I posted this recipe last year and I’m posting it again. Why? Because this recipe is the best one I’ve ever tried for making gingerbread men.
Who can say no to a Gingerbread Man cookie? I know I can’t. I’m not sure if it’s my animal instincts or what, but I tend to go for the right arm first. Then the legs. And once I have eaten all his limbs… I bite off his head. This is exactly why I don’t like to decorate my cookies. After all, what kind of sicko wants a helpless Gingerbread Man staring back at her with his mini chocolate chips eyes?
Poor Gingey…It must be terribly traumatic to be a Gingerbread man…
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25 Days Of Christmas Cookies – Gingerbread Man Recipe
Ingredients
Scale
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 stick butter or margarine, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 3 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Using an electric mixer at low speed, cream the sugar and butter until thoroughly combined.
- Add the eggs and molasses and mix until combined.
- Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and combine with a spoon or spatula.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap in plastic wrap; place in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (I like to use silpats).
- Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, until pliable.
- Take about 1/2 cup of dough at a time and roll onto a floured board until about 1/8-inch thick.
- Cut out with gingerbread boy and girl cookie cutters. You can re-roll the scraps.
- Using a spatula, transfer the cookies from the board to the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until just beginning to brown at the edges.
- Transfer to wire racks to cool.
Recipe By Paula Dean
A few of my favorite things…
- Gingerbread Baby
- Baking Mats
- Wilton Gingerbread Boy Comfort Grip Cookie Cutter
- Gingerbread House Mold
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Heather says
And here I thought our family was strange for not decorating our Men either!
Mari says
Hi Mavis.
Could you please tell me what weight is a ‘stick of butter’?
Ours comes in 500gm/1lb blocks here in New Zealand.
Evonne says
a stick is 4 oz.
Mari says
Thanks for that. Time to go make some biscuits (our name for your cookies)
Kathy says
Do you use dark or light molasses? Sulfured or unsulfured? Just wondering cuz my momma says it makes a difference. And I can’t find my recipe so I’m using yours this year!
Mavis says
I used dark unsulfered molasses.
Ann T. says
I just read that Tuesday, December 4th is National Cookie Day. Good timing when most are making lots of cookies anyways.
Rachel says
how many gingerbread does this make? I need to make about 8-9 dozen
and does Thursday and would like to make them ahead.
Mavis says
6 dozen 5 inch gingerbread men.
Rachel says
does the type of molasses make a difference?
Donna says
Dumb question, but is the wire rack necessary or can I put them on wax paper?
Mavis Butterfield says
Interesting question. I’ve always used a wire rack so I can’t say.
Allison says
Maybe the steam itself will make the bottom soggy ?
Erin says
Are! I just tried this and the “dough” was SUPER dry and crumbly! What happened?
Karen says
my dough was dry too! Ugh!
Jenny says
Just attempted to make these but my dough was too dry to work with. Followed recipe to the dot. Seems too much flour maybe?? Not sure but was unable to work with 🙁
Mavis Butterfield says
Thank you for your input. I adjusted the flour.
Eva says
I finished off by hand the dough seems fine – soft and tasty!
You may disregard my earlier comment.