Description
These Soft Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies feature a perfect balance of warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves combined with molasses for rich flavor. The dough is chilled and rolled out, then baked to tender, chewy perfection. Finished with sweet royal icing and festive sprinkles, these cookies are ideal for holiday celebrations and make a delightful treat for all ages.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for rolling out the dough)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 large egg, room temperature
Royal Icing
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons warm water
- 2 tablespoons meringue powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- Sprinkles of your choice
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Whisk these ingredients together until evenly mixed.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate bowl, use a mixer to cream together the softened unsalted butter and packed light brown sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This process aerates the butter and sugar for better texture in the cookies.
- Add Molasses and Egg: To the creamed butter and sugar, add the molasses and the large room-temperature egg. Mix well until fully incorporated, forming a smooth batter.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined and a dough forms. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Chilling helps the dough firm up, making it easier to roll out and cut shapes.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dough: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the chilled dough to your desired thickness, typically about 1/4 inch. Use gingerbread man cookie cutters or desired shapes to cut the dough.
- Bake the Cookies: Place the cut cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers remain soft and chewy.
- Prepare Royal Icing: While the cookies bake and cool, mix together the powdered sugar, warm water, meringue powder, and cream of tartar in a bowl until smooth and glossy. This icing will harden with drying, making it perfect for decorating.
- Decorate Cookies: Once the cookies have completely cooled, use the royal icing to pipe decorations onto the gingerbread men. Add sprinkles as desired for festive embellishment. Let the icing set completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Chilling the dough before rolling out is crucial to prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Use room temperature butter and egg to ensure proper creaming and mixture.
- For softer cookies, slightly underbake and allow to cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Royal icing can be adjusted with more or less water depending on desired consistency for piping or flooding.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: gingerbread cookies, gingerbread men, holiday cookies, chewy cookies, soft gingerbread, royal icing cookies
