Description
This classic Gingerbread Men recipe features aromatic spices, rich molasses, and the perfect balance of sweetness and warmth. Soft yet slightly crisp, these charming cookies are ideal for holiday baking and decorating fun.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour properly measured
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap)
- 1 large egg at room temperature
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, baking soda, and salt until evenly incorporated.
- Cream Butter: In a separate large bowl, use a stand mixer or hand mixer to cream the softened butter until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed.
- Add Sugar and Vanilla: To the creamed butter, add the dark brown sugar and vanilla extract. Beat the mixture until it becomes light, fluffy, and well mixed.
- Incorporate Molasses and Egg: Beat in the molasses and the egg into the wet mixture until fully combined and smooth.
- Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture in portions, mixing gently after each addition until the dough comes together. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to blend all ingredients evenly.
- Chill Dough: Divide the dough into two equal portions and shape each into a flat disc. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight to firm up.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 to 3 baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Roll and Cut Dough: Working with one disc at a time, roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use floured cookie cutters to cut out gingerbread men shapes. Transfer cutouts with a floured spatula to the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned but cookies remain soft in the center.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired once fully cooled.
Notes
- Flour: Measure flour properly by weighing, or use the spoon-and-level method to avoid dense dough.
- Spices: Adjust the type and amount to your personal taste preferences.
- Butter: Using salted butter? Omit the additional salt in the dough.
- Brown Sugar: Dark brown sugar provides richer flavor; light brown sugar is an acceptable substitute.
- Molasses: Use unsulphured molasses for best flavor; avoid blackstrap molasses due to bitterness.
- Yield depends on cookie cutter size and thickness; typically yields about 24 medium-sized cookies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
