Go Back
–+ servings
Easy gingerbread men recipe being dipped into a glass of milk.
Print Recipe
3.75 from 4 votes

Easy Gingerbread Men Recipe

Gingerbread men are an iconic holiday dessert.  This Easy Gingerbread Men Recipe  combines rich molasses, warm spices, and deep brown sugar for cookie that is unforgettable.
Prep Time2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Drying Time2 hours
Total Time4 hours 38 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24 servings
Calories: 205kcal
Author: Kadee & Desarae

Ingredients

Cookies

  • ¾ cup butter softened
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup molasses
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon clove
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Royal Icing

  • 2.5 tablespoon

    meringue powder

  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ lb powdered sugar
  • food color if you are tinting the icing

Instructions

Cookies

  • Place softened butter in a large mixing bowl.
  • Add brown sugar and mix using a hand or stand mixer until butter and sugar are creamed together.
  • Pour in molasses.
  • Crack in one egg.  Mix until well combined.
  • Add flour.
  • Top with baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger.  Mix until all of the flour is incorporated.
  • Form into a ball.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 or more hours.
  • Separate dough into two sections.
  • Roll out on a floured board with a rolling pin until it is 1.4 inch thick.
  • Using a cookie cutter, cut into shapes.
  • Transfer to a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 8-9 minutes.
  • Cool on wire rack until completely cool.

Royal Icing

  • Pour water into a large mixing bowl.
  • Add meringue powder.  Mix for 30 seconds.
  • To the mixtures, add cream of tartar.  Mix fo 30 seconds.
  • Add powdered sugar.  Mix for 10 minutes on lowest speed.
  • Transfer to a piping bag and pipe icing onto cooled cookies. Let cookies dry completely, about 2 hours.

Notes

Pro Tip#1: Meringue powder is a dried egg white product containing a little sugar. You can usually find it anywhere cake decorating supplies are sold.  I bought mine at Walmart.
Pro Tip #2: Letting the icing fall onto the cookie with you leading it aids in getting those smooth, straight lines.Of course, these guys can be fancied up with red hots, sprinkles, and colors. Go ahead, break a leg.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 146mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 187IU | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg