Hey there, holiday lovers!
Are you excited for Christmas? I know I am!
Today, I’m bringing you a festive treat: Christmas gingerbread man cookies.
These little guys are not only adorable, but they taste amazing too!
With warm spices and a touch of sweetness, they’re perfect for decorating or sharing.
So grab your apron and let’s make some holiday magic together!
| Preparation Time | 30-60 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Total Time | 2.5-3 hours |
| Level of Difficulty | Medium |
Ingredients
- 150 g room-temperature butter
- 150 g dark brown sugar
- 150 g molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 400 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp all-spice
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract (for royal icing)
- 1 egg white (for royal icing)
- 250 g icing sugar
- Red food coloring
- Green food coloring
- Ground black pepper
Step 1: Prepare the Wet Ingredients
In a mixing bowl, cream together 150 g of room-temperature butter and 150 g of dark brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
This should take a few minutes.
Add 150 g of molasses and 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract to the mixture and continue mixing on high speed for about 1 minute.
Incorporate 1 large egg into the mixture and mix until everything is combined well.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, combine 400 g of all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp of baking soda, 1 tbsp of ground ginger, 1 tbsp of ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp of all-spice, 1/2 tsp of ground cloves, and a pinch of salt.
Stir these dry ingredients together until they are well mixed.
Step 3: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on a low speed.
Continue to mix until the dough is fully combined and smooth.
Once mixed, divide the dough into two portions, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours (or overnight for best results).
Step 4: Roll and Shape the Dough
After the dough has chilled, roll it out on a floured surface to your desired thickness.
Use a cookie cutter to cut out gingerbread men shapes and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Refrigerate the shaped cookies for an additional 30 minutes to firm them up.
Step 5: Bake the Cookies
Preheat your oven to the specified temperature (this was not provided, typically 350°F/175°C is used for gingerbread cookies).
Bake the cookies until they are golden and firm to the touch.
The baking time will depend on your oven and the thickness of the cookies.
Once baked, allow the cookies to cool at room temperature.
Step 6: Prepare and Apply Royal Icing
To make royal icing, mix 1 egg white with 250 g of icing sugar and 1/4 tsp of pure vanilla extract until you achieve a thick but runny consistency.
You can add a few drops of water if necessary to get the right texture.
Divide the royal icing into three portions and color two portions with red and green food coloring.
Once the cookies have cooled, decorate them with the colored royal icing as desired.
Looks delicious. Would this work with coconut sugar as a replacement for dark brown sugar?
yes. But it will taste a little different from my original recipe 🙂