Description
This classic Gingerbread Men recipe delivers soft, flavorful cookies infused with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Perfect for the holiday season or anytime you want a nostalgic treat, these cookies have a rich molasses base that creates the perfect chewy texture. The recipe includes simple steps for mixing, chilling, rolling, cutting, and baking delicious gingerbread men that are ideal for decorating and sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry 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
Wet Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, baking soda, and salt thoroughly to ensure even distribution of spices and leavening agents.
- Cream Butter: In a separate large bowl, use a stand mixer or hand mixer to cream the unsalted butter until it becomes light and fluffy, which should take about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add Sugar and Vanilla: Add the dark brown sugar and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Incorporate Molasses and Egg: Beat in the molasses and the egg until the mixture is well combined and smooth, creating the wet component of the dough.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture in a few batches, mixing until a dough forms. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl sides between additions for even mixing.
- Chill Dough: Divide the dough into two equal portions and flatten each into discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight to firm up the dough and develop flavor.
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Roll Out Dough: On a well-floured surface, roll out one dough disc at a time to about 1/4 inch thickness. Keep the remaining dough chilled until ready to use. Add flour as needed to prevent sticking on the surface, rolling pin, and cookie cutters.
- Cut and Transfer Cookies: Use gingerbread men cookie cutters to cut the dough shapes. Transfer the cutouts carefully to the prepared baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart using a floured spatula to avoid breakage.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned, indicating doneness without overbaking to maintain softness.
- Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This cooling step ensures the cookies hold their shape and texture before decorating.
Notes
- Properly measure flour by weighing or lightly spooning and leveling it in the measuring cup to avoid a dry or dense dough.
- Adjust the spice quantities to your taste for a more or less intense flavor profile.
- Using salted butter? Omit the added salt to balance flavors.
- Dark brown sugar provides a richer taste but light brown sugar is a suitable substitute if unavailable.
- Use robust unsulphured molasses for best flavor; avoid blackstrap molasses as it can impart bitterness.
- Yield varies depending on cookie cutter size and thickness; smaller cutters yield more cookies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 115 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
