Description
Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Man Cookies that won’t spread! My tried-and-true recipe for warmly spiced, perfectly textured gingerbread men. No more flat cookies!
Ingredients
Scale
- Dough Base:
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Spices & Flavor:
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sweeteners & Liquids:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup dark, unsulphured molasses
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- Icing & Decoration (Optional):
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2–3 tablespoons milk (or lemon juice)
- Assorted sprinkles or small candies
Instructions
- Cream Butter & Sugars: First things first, get your softened butter and dark brown sugar into a mixing bowl. I usually let my butter sit out for an hour or two; if it’s too cold, it won’t cream properly, and if it’s melted, well, we’re starting over. Beat them together until they’re light and fluffy, usually about 2-3 minutes. You want to see that pale, almost cloud-like texture. This step incorporates air, which helps with the final texture of our Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Man Cookies. I always peek at it, making sure it’s just right before moving on.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Next, crack in that large egg and pour in the molasses and vanilla extract. Beat these until everything is fully combined. It might look a little separated at first, but keep going until it’s smooth and uniform. This is where the magic really starts to happen, and you’ll begin to smell that distinct, sweet molasses aroma filling your kitchen. Don’t overmix here, just get it incorporated. I once added a cold egg, and it made the butter mixture seize up a bit – room temp is your friend!
- Whisk Dry & Combine: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together your all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Give it a good whisk to make sure all those spices are evenly distributed. Then, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as you see no more streaks of flour. Overmixing develops gluten, and we want tender, Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Man Cookies, not tough ones!
- Chill the Dough (Crucial!): Divide your dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and pop them into the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight. Honestly, this is the most important step for preventing spread! I’ve tried to rush it, thinking “what’s 30 minutes?” and my cookies paid the price. The dough firms up, and the flavors deepen. Go make a cup of tea, read a book, and let the fridge do its work.
- Roll & Cut: Once chilled, take one disc of dough out. On a lightly floured surface (don’t go crazy with the flour, just enough to prevent sticking!), roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Now for the fun part: grab your gingerbread man cookie cutters! Cut out your shapes and carefully transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave about an inch between each cookie. Re-roll any scraps, but try not to overwork the dough. I always try to get as many cookies as possible from the first roll!
- Bake & Decorate: Bake your Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Man Cookies in a preheated oven (usually around 350°F/175°C) for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the centers still look a tiny bit soft. They’ll firm up as they cool, I promise! Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once they’re completely cool, then you can get creative with powdered sugar icing and sprinkles. This is my favorite part, watching them come to life!