Easy Gingerbread Men Recipe (The Cutest Holiday Cookies!)
Nothing says Christmas like a batch of homemade gingerbread cookies baking away. The smell alone gets everyone to the kitchen! These classic gingerbread men may look fancy, but this easy gingerbread cookie recipe keeps things simple, fun, and totally forgiving! Perfect for holiday baking with kids, friends, or anyone who loves a cozy Christmas treat.
These are easy gingerbread cookies that beginners can make confidently and experienced bakers will still love. They’re soft, warmly spiced and sturdy enough to decorate without falling apart. If you’ve been looking for the best gingerbread cookie recipe for the holidays, this is the one I will recommend every single time!
Tips Before You Start
These little details make your gingerbread so much easier:
Chill your dough (even a short time helps)
Gingerbread dough softens quickly. Even 20 minutes in the fridge makes rolling and cutting easier.
Roll the dough on parchment paper
It keeps the cookies from sticking and makes cleanup so much easier.
Keep the thickness even
Aim for ¼ inch. Thicker cookies = softer middle. Thinner cookies = more snap.
Don’t overbake
They will look slightly underdone when you pull them out—that’s how they stay soft.
Bake similar sizes together
Baby gingerbread men bake much faster than full-size ones.
Gingerbread Man Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 3/4 cup softened butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- In the mixer, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. About 2 minutes on medium.
- Add molasses and egg, mix well (about 2 minutes)
- In a separate bowl, add flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Whisk together.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until a dough forms.
- Wrap and chill for at least an hour, but more is better!
- Preheat your oven to 350F
- Take the dough out of the fridge and let come to room temp for 10 minutes. Roll dough to be 1/4 inch thick, cut shapes out.
- Place the shapes onto a lined baking sheet and bake 8-10 minutes for soft cookies, for firmer cookies 11-12 minutes.
- Let cool and decorate!
Why This Recipe Works so well
There are so many gingerbread variations out there…thin and crispy, thick and fluffy, spicy, mild, dark, or lightly sweet. I wanted something right in the middle: a recipe for soft gingerbread cookies with enough structure to hold their shape but still melt a little when you bite into them.
Here’s what you can expect from this recipe:
- A soft, tender center
- Warm spice without being overwhelming
- Dough that rolls easily (even for beginners!)
- Cookies that keep their shape when baking
- The perfect surface for decorating
If this is your first year making gingerbread, or you’re baking with kids, this recipe is incredibly forgiving and approachable.
everything i used!
How to Decorate Gingerbread Cookies
The best part about having gingerbread cookies decorated is that there’s no “right” way to do it. You can keep it minimal or go all out.
Here are some simple decorating tips that keep things fun, especially for kids:
1. Use piping bags & basic tips for adding details
A simple round tip in size 2 or 3 will make for the perfect eyes and squiggles.
2. Make a decorating station
Add sprinkles, candies, and icing colors in small bowls or muffin tins so everything stays organized.
3. Keep the decorations simple
Dots for buttons, squiggles for scarves, little smiles. Simple always looks cute!
4. Let the gingerbread cookies cool fully
Warm cookies will melt icing into a puddle. Give them 30–60 minutes.
5. Don’t worry about perfection
Crooked smiles are charming. Uneven eyes are adorable. Most importantly: have fun.
Here is how I did it!
These cookies stay soft for days. It’s one of the reasons people call this the best gingerbread cookie recipe.
To store:
Make-ahead tip:
You can prepare the dough 1–2 days before baking and keep it wrapped tightly in the fridge.
This recipe will become a yearly tradition for my family, I’m sure! How will you decorate yours? Let me know!
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