Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and dark brown sugar for approximately 2–3 minutes until creamy.
- Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate everything evenly.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
- Divide the dough into two portions and flatten each into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Chilling makes the dough easier to roll and helps the cookies maintain their shapes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll one chilled dough portion between sheets of parchment to approximately 1/4-inch thickness. Use a gingerbread man cookie cutter to create shapes. Transfer the cutouts onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, depending on cookie size. The edges should look set, while the centers remain slightly soft. Avoid overbaking if you prefer chewy gingerbread cookies.
- Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer them carefully to a wire rack and cool completely before decorating.
- Whisk powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of milk until smooth. Add small amounts of additional milk until the icing becomes thick enough for piping. Divide and color the icing if desired.
- Transfer the icing to a piping bag. Create smiling faces, buttons, scarves, and decorative outlines. Let the icing dry completely before stacking or packaging the cookies.
Notes
For soft cookies: Roll the dough approximately 1/4 inch thick and bake just until the edges are set. Avoid overbaking to maintain soft, chewy centers.
Chilling: Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours before rolling. If the cutouts become too soft, refrigerate them for another 10–15 minutes before baking.
Molasses: Use regular or dark unsulphured molasses. Avoid blackstrap molasses, which has a stronger, less sweet flavor.
Variations: For chocolate gingerbread, replace 2 tablespoons of flour with unsweetened cocoa powder. For orange gingerbread, add 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest. For extra spice, increase the ground ginger by 1/2 teaspoon. Smaller cutters may require shorter baking times.
Storage: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Refrigerate unbaked dough for up to 3 days. Freeze dough or undecorated baked cookies for up to 2 months. Place parchment paper between layers of decorated cookies.
Make ahead: Prepare the dough the night before and refrigerate overnight. Allow it to soften briefly before rolling if necessary.
Food safety: Do not eat raw cookie dough because uncooked flour and eggs may contain harmful germs.
Nutrition: Nutritional values are approximate estimates per cookie, including an equal share of the icing, based on 24 cookies. Optional food coloring is excluded.