Christmas and cookies are two of the best parts of the holiday season, and when they come together, the result is pure festive joy. During November and December, there is almost always a batch of holiday cookies on the counter, a tray cooling on a rack, or dough chilling in the refrigerator ready to be rolled and cut.
There are so many wonderful Christmas cookie recipes to enjoy, from colorful crinkle cookies to rich cocoa-inspired treats, but gingerbread man cookies are one of the most classic holiday favorites. With their warm spices, sweet molasses flavor, and charming decorated faces, these cookies instantly bring a festive feeling to any kitchen.
Gingerbread people are part of the magic of Christmas. They appear in holiday stories, songs, ornaments, decorations, and dessert trays everywhere. A plate filled with gingerbread men, women, and children feels cheerful, nostalgic, and homemade in the very best way.
If you are looking for a fun Christmas baking tradition, making your own gingerbread family is a wonderful place to start. This gingerbread cookies recipe is easier than it may look, and it is a great holiday activity for both kids and adults. Everyone can help roll the dough, cut out shapes, and decorate each cookie with icing, candies, or sprinkles.
You can make a small batch for a cozy family night or turn the activity into a full gingerbread village. If you are feeling especially creative, these gingerbread man cookies can even be paired with gingerbread houses for a festive decorating project.
What Kind of Icing Do You Use with Gingerbread Men?
The best icing for gingerbread man cookies should be thick enough to hold its shape but smooth enough to pipe neatly. You need an icing that can create small details such as eyes, smiles, buttons, cuffs, and decorative borders without running all over the cookie.
The icing recipe included below works well for decorating because it has a balanced consistency. It pipes cleanly through a small round tip and dries nicely on the cookies. If you already have a favorite cookie icing recipe, you can use it as long as it is suitable for fine details.
Premade cookie icing can also be used if you want a quicker option. Choose icing with a fine decorating tip, or transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. This will make it much easier to decorate your gingerbread cookies with clean lines and simple designs.
Are these Gluten Free Gingerbread Man Cookies?
This gingerbread man cookie recipe is not gluten-free as written because it uses all-purpose flour. However, it can be adapted by replacing the flour with a gluten-free flour blend. The remaining ingredients in the recipe are already gluten-free.
If you make the gluten-free version, the dough will usually work best when it has time to rest in the refrigerator. Chilling the dough overnight can improve the texture and make it easier to roll and cut.
Even if you are not making gluten-free gingerbread cookies, chilling the dough is still important. Cold dough is easier to handle, holds its shape better, and helps the cut-out cookies bake more evenly.
Can the Kids Help?
Yes, kids can absolutely help with this Christmas cookie recipe. Making gingerbread cookies is one of those holiday kitchen activities that feels just as fun as it tastes. Children can help measure ingredients, pour, stir, roll out the dough, press the cookie cutters, and decorate the finished cookies.
Younger children may need help with rolling the dough to the right thickness and transferring cut-out cookies to the baking sheet. The ideal thickness is about 1/4 inch, which helps the cookies bake properly while still holding their shape.
Adults should handle the oven and supervise any steps involving hot baking sheets. Older kids may be able to do more on their own, but it is always worth checking the dough thickness before baking to help avoid cookies that are too thin, too thick, or uneven.
What Supplies Do You Need to Make Gingerbread Cookies?
To make these gingerbread man cookies, you will need:
- Gingerbread man cookie cutter
- Baking sheets
- Silicone baking mat or parchment paper
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Silicone spatula
- Rolling pin
- Sprinkles, candies, or other decorations
- Wire cooling rack
- Decorator icing bag and small round tip if making homemade icing
- Cookie icing if using a premade option
Hungry for More?
If you enjoy holiday baking, try adding more cookie recipes to your seasonal baking list. Chocolate cookies, crinkle cookies, mint cookies, coconut almond chocolate chip cookies, red velvet cookies, and gingerbread muffins all make delicious additions to a Christmas dessert table.
Gingerbread Cookies
36-40
15 minutes
14 minutes
29 minutes
These adorable gingerbread man cookies are festive, flavorful, and fun to bake and decorate. They are perfect for Christmas parties, holiday cookie trays, family baking days, and cozy winter afternoons in the kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup water
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Icing
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- Candies, sprinkles, or other decorations
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the molasses and water, then beat until the mixture is well combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing well and scraping down the bowl after each addition.
- Divide the dough in half and wrap each portion in plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or chill it overnight for best results.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
- Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut the dough with a gingerbread man cookie cutter and place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are set.
- Let the cookies cool slightly on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
Icing
- In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, corn syrup, clear vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of milk.
- Whisk until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add more milk a little at a time until it reaches a pipeable consistency.
- Fit a decorator icing bag with a small round tip and fill it with icing.
- Decorate the cooled gingerbread cookies as desired with icing, candies, and sprinkles.
