Soft and chewy gingerbread man cookies full of warm ginger spice flavor. This classic Christmas cookie is the perfect festive treat to decorate with your family this season!
Soft Gingerbread Men Cookies
These are the best gingerbread man cookies and honestly one of my favorite Christmas cookies, right next to my ginger molasses cookies and gingersnaps. This easy recipe is tried and true and one we make every year.
These gingerbread cookies are soft and chewy (similar to brown sugar cookie) with the warm spices of ground ginger and cinnamon spice.
Christmas week my kids and I make a batch of this gingerbread dough and sugar cookie dough to bake and decorate, sometimes we make the dough into gingerbread reindeer cookies. It would be a fun Elf idea, too!
Recipe Ingredients
These cookies have minimal ingredients and are ready in minutes. Each ingredient plays a key role when making these delicious gingerbread cookies.
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Butter: Unsalted butter can be left out until the butter is soften from the room temperature. This takes about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Brown sugar: Adds in the sweetness and combines well with molasses.
- Molasses: I like the Grandma sycamore brand best. I have had great experience using this flavor.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together like glue and holds their shape when baked.
- Vanilla extract: Just a splash of goodness to help blend the ingredients together.
- Flour: Holds together the cookies as well as holds the form for the cookie dough.
- Baking soda: Adds the fluffiness and chewy texture to the gingerbread cookies.
- Salt: Just a pinch!
- Seasonings: Ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves are all holiday favorite seasonings.
How to Make Gingerbread Cookies
Create the best gingerbread man cookies with these simple steps to follow. Each step comes together quickly and easily.
- Dry mixture: Combine the top dry ingredients into a bowl. Whisk together until it is a flour mixture.
- Make the dough: Start by beating the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until creamy. Next beat in molasses until smooth, then add in egg and vanilla and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then add the dry mixture to wet mixture and mix on low just until combined.
- Refrigerate the dough: Divide gingerbread cookie dough in half and cover each half tightly with saran wrap. Press until flat. Then place in fridge for at least one hour or up to 3 days. This will make rolling out the dough easier.
- Roll and cut out your cookies: On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out until it’s about 1/4″ thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes.
- Baking sheet: Place the cut outs onto a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Then bake as instructed below.
- Decorate. Decorate with icing, sprinkles and more!
Icing for Gingerbread Cookies
To decorate, a simple powdered sugar icing or gingerbread house icing is preferred over my royal icing.
You can also use sprinkles, mini M&M’s, raisins or red hots to add the buttons down the center.
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions: Add ingredients to a bowl and whisk until smooth. The consistency should be thick like toothpaste. For best results, use a #4 round tip to decorate your gingerbread man.
Baking Tips
These are so fun to make and watch the gingerbread men come to life. Try these baking tips to make the best cookies this holiday season!
- Use softened butter. When making the dough, make sure to use softened butter and beat until smooth and creamy. This will help the consistency of the dough.
- Add flour if dough is sticky. If your dough is too sticky, you can add a Tablespoon or two more of flour. You don’t want to add too much, or they will become dry.
- Wrap and flatten the dough. Before refrigerating, it is important to wrap the dough tightly and press it down until flat. This will help tremendously when you are rolling out the dough.
- Use parchment. Always use a piece of parchment paper or baking mat with this recipe to prevent the bottoms from getting brown too fast.
- Keep an eye on your cookies. I like to take my cookies out at around 8 minutes so they are soft and tender. If you prefer your cookies more crispy, bake 9-11 minutes. Just watch them carefully as you don’t want them to taste burnt.
More gingerbread recipes include this moist gingerbread cake, gingerbread house, gingerbread sandwich cookies, or gingerbread cookie bars.
More Christmas Cookies
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Soft Gingerbread Man Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks softened)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup molasses , I prefer Grandma's original
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Cream wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, beat 12 Tablespoons butter and 3/4 cup light brown sugar on medium until smooth and creamy. Then add in 3/4 cup molasses and beat until smooth. Next mix in one large egg and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and mix just until combined. Scrape down the sides.
- Whisk dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 1/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 Tablespoon ginger, 1 Tablespoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon cloves. Then add to the butter mixture and mix on low just until combined.
- Chill dough. Divide the dough in half and wrap each piece with plastic wrap. Press until flat. Refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 3 days.
- Roll out dough and cut into shapes. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat. Roll out the dough 1/4" thick on a floured surface. If it's too hard, you may need to let it soften for a few minutes. If it's too sticky, knead in a little more flour. Cut into shapes. I prefer using 3-4 inch cookie cutters.
- Bake. Then place gingerbread men onto the baking sheets at least 1 inch apart. Repeat with extra dough and roll out as needed. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the centers are set and the cookies are fluffy. Be careful not to let burn.
- Decorate. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Enjoy cookies plain or decorate with icing once cookies have cooled.
Notes
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
I love my gingerbread soft and chewy! These gingerbread man cookies are soft. The molasses helps with the softness of the cookies. Gingerbread cookies are a bit different and bend a little more like an elastic form.
Both of these cookies are known to be spiced cookies because of the molasses and the spices included in the ingredients. The difference is one is rolled into shapes and the other is rolled into balls. Gingersnaps are sometimes have a harder outside layer compared to the gingerbreads chewy texture.
Having too much baking soda in the cookies which makes the cookies expand when baking.
Store in an airtight container ahead of time or the day of! These are perfect for parties and decorating gingerbread cookies together. To stack the cookies place parchment paper in-between each layer. These will last up to two weeks long kept at room temperature.
Baked cookies that are not iced can be kept frozen for two or three months long.
Categorized as: American, Christmas, Cookies, Desserts, Freezer-Friendly, Frosted Cookies, Holiday Cookies, Kid-Friendly
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
These came out perfect! I sifted some powdered sugar on them and they were divine.
Yum, powdered sugar sifted on top of the gingerbread man cookies sounds melt-in-the-mouth delicious!
My absolute favorite gingerbread recipe! Between this year and last year I’ve probably made 8 batches. I get so many requests from friends and family for these cookies. They’re straightforward, always turn out delicious and have the perfect spice flavor. I like adding a 1/4 tsp cardamom in with other spices ❤️
Love to hear that Ashley! Great tip! Thank you!
I made these with flax seed for an egg substitute due to a family egg allergy and they were so good!!! A new Christmas family favorite. Fluffy and perfect amount of spice. ❤️
So glad to hear it worked with the substitute! Thanks for sharing!
These cookies are FANTASTIC! So easy to make, they hold their shape while baking, and are fun to decorate. We just made them again. We actually think they taste better the day after baking and decorating. They are the cookies we like to leave for Santa 🎄 Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe ❤️
Love that! I bet Santa loves them. Thanks for your review :)
It is really the best gingerbread! Super love this!
So glad you enjoyed the gingerbread man cookies :)
I love how chewy these come out! They were easy to make with my kiddos too, great recipe!
Jamielyn, I love your Christmas treats recipes! I’ve tried your Christmas oreo balls, they were so good and these cute gingerbread man cookies are also delicious and satisfying. We’ll surely have your Christmas treats recipes for this coming Christmas.
Ah I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed them. Thanks for your review!
These are so adorable! I’ll be making these all month long. Thank you!
These came out perfect! Thank you so much for the easy recipe!
My family loved the flavor of these cookies and they were nice and tender too and held up well for days!
Love this gingerbread recipe! It’s so soft and delicious. I made it at home and they can’t get enough of it. I will definitely make this again!
I’m so glad to hear! Thanks for your review :)
I would love to make these. They are so cute. Will the icing set up so they can be stacked on each other or will icing stay soft? Thanks for reply and I love your website!
Yes it will set up. Not completely firm like royal icing, but enough to stack (I put a piece of parchment paper in between).
Aw yay, this makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for your comment and review, Natalie :)
40 thumbs up — I made these cookies along with some regular sugar cookies and chocolate cookies for a YW Activity tonight and they were a HUGE hit! Thanks so much for the recipe! ❤️
Aw yay, this makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for your comment and review, Natalie :)
These are the best most consistent result gingerbread cookies I have ever made. They are the perfect texture. They hold up well yet they are soft and chewy! I will be handing this recipe down in the family for sure!!
I’m so happy to hear that you love them as much as we do! Thank you for your kind comment and review Susan! :)
I haven’t made these since I was a child. I can’t wait to bake them with my girls! They are going to love helping, and I know we are going to love eating them!
Cutest little gingerbread men! I haven’t made these in years, but I know my kids would love to help me decorate them. Soft & the perfect gingerbread taste!
These were fantastic! The flavor was perfect and they were nice and soft.