Name: Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 1 h 23 min
Cuisine: American
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; 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

Jump to Recipe· 4.5 from 3 reviews

If you’re looking to bake something that fills your kitchen with cozy scents and brightens any holiday gathering, you’re going to love this Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe. It’s a beloved classic that’s both charming and downright tasty—trust me, once you make these gingerbread men, you’ll find yourself reaching for them all season long. Plus, I’ve packed this recipe with my tried-and-true tips so you can breeze through the process even if you’re a cookie novice.

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Why This Recipe Works

Perfect Spice Balance: The mix of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice blends beautifully without overpowering the molasses sweetness.
Ideal Dough Texture: Chilling the dough ensures it’s easy to roll and cut, preventing cracks or spreading in the oven.
Rich Flavor Depth: Using dark brown sugar and molasses adds a deep, rich taste that’s so much better than your average cookie.
Simple Technique: The step-by-step instructions guide you through making great cookies even if you’ve never made gingerbread men before.

Gingerbread Men Cookies, holiday cookies recipe, Christmas cookie ideas, homemade gingerbread cookies, festive gingerbread treats - The image shows several gingerbread cookies shaped like people, placed on a metal cooling rack over a white marbled texture. Each cookie is a warm brown color with a rough texture and decorated with white icing in different patterns: some have smiles, eyes, buttons, and zigzag designs on arms and legs, while others have scarves or simple outlines on the edges. The cookies are arranged in various sizes and angles across the cooling rack, creating a cozy and festive feel. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

This Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe is a classic combo of warm spices and molasses that bring the ultimate holiday feel. Each ingredient plays a role, from giving the cookie its texture to that nostalgic flavor you crave. When shopping, pick fresh spices and good-quality molasses for the best taste.

Gingerbread Men Cookies, holiday cookies recipe, Christmas cookie ideas, homemade gingerbread cookies, festive gingerbread treats - Flat lay of a small mound of all purpose flour on a simple white ceramic plate, a small white bowl with ground ginger powder, a small white bowl with ground cinnamon powder, a small white bowl with ground cloves powder, a small white bowl with ground nutmeg powder, a small white bowl with ground allspice powder, a small white bowl with baking soda powder, a small white bowl with salt crystals, a few slices of unsalted butter at room temperature arranged neatly on a white ceramic dish, a small white bowl filled with dark brown sugar, a small white bowl with vanilla extract, a small white bowl with rich amber unsulphured molasses, one large whole uncracked egg with a clean shell placed beside the bowls, all ingredients evenly spaced and symmetrically arranged, placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

All purpose flour: Make sure to measure properly—too much flour can make your cookies tough, too little and they spread too much.
Ground ginger: This spice is the star of gingerbread; use fresh for the brightest flavor.
Ground cinnamon: Adds warmth and balance to the spiciness of ginger.
Ground cloves: Powerful stuff—just a pinch adds depth without being overpowering.
Ground nutmeg: A little goes a long way to enhance the complexity of flavor.
Ground allspice: Adds that true Christmas vibe with evergreen freshness.
Baking soda: Helps the cookies rise just enough for a tender texture.
Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness.
Unsalted butter: Using room temperature butter helps it cream better for a fluffier dough.
Dark brown sugar: Gives that rich, almost caramel-like depth—dark is best but light works in a pinch.
Vanilla extract: Rounds out the spice mix with a smooth, mellow note.
Unsulphured molasses: The heart of gingerbread flavor; I avoid blackstrap because it’s too bitter.
Large egg: Binds the dough just right and adds moisture without making it heavy.

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Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Tweak to Your Taste

I love making this Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe my own based on the mood or crowd I’m baking for. Don’t be afraid to tweak the spices or decorate them however you like—it’s part of the fun!

Spice it up: One year, I added a little extra cinnamon and a splash of freshly grated ginger for a punchier cookie that my spice-loving friends adored.
Less sweet: If you prefer less sweetness, reduce the brown sugar a bit and add a pinch more salt to keep balance.
Gluten-free: I’ve experimented swapping all-purpose flour for a gluten-free blend, and it still works great if you chill the dough longer.
Decorating options: Sometimes I swap classic royal icing for melted chocolate or even simple powdered sugar dusting for a rustic twist.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Mix Your Dry Ingredients Properly

Start by whisking together your flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. This ensures the spices and leavening are evenly distributed. I like to sift them for an ultra-smooth dough texture, but a thorough whisking works just fine!

Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar

In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter until it’s light and fluffy—this usually takes about 2-3 minutes with a mixer. Then add the dark brown sugar and vanilla, beating again until the mixture feels airy and well combined. This step helps build the cookie’s tender crumb, so don’t rush it.

Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients

Add the molasses and egg to your butter mixture. I find it easiest to beat until the mixture looks smooth and glossy, making sure you don’t have any streaks of molasses hiding around the edges.

Step 4: Bring It All Together

Gradually add your dry mixture to the wet, in a few batches. Mix gently after each addition until you have a solid dough starting to form. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl’s sides to incorporate every bit. The dough will feel firm but pliable, just right for rolling.

Step 5: Chill the Dough

Divide your dough into two discs, wrap them tightly in plastic, and pop them in the fridge for at least an hour (overnight is perfect). This step helps the flavors meld and makes rolling out much easier—trust me, dough that’s too warm and sticky is no fun to work with.

Step 6: Roll, Cut, and Bake!

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment. Roll out one disc at a time on a well-floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness. I’ve found that keeping the other disc chilled keeps everything manageable. Use your favorite gingerbread men cookie cutter to stamp out shapes, then gently transfer them with a floured spatula onto the sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.

Bake for about 8 minutes until the edges just start to brown. Don’t overbake! The cookies will firm up as they cool. Let them rest on the baking sheet briefly, then move to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating to avoid any breakage.

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Pro Tips for Making Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe

Measure Flour Carefully: I used to pack my flour thinking more was better, but that just made my cookies crumbly—lightly spoon and level your flour for best results.
Keep Dough Cold: When the dough starts to soften too much while you’re rolling, pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes to avoid sticky messes.
Less Is More on Baking Time: Taking cookies out just as the edges begin to brown keeps them chewy inside and crisp outside.
Use a Floured Spatula: This simple trick makes transferring cutouts easy and prevents them from breaking before baking.

How to Serve Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe

Gingerbread Men Cookies, holiday cookies recipe, Christmas cookie ideas, homemade gingerbread cookies, festive gingerbread treats - A gingerbread cookie shaped like a person sits on a black wire cooling rack placed on a white marbled surface. The cookie is a warm brown color with smooth texture, decorated with white icing. The icing forms a smiling face, three round buttons on the chest, and zigzag patterns on the arms and legs, all evenly spaced. The lighting highlights the cookie’s slightly raised edges, making it look soft and fresh. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Garnishes

I love decorating my gingerbread men with royal icing in traditional white, adding dot buttons with mini chocolate chips, and a little red or green candy for the eyes. Sometimes I sprinkle powdered sugar for that freshly dusted snow effect—makes them look festive and fun, especially if you’re baking with kids!

Side Dishes

Pair your gingerbread cookies with a steaming mug of spiced chai tea or classic hot cocoa topped with whipped cream. These drinks complement the warm spices perfectly and make the whole treat feel extra special.

Creative Ways to Present

For holiday gatherings, I like to arrange my gingerbread men standing up in a festive jar filled with sugar or popcorn kernels to keep them upright. You can also gift-wrap a batch in parchment with twine and a cute tag—that always makes a fun, homemade gift that everyone appreciates.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Once cooled, I store my gingerbread men cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay fresh and chewy for up to a week, but honestly, they rarely last that long in my house!

Freezing

If you want to make these ahead, the dough freezes beautifully. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil before freezing. When you’re ready, thaw overnight in the fridge and roll out as usual. The baked cookies freeze well too—just stack them between parchment paper in an airtight container.

Reheating

To freshen up day-old gingerbread cookies, pop them in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes or microwave for about 10 seconds. This brings back that perfect soft chew without making them hard or crunchy.

FAQs

Can I make gingerbread men cookies without molasses?

Molasses is key for authentic gingerbread flavor and color, but if you don’t have it, you can substitute with dark corn syrup or honey—it won’t be exactly the same, but still delicious. Just reduce sugar slightly to balance sweetness.
How thick should I roll out the dough?

Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Thinner cookies can get crispy and fragile, while thicker ones might not bake evenly. This thickness gives a nice balance of chewy yet sturdy for decorating.
Why do my gingerbread men spread out when baking?

Spreading usually happens if the dough is too warm or if you added too much flour. Chilling the dough helps it hold its shape. Also, avoid over-rolling or pressing the dough too thin.
Can I decorate gingerbread men cookies without royal icing?

Absolutely! You can use melted chocolate, colored sugar sprinkles, or edible markers. For a rustic look, a simple dusting of powdered sugar can be charming too.

Final Thoughts

To me, this Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe isn’t just about baking cookies—it’s about creating moments filled with warmth, laughter, and that unmistakable holiday magic. Every year, pulling these treats out of the oven takes me right back to childhood, and I hope you’ll find that same joy with every batch you make. So grab your rolling pin, put on your favorite cozy sweater, and let’s bake some memories together. You’re going to love these!