Description
Create classic Soft Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies, a timeless symbol of warmth and festive cheer. This recipe delivers a tender, yielding bite with rich molasses and aromatic spices. Perfect for decorating and sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (1 ½ sticks)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- — For Royal Icing (Optional) —
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons warm water
- 2 tablespoons meringue powder
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
- In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream ¾ cup softened unsalted butter and ¾ cup packed light brown sugar on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down bowl sides.
- Add ½ cup dark molasses and 1 large room-temperature egg to the creamed mixture. Mix on medium-low speed for 1-2 minutes until well combined and smooth. Scrape bowl again.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ tablespoons ground ginger, 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt until thoroughly combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in about three additions. Mix only until just combined and no streaks of dry flour remain. Do not overmix.
- Divide the dough in half. Flatten each half into a thick disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. Chilling is crucial for easy handling and preventing excessive spreading during baking.
- When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly flour a clean work surface, rolling pin, and cookie cutters.
- Take one disc of chilled dough. Lightly flour the dough and your rolling pin, then roll the dough out evenly to about ¼ inch (0.6 cm) thick. Dip cookie cutters in flour and cut out shapes, placing them 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Gather scraps, gently re-roll, and cut more cookies. Keep remaining dough chilled.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. Look for edges that are just set and lightly golden, and centers that still look slightly soft. Do not overbake for a soft and chewy texture. Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a large bowl, whisk 2 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons meringue powder, and ½ teaspoon cream of tartar. Gradually add 4 tablespoons warm water, mixing until smooth. Adjust water for outlining or flooding. Cover icing when not in use as it dries quickly.
- Transfer icing to piping bags. Outline cookies with thicker icing, letting it set for 10-15 minutes. Flood with thinner icing. Allow base layer to dry completely before adding detailed decorations. Let decorated cookies dry completely at room temperature for at least 6-12 hours until the icing is hard to the touch.
- Once completely dry, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1-2 weeks. They can also be frozen, decorated or undecorated, for up to 3 months; separate layers with parchment paper if freezing decorated cookies.
Notes
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: Soft Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies, Gingerbread Cookies, Holiday Cookies