Gingerbread Cookies

These classic gingerbread men cookies are easy to make, easy to decorate, and make an adorable garnish for holiday cupcakes or pies!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 10

Chilling Time 3

Total Time 4 10

Servings cookies

Calories 51kcal

Author Kyleigh Sage

Equipment

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cookies

¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 large egg room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup molasses
3 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon gingerbread spice
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Royal Icing

1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons meringue powder
1-3 tablespoons water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Gingerbread Cookies

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the room temperature butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Then add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined and smooth. Then mix in the molasses until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, gingerbread spice, baking soda, and salt.
Gently fold in the dry ingredients until the dough comes together into a ball. It should be very soft, but not sticky.
Divide in half and press the dough into discs. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (or a minimum of at least 2 hours).
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick then cut out the cookies into your desired shapes. (For crispier cookies you can roll the dough thinner. For chewier cookies roll to about ½ inch instead.)
Place the gingerbread men 1-2 inches apart on your lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the fridge or freezer for a minimum of 20 minutes before baking. This ensures the cookies keep their shape.
While the cookies are chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F.
Bake for 8-12 minutes or until the edges are set. Bake on the middle rack of the oven and rotate the pan halfway through baking for the best results.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then remove and let them finish cooling on a cooling rack. Let the cookies cool completely before decorating.

Royal Icing

In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar meringue powder. Slowly drizzle in the water a little bit at a time until the icing flows slightly but still holds its shape.
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip and decorate the gingerbread cookies as desired!
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Notes

How to make just enough gingerbread spice mix for this recipe: 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons ginger, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon cloves, pinch cardamom.

Is the meringue powder necessary? Meringue powder helps stabilize the royal icing and allows it set quickly, but is totally optional! Especially if you're making cookies that will be eaten the same day or you don't really care if they get smudged. Aka if this is just a fun activity for kids, skip the meringue powder. Just know that the icing won't fully set without it, so you won't be able to stack the cookies.

Can I freeze gingerbread? Yes! You can freeze either the dough or the baked cookies! The freeze the dough, wrap tightly and then place in a freezer safe bag for 2-3 months. Let thaw in the fridge overnight before using. Baked cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months (I like to freeze them before decorating).

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