Description
Delight in these classic, soft, and chewy Gingerbread Man Cookies, perfectly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Ideal for festive baking and decorating, this recipe yields flavorful cookies with a rich molasses depth, perfect for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons butter, room temperature, cut into 12 pieces
- 3/4 cup dark molasses
- 2 tablespoons milk
Frosting
- 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt, then mix until well combined.
- Incorporate butter: Add the butter pieces to the dry mixture and use a pastry blender to cut in the butter until the mixture resembles fine meal consistency.
- Add wet ingredients: With a mixer on low speed, gradually add the molasses and 2 tablespoons of milk, mixing until just combined, approximately 30 seconds.
- Chill the dough: Divide the dough into two equal balls, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Alternatively, place in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up if pressed for time.
- Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll and cut dough: Remove one dough ball and roll it out on a well-floured surface to about 1/2 inch thickness, lightly flouring the rolling pin and dough surface as needed. Use gingerbread man cookie cutters to cut shapes and place on prepared baking sheets.
- Chill cut cookies: Refrigerate the cut cookies for 5 minutes to help them hold their shape while baking.
- Bake the cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 11 minutes or until the centers are set and the dough barely retains an imprint when touched gently. Avoid overbaking to maintain softness.
- Cool: Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let them cool to room temperature before applying frosting.
- Store properly: Store gingerbread man cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers. They can be frozen for up to 3 months for future enjoyment.
Notes
- This gingerbread cookie recipe produces soft, chewy, and flavorful cookies that are as fun to eat as they are to decorate.
- Chilling the dough is mandatory to prevent stickiness and make rolling easier.
- Use parchment paper on baking sheets to avoid sticking and ensure even baking.
- Do not overbake the cookies to keep them soft inside.
- Store cookies with parchment paper layers to maintain freshness and prevent sticking.
- Freezing cookies extends their shelf life up to 3 months without losing texture or flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 214 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 143 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 18 mg
