Description
Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies that taste like childhood. My easy recipe for the perfect holiday treat, full of warm spices and sweet memories.
Ingredients
Scale
- Cookie Base Essentials:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup unsulphured molasses
- Sweet Frosting Fun:
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 large egg white
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or lemon juice (optional)
- Food coloring (optional)
- Optional Decorating Whimsy:
- Small candies
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Creaming the Good Stuff:: First things first, grab your softened unsalted butter and dark brown sugar. Pop them into a large mixing bowl and beat them together until they’re light and fluffy. This step is crucial for that tender crumb, honestly. I remember rushing this once, and my cookies felt a bit dense. Take your time, really cream it well, until it looks like a beautiful, sandy cloud. You’ll start to smell that sweet, molasses-y goodness already, which is always a good sign!
- Adding the Liquid Gold:: Next, pour in the molasses and crack in that egg. Mix it all up until everything is wonderfully combined. It might look a little messy at first, but keep going until it’s a smooth, rich brown mixture. Don’t worry if it looks a little gloopy; that’s totally normal. I once forgot the egg entirely and ended up with a crumbly disaster, so don’t be like me, haha!
- Spice it Up:: In a separate bowl, whisk together your all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Make sure everything is well-distributed; you don’t want a bite that’s just pure clove, trust me! Gradually add these dry ingredients to your wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Overmixing is the enemy here; it can make your cookies tough. I usually stop when I see just a few streaks of flour left, then finish by hand.
- Chilling Out:: Now, gather that beautiful dough into a ball, flatten it into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and pop it into the fridge. This is probably the most important step for truly soft and chewy gingerbread men cookies! Let it chill for at least 2 hours, or even overnight. I know, patience is hard, but it prevents spread and deepens the flavors. I learned this the hard way with those aforementioned cookie blobs, so don’t skip this, hon!
- Rolling and Cutting Fun:: Once chilled, dust your workspace and rolling pin lightly with flour. Roll out the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Grab your gingerbread men cutters and start cutting! Place them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. I always try to get as many as possible from one roll, then re-roll the scraps. My kitchen usually looks like a flour bomb went off at this point, but it’s all part of the fun, right?
- Baking and Cooling:: Bake your gingerbread men in a preheated oven (usually around 350°F or 175°C) for about 8-10 minutes. They should be just set at the edges but still a little soft in the middle for that perfect chewiness. Don’t overbake, or they’ll get crispy, and we want soft and chewy, remember? Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. The smell filling your kitchen right now? Pure bliss, honestly!
- Whipping up the Frosting:: While the cookies are cooling, let’s make some simple royal icing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar and egg white until smooth. If you’re using vanilla extract or lemon juice, stir it in now. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit of water, a teaspoon at a time, until it’s pipeable. I usually divide it and add food coloring for fun designs – those little faces need some personality!
- Decorating Time!: Once the cookies are completely cool, it’s time for the best part: decorating! Spoon your icing into a piping bag with a small round tip, or even a Ziploc bag with a tiny corner snipped off. Draw faces, buttons, squiggly lines – whatever your heart desires! This is where the kitchen chaos really peaks in my house, but it’s all part of the charm. Add any sprinkles or candies before the icing sets. Let the icing dry completely before storing.