Gingerbread Man Cookies
A delicious gingerbread man cookie recipe: crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside, these cookies are full of flavor and perfect for decorating!
Ingredients
- 3 ⅛ cups (438g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅔ cup (145g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup (150g) light or dark brown sugar
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) unsulphured molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Royal icing for decorating, optional
Instructions
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In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and ground spices. Set aside.
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In a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-low speed for 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and molasses and continue mixing until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla extract just until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour-spice mixture and beat just until combined. Do not overmix or the cookies will be tough.
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Form dough into a ball, then flatten slightly to form a disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours, until firm enough to roll. If you don’t want to use the dough right away, you can refrigerate it or for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to a month, then thaw it overnight in the fridge.
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Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
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Take the dough out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to soften slightly for easy rolling. On a lightly floured surface (or between 2 pieces of parchment paper), roll the dough to a ¼-inch thickness. Cut out shapes (I used a 4-inch gingerbread man cookie cutter) using a cookie cutter and place them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
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If at any point the dough becomes too warm, place it back into the fridge for a few minutes. Gently re-roll the remaining scraps and repeat. I recommend placing the sheets with cookies in the freezer or fridge for at least 15 minutes before baking, until firm, so that they will be less prone to spreading.
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Bake cookies for 9-10 minutes, but if cookie cutters are smaller than 3-4 inches, bake for about 8 minutes (or if larger, baker for 1-2 more minutes). Allow cookies to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then gently transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
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Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week or freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw, leave on the counter, still covered, or overnight in the fridge.