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    You Are Here Home » Christmas Recipes

    Published: Dec 6, 2020 Updated: Dec 7, 2021 by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 4 Comments

    Delicious Gingerbread Men Cookies

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    gingerbread cookies

    Your house will smell heavenly when you bake these Delicious Gingerbread Men Cookies. They're fun to decorate and sure to put everyone in the Christmas spirit! Dunk them in a cold glass of milk or have them with a hot cup of coffee, they're sure to be your new favorite holiday cookies!

    Why This Recipe Works

    The dough for these Gingerbread Men Cookies is very forgiving and when chilled, even easier to work with.

    The spice blend used in these gingerbread cookies is perfect, neither bland nor too spicy. You might be surprised with one of my optional ingredients (black pepper). The pepper gives the cookies a little kick that's sure to leave those who try them wondering what's different about these delicious cookies.

    What Goes Into This Recipe

    Recipe Ingredient Notes

    • Shortening — Shortening does not contain water like butter does. This keeps the cookies from spreading once baked.
    • Spices — I chose to use ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves in this recipe. The black pepper is optional, but recommended. Other optional spices include allspice and nutmeg.
    • Molasses — The molasses gives these cookies their rich flavor and dark color. Brer Rabbit or Blackstrap molasses are both great options.
    • Brown Sugar — Using brown sugar adds to the rich flavor.

    How to Make This Recipe

    Step 1: Beat shortening in a mixing bowl at high speed for approximately 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and beat until combined.

    • shortening creamed in a mixer
    • adding brown sugar to creamed shortening

    Step 2: Add baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Mix thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in molasses, eggs, and vinegar. Add flour in batches and mix to combine. If needed, stir in the last of the flour with a wooden spoon.

    • adding spices to a bowl of cookie dough
    • gingerbread dough in a mixer

    Step 3: Divide the gingerbread cookie dough into four sections. Wrap each section in Saran wrap. Chill the dough for approximately two to three hours so that it's easier to handle. 

    Step 4: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

    Step 5: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one section of dough at a time to ⅛" thickness. Keep the remaining gingerbread dough in the fridge until needed. Use a gingerbread men cookie cutter to cut the cookies. A 3" cookie cutter will yield approximately 100 cookies.

    Step 6: Use a spatula to transfer the gingerbread cookies from the floured surface to the cookie sheet. Bake the cookies for 5 minutes or until the edges are light brown. Cool the gingerbread cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool further.

    Gingerbread Men Cookie Decorating Ideas

    Decorating The Gingerbread Men (and women) with hair

    One fun way to decorate the gingerbread men cookies is to run some of the dough through a garlic press to make "hair." Once you have the strands of dough, you can use them to make various hair styles to give your gingerbread men and women personality.

    • cookie dough in a garlic press
    • cookie dough through a garlic press
    • unbaked gingerbread  men cookies
    • unbaked gingerbread men cookies on a cutting board

    Decorating the Gingerbread Men Cookies with Sprinkles

    Experiment with various sprinkles to give the gingerbread men cookies facial features as well as decorating the torso. You will find that some sprinkles stand up to being baked, while others will melt. If they do melt, just press the same sprinkles into the cookies while still hot.

    • gingerbread men cookies on a baking sheet
    • gingerbread men cookies on a baking sheet
      Notice that some of the sprinkles (mainly the canes) melted. I replaced the canes after baking.

    Using Icing to Decorate the cookies

    Another decorating option is to make decorating icing using a mixture of powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk (no powdered meringue necessary). The icing can be divided into smaller containers, tinted with food coloring, and spread on with a cheese spreader.

    And don't worry, you don't have to be an artist to decorate cookies. Get some friends together and just have some fun!

    • a group of ladies decorating cookies around a table
    • decorated gingerbread men cookies on a christmas plate

    Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips

    How do you know when gingerbread cookies are done?

    Gingerbread cookies only need 5 minutes or so to bake. You will know the cookies are ready when their edges are lightly golden in color.

    Do you decorate gingerbread cookies before after baking?

    Gingerbread cookies can be decorated before baking or after. The main thing to keep in mind is not all sprinkles are created equal. Some sprinkles hold up to baking while others melt.

    If you decide to decorate the gingerbread cookies after they bake, you will need to ice them first so that the sprinkles have a sticky surface to adhere to.

    Do you have to chill gingerbread dough?

    It's generally recommended that you chill gingerbread cookie dough for 3 hours. The chill time makes the dough easier to work with so that it's not too sticky.

    During this time the flavor of the dough is also supposed to develop. However, I've gotten away with chilling the dough for as little as one hour without noticing a difference.

    • These cookies bake up a bit firm, which makes them easier to decorate. If you prefer softer cookies, store the baked cookies in a plastic container.
    • If you prefer crispier cookies, store them in a tin container.
    • You can make gingerbread dough ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days. Wrap the dough in Saran Wrap to keep it from drying out. If the dough feels too stiff, allow it to rest on the counter until it's easier to roll out.
    • One teaspoon of orange zest may be added to the dough but is optional.
    • To freeze gingerbread cookies, allow them to cool completely before transferring them to a Ziplock bag. Gently press all the air out of the bag and seal. Freeze cookies for up to 3 months.
    gingerbread men cookies in a tin in front of a christmas tree

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    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

    Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

    📖 Recipe

    tin with gingerbread men with christmas tree behind it

    Delicious Gingerbread Men Cookies

    Delicious gingerbread men cookies with just the right amount of spice.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Resting Time: 2 hours
    Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
    Servings: 100 cookies
    Calories: 61kcal
    Author: Hilda Sterner

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup shortening
    • 1 cup packed brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
    • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
    • 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper (optional)
    • 1 cup molasses
    • 2 tablespoon white vinegar
    • 2 medium eggs
    • 5 cups all-purpose flour

    Instructions

    • Beat shortening in a mixing bowl at high speed for approximately 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and beat until combined.
    • Add baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Mix thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in molasses, eggs, and vinegar. Add flour in batches and mix to combine. If needed, stir in the last of the flour with a wooden spoon.
    • Divide the gingerbread cookie dough into four sections. Wrap each section in Saran wrap. Chill the dough for approximately two to three hours so that it's easier to handle. 
    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
    • On a lightly floured surface, roll out one section of dough at a time to ⅛" thickness. Keep the remaining gingerbread dough in the fridge until needed. Use a gingerbread men cookie cutter to cut the cookies. A 3" cookie cutter will yield approximately 100 cookies.
    • Use a spatula to transfer the gingerbread cookies from the floured surface to the cookie sheet. Bake the cookies for 5 minutes or until the edges are light brown. Cool the gingerbread cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool further.

    Notes

    • These cookies bake up a bit firm, which makes them easier to decorate. If you prefer softer cookies, store the baked cookies in a plastic container.
    • If you prefer crispier cookies, store them in a tin container.
    • You can make gingerbread dough ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days. Wrap the dough in Saran Wrap to keep it from drying out. If the dough feels too stiff, allow it to rest on the counter until it's easier to roll out.
    • One teaspoon of orange zest may be added to the dough but is optional.
    • To freeze gingerbread cookies, allow them to cool completely before transferring them to a Ziplock bag. Gently press all the air out of the bag and seal. Freeze cookies for up to 3 months.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 61kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Please leave A Star Rating!Mention @HildasKitchenBlog or tag #HildasKitchenBlog!

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    1. cheryl says

      January 24, 2021 at 6:45 am

      5 stars
      thank you for posting this! I made some hyperactive ninjamen, that made lively gift boxes.

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        January 24, 2021 at 7:45 am

        You're very welcome. Thanks for the review, I really appreciate it! ❤️

        Reply
    2. Kathy Fisher says

      December 07, 2020 at 3:02 pm

      5 stars
      I loved these gingerbread cookies. In my opinion the pepper made this recipe really great. They are delicious and I highly recommend this recipe.

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        December 07, 2020 at 3:19 pm

        Thank you, sweet Kathy! I'm glad you enjoyed them. ❤️

        Reply

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