Classic Gingerbread Man Cookies (Print version)

Warm spiced gingerbread man with molasses, ideal for festive decorating and sharing.

# What you'll need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 tablespoon ground ginger
06 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
11 - 1 large egg
12 - 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
13 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ For Decorating

14 - Royal icing or simple icing
15 - Assorted candies or sprinkles (optional)

# How to make it:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and dark brown sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
03 - Add egg, molasses, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture; mix until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring on low speed until just combined.
05 - Divide dough in half, form each into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough disk to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into gingerbread man shapes with a cookie cutter.
08 - Place cutouts on prepared baking sheets, spacing at least 2 inches apart.
09 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are just firm. Let cool on the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Once cooled, decorate cookies with icing and candies as desired.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving enough that even a first-timer can roll and cut clean shapes without the edges getting ragged.
  • One batch makes enough to decorate with friends, gift to neighbors, or honestly just keep eating plain because they're that good.
  • The spice balance hits that sweet spot where molasses doesn't overpower—it just whispers in the background.
02 -
  • Chilling is not optional—dough that hasn't been chilled spreads all over the place and your gingerbread man becomes a gingerbread blob.
  • The molasses smell might seem overwhelming when you first open the jar, but it mellows into something warm and subtle once everything bakes together.
  • Don't overbake—the cookies continue to set as they cool, and a slightly underdone cookie at 9 minutes beats a snappy one at 11 every single time.
03 -
  • Use an offset spatula when transferring warm cookies—it slides under them so much easier than a regular spatula and prevents breaking.
  • If your dough starts getting soft while you're cutting, slide it back in the fridge for 10 minutes instead of wrestling with it—warm dough never cooperates.
  • Make the dough a day or two early and decorate fresh if you're throwing a party—hot cookies taste better than ones sitting around, even if they've been decorated for hours.

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