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Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe

Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe
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★★★★★

4.7 from 21 reviews

These Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies are a holiday favorite, perfect for festive gatherings and cookie exchanges. The warm spices and sweet icing make them a delightful treat for both kids and adults.

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

Decoration:

  • Sprinkles of your choice

Instructions

  1. For the cookies In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda and salt until well combined. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar and molasses with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and beat until combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until dough just comes together. Do not overmix! Divide dough in half. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour or overnight if you want to make it ahead to save time.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Take dough out of the fridge and let rest about 10 minutes. Roll dough out to 1/4″ thickness on lightly floured surface. I used about 1/4 cup of flour per disc of dough. If dough is too soft, you can work in some of the flour. Cut out gingerbread men with a 4-inch cutter. Remove excess dough, then transfer cookies to parchment lined baking sheets. (I prefer half sheet pans as they have a raised edge.) Roll out scraps and remaining dough in the same way, adding flour to surface when needed to keep dough from sticking.
  4. Bake cookies for 9-10 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Decorate cooled cookies with royal icing and sprinkles as desired.
  5. For the royal icing Combine all royal icing ingredients. Beat at low speed until moistened. Beat at medium speed 1-3 minutes or until slightly thickened and glossy. Keep covered until ready to use.

Notes

  • You can customize the icing colors by dividing the royal icing into separate bowls and adding food coloring.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.

Nutrition

Keywords: Gingerbread Men Cookies, Holiday Baking, Christmas Cookies, Royal Icing, Festive Treats

Find it online: https://foodbylina.com/soft-and-chewy-gingerbread-men-cookies-recipe/