Gingerbread Man Cookies Icing (Printable version)
Spiced gingerbread men topped with sweet icing for festive holiday enjoyment.
# Ingredient list:
→ Gingerbread Cookies
01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
03 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 2/3 cup molasses
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1 tablespoon ground ginger
09 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
→ Icing
12 - 1 cup powdered sugar
13 - 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
14 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 - Food coloring (optional)
# Directions:
01 - In a large bowl, beat together the brown sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy.
02 - Add molasses and egg to the creamed mixture and beat until fully incorporated.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredient blend to the wet mixture, mixing until a dough forms.
05 - Divide the dough into two disks, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough disk to approximately 1/4 inch thickness and cut shapes using a gingerbread man cutter.
08 - Arrange cut dough on baking sheets and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are firm. Allow to cool on sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks.
09 - Combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a bowl, stirring until smooth and pipeable. Add food coloring if desired.
10 - Once cookies are fully cooled, decorate with prepared icing and let set before serving or storing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- They're soft enough to actually enjoy eating, not hard little hockey pucks that crack your teeth.
- The spice balance is honest—warm and deep without tasting medicinal.
- One batch decorates twenty-four cookies, which feels generous and doable in an afternoon.
02 -
- Don't skip the chilling step—warm dough spreads instead of holding shape, and your gingerbread men become gingerbread blobs.
- The baking time is shorter than you think; they firm up on the cooling sheet, so pulling them out when they still look slightly underbaked is the secret to soft centers.
03 -
- If your icing is too thick, add milk one teaspoon at a time; too thin, add more powdered sugar—the consistency should feel like heavy cream.
- A piping bag fitted with a small round tip gives you the most control for decorating, but a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off works just as well in a pinch.