugar you can’t go wrong!

If you want a cozy, yummy Christmas cookie recipe (that will make your home smell heavenly!), this is the one for you.

If you would rather make a scoop and bake gingerbread cookie, give our soft gingerbread cookies recipe a try.

christmas gingerbread men cookies scattered and piled on top of cooling rack

Why You Should Make This Homemade Christmas Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe

  • These gingerbread men cookies are a classic Christmas treat that not only taste amazing they envoke a feeling of happiness!  
  • Your kids will love them!  Not only are these cookies sweet and delicious, but they are so stinkin’ cute. Your whole family will be excited not only to eat them, but to help decorate them, too.
  • This homemade gingerbread men recipe is sure to become an annual tradition.

Ingredients You Need To Make This Classic Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Ingredients for Gingerbread Men Cookies and easy icing on the countertop: confectioners' sugar, all-purpose flour, molassas, egg, butter, dark brown sugar, milk, vanilla extract, gel food coloring, salt, baking soda, light corn syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger

For the cookies:

  • Butter – remove your butter from the fridge 30-60 minutes before you start to let it come to room temperature.
  • Dark brown sugar – You can substitute with light brown sugar, your cookies will just be lighter in color.
  • Mollassas – Look for a unsulphured molasses. I always use Grandma’s.
  • Vanilla extract – Use 100% pure vanilla extract for best taste.
  • Egg – let your egg come to room temperature on the countertop with your butter.
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Spices: ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves

For the icing:

  • Confectioner’s sugar
  • Whole milk
  • Light corn syrup– Makes the icing nice and shiny. Can be omitted but icing won’t have the same sheen to it.
  • Gel food coloring – Optional, for coloring the icing red and green. You can skip this and just use white if you wish.

Equipment You’ll Need

How to Make the Best Homemade Christmas Gingerbread Men Cookies

This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below. 

Step 1: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer and a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, molasses and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Two image collage. On left: butter, molasses, and dark brown sugar in glass mixing bowl. On right: wet ingredients mixed together.

Step 2: In another bowl, mix together flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt.

flour, salt, and spices in glass mixing bowl

Step 3: With the mixer set to low speed, add dry ingredients gradually to the wet ingredients in 2 batches, mixing slowly until the dough forms. Do not overmix.

Two image collage. On left: dry ingredients being added to wet cookie ingredients. On right: finished gingerbread cookie dough.

Step 4: Wrap dough in plastic wrap and flatten into a disc shape. Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Step 5:  Preheat oven to 350°F, line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper

Step 6: On a lightly floured surface, roll out cookie dough to about ¼ inch thickness (this rolling pin makes this a breeze). Cut into gingerbread men using a cookie cutter. Gather and roll out scraps as necessary. Use a spatula to carefully transfer cut-out cookies to the prepared baking tray, planing them 1-inch apart.

man shaped cookie cutter cutting gingerbread cookie dough

Step 7: Bake in the preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet for 3-5 minute before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool fully.

undecorated gingerbread men cookies on parchment-lined baking sheet

Step 8: To make the icing, add the confectioner’s sugar, milk, and light corn syrup to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Divide icing amongst bowls and color as desired. Transfer to piping bags or squeeze bottles and decorate as desired.

Decorated gingerbread men cookies on cooling rack

Storage

Countertop: These gingerbread cookies with molasses will stay fresh for 5 days if stored in a sealed container, such as a cookie tin, at room temperature. Allow icing to fully harden before stacking or storing the cookies. This will take several hours but is necessary so that your beautifully decorated cookies do not get ruined.

Freezer: You can also freeze these gingerbread cookies, just be sure that this is done BEFORE they are decorated.  They need to be placed in individual bags or between sheets of waxed paper so that they do not stick together.  If you are trying to save them to decorate on another day, your best option is to freeze the dough instead.

Expert Tips

  • Make sure that you have chilled the dough until it is easy to handle. If you are finding the dough has become sticky and difficult to work with as you cut your cookies, place it back in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to firm up again.
  • Do not overmix the dough for these gingerbread men cookies. When combining the wet and dry ingredients mix on low just until combined.
Christmas gingerbread men cookies decorated with eyes, buttons, and scarf using red, green, and white icing

Substitutions and Variations

  • These delicious gingerbread cookies can also be cut into other shapes. One year, we cut some of them into Christmas trees and decorated them.
  • If you want to add some extra zest, add a little orange zest in the dough. It pairs perfectly with the warm spice combination of the gingerbread cookies.
  • Want something fun to do with your Gingerbread men? Give them all ugly sweaters and have a contest with your family and friends. Take a picture of everyone’s design and post it on social media let your followers decide who won!

What To Serve/Pair With Your Homemade Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe

  • These classic gingerbread cookies are delicious with a glass of ice cold milk, which also makes them a perfect Christmas Eve treat to leave out for Santa Claus.
  • If you want a warmer drink, these Christmas gingerbread cookies are also tasty with a gingerbread latte, warm apple cider, or a cup of hot cocoa. If you want to add a grown up twist, try mixing in some Irish Creme with your hot cocoa.

Christmas Gingerbread Men Cookies FAQs

Will these gingerbread men cookies be hard or soft?

These gingerbread men cookies will be soft and perfectly chewy when they are finished.

Can I decorate with store bought icing?

No (unless you get icing specifically made for cookies). For this classic Christmas gingerbread men recipe, you’ll want to make the icing that is listed in the recipe, as it will harden when it dries. Store bought icing usually is not thick/stiff enough to decorate with

Can I freeze this gingerbread cookie dough?

Yes. This gingerbread men cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.

Can I change the amount of spices?

Yes.  While I think that the spices above are just the right amount, you can change the measurements to your preference. Just be careful, if you do this then you may end up with a very spicy cookie.

Can I use fresh ginger instead of dried ginger in this recipe?

Sure! You can use two tablespoons of fresh ginger in place of the ground ginger if you’d like. I find that fresh ginger doesn’t give the same ginger punch as dried. If you prefer a more mellow gingerbread cookie then fresh ginger is the way to go!

Don’t forget to come back and tell us how your Homemade Christmas Gingerbread Men Cookies turned out!

More classic homemade Christmas cookie recipes

Recipe
homemade gingerbread men cookies decorated with eyes, mouth, scarf, and buttons using icing
Recipe
4.80 from 15 votes

Gingerbread Men Cookies

Author: Jaclyn
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 30 minutes
This gingerbread recipe makes the tastiest classic Christmas Gingerbread Men cookies! Made with molasses and brown sugar you can’t go wrong!

Ingredients
 

  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
  • ½ cup molasses
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon cloves
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Icing
  • 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 1-2 Tablespoon whole milk
  • 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
  • gel food coloring

Instructions

  • Using a stand mixer or hand mixer and a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, molasses, and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • In another bowl, mix together flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
  • With the mixer set to low speed, add dry ingredients gradually to the wet ingredients in 2 batches, mixing slowly until the dough forms. Do not overmix.
  • Wrap dough in plastic wrap and flatten it into a disc shape. Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F, line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll out cookie dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Cut into gingerbread men using a cookie cutter. Gather and roll out scraps as necessary. Use a spatula to carefully transfer cut-out cookies to the prepared baking tray, planing them 1-inch apart.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool fully.
  • To make the icing, add the confectioner’s sugar, milk, and light corn syrup to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Divide icing amongst bowls and color as desired. Transfer to piping bags or squeeze bottles and decorate as desired.

Notes

  • Make sure that you have chilled the dough until it is easy to handle. If you are finding the dough has become sticky and difficult to work with as you cut your cookies, place it back in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to firm up again.
  • Do not overmix the dough for these gingerbread men cookies. When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix on low just until combined.
  • To freeze dough: This gingerbread men cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
  • Storage: Allow icing to fully harden before stacking or storing the cookies. This will take several hours. Cookies will keep for 5 days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. 
  • To freeze baked cookies: Freeze undecorated gingerbread cookies in individual bags or between sheets of waxed paper so that they do not stick together. Although if you are trying to save them to decorate on another day, the easiest t option is to freeze the dough instead, then bake and decorate.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 176kcal
homemade gingerbread men cookies decorated with eyes, mouth, scarf, and buttons using icing

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Gingerbread Men Cookies Pinterest Collage Image

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