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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Soft Gingerbread Man Recipe

    Published: Oct 25, 2020 · Modified: Jun 29, 2022 by Daniela Apostol · This post may contain affiliate links · 32 Comments

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    Soft Gingerbread Man Recipe with a nice blend of christmassy spices, the best cookies for the festive season. Kids will absolutely love them, and the grown-ups too. They taste a lot better than the store-bought ones, and are quick and easy to make. A must-try recipe!

    Overhead photo of a plate with gingerbread man cookies

    Have you got a recipe that always reminds you of a special celebration, or an important day, or just a lovely memory from your childhood? When I think of gingerbread man cookies, I automatically think of Christmas, of warm spices, of cold weather, town buzzing with people getting ready for Christmas.

    I don't know what it is, but it feels so peaceful though. Christmas had this effect on people, I suppose. It does make you a bit soft, isn't it? And baking, apart from being therapeutic, it can also bring you in the best christmassy mood. Plus, it's a great fun for kids too.

    So, if you wondered how to make gingerbread man cookies that smell and taste like Christmas, this is the best recipe for you. The cookies have just the right amount of spices, are chewy, soft, and baked to perfection. My gingerbread man cookies do not use molasses, instead they have golden syrup, but you can use any of them, or honey.

    Jump to:
    • How to make soft gingerbread man cookies
    • How long to bake the gingerbread man cookies for
    • What do gingerbread cookies taste like
    • How to decorate the gingerbread men
    • Other Chirstmas cookies you will love:
    Close-up shoot of a gingerbread man on a plate with other cookies

    How to make soft gingerbread man cookies

    l must say this is the easiest dough l've worked with, it does not stick to the working surface or the rolling pin and it is very easy to shape. And it's yummy.

    • First, melt the butter in a pan set over a low heat, add the muscovado sugar and golden syrup (or honey) and stir well to get a smooth runny paste.

    DO NOT skip this step, otherwise the muscovado sugar will make the dough lumpy and the texture of the cookies won't be smooth. Leave to cool.

    • In a large bowl, sift the flour, add the bicarbonate of soda and the spices, beat an egg and add it to the flour together with the cooled butter mixture.
    • Knead gently into a ball, cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Once chilled, roll the dough, and use gingerbread man cookie cutters to cut up shapes.

    How long to bake the gingerbread man cookies for

    Have the oven pre-heated at 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit). Bake the cookies for about 7 minutes, or up to 10 minutes if using a very large gingerbread man cookie cutter.

    Collage of 8 photos to show how to make gingerbread men

    What do gingerbread cookies taste like

    The spices used for these cookies give a special fragrance and taste that I can't have enough of. I can feel the heat coming from the ginger, but it is not a very strong one.

    If you use muscovado sugar, you will get an even deeper aroma than if you use just light brown sugar. Again, the golden syrup will be richer than honey, so that again will make the taste slightly different.

    But one thing is sure, these gingerbread man cookies are nice and soft, yet chewy at the same time. They don't really have that snap people like, which I am happy with, since I don't really like hard cookies.

    How to decorate the gingerbread men

    If you like the cookies plain, excellent! But, if you fancy decorating them, icing or melted chocolate are your best bet. If you use icing, add it to a piping bag and use a small round nozzle for perfect piping. The icing can be either plain white, or you can use any other christmassy colours.

    But you know what, gingerbread men can also make some spooky Halloween cookies too. And what a fun they are! Go as creepy as you like, the spookier the better.

    Overhead shoot of 2 Halloween gingerbread men with Halloween decorations around

    Other Chirstmas cookies you will love:

    Ginger Snaps

    Linzer cookies

    Cranberry orange shortbread cookies

    Christmas Iced Sugar Cookies

    Whether you like the Halloween or the Christmas gingerbread men, one thing is sure, this recipe is fail-proof, and the absolute best! Do give it a go, you will love it! The so will the little ones too. Why not baking with the kids too?

    Hand holding a decorated gingerbread man

    If you’ve tried my GINGERBREAD MEN COOKIES or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.

    4.1 from 70 votes
    A plate with decorated gingerbread man cookies
    Print
    Soft Gingerbread Man Recipe
    Prep Time
    40 mins
    Cook Time
    20 mins
    Total Time
    1 hr
     

    Soft Gingerbread Man Recipe with a nice blend of christmassy spices, the best cookies for the festive season. Kids will absolutely love them, and the grown-ups too. They taste a lot better than the store-bought gingerbread men, and are quick and easy to make. A must-try recipe! The gingerbread men cookies are chewy and have the right amount of spices, and are a very popular at Christmas. Or, why not at Halloween, a spooky skeleton gingerbread man cookie is always fun to make.

    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: International
    Keyword: christmas cookies
    Servings: 20 cookies
    Calories: 150 kcal
    Author: Daniela Apostol
    Ingredients
    • 350 g flour
    • 175 g dark brown muscovado sugar
    • 100 g butter
    • 80 g golden syrup (or honey)
    • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
    • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
    • 1 egg
    • icing for decorating (optional)
    Metric - US Customary
    Instructions
    1. Cut the butter in small cubes and put it in a pan over a low heat.
    2. Add the muscovado sugar and the golden syrup and gently stir until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth.
    3. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
    4. In a large pan, sift the flour and add the ground ginger, cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda.
    5. Crack an egg and beat slightly.
    6. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the egg and the buttery mixture.
    7. Knead gently for a few minutes until it forms a dough.
    8. Make a ball, cover in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
    9. Transfer the dough to the working surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough, it should have approximately ¼ cm in thickness.
    10. Bake in the preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 8 minutes, checking it regularly. Depending on your cookie cutter size, they might take between 7-10 minutes

    11. Allow to cool completely, then decorate with icing if you wish.

    Recipe Video

    Recipe Notes
    • If you'd like to see the ingredients listed in cups and ounces, please check the US Customary Link.
    • Also, the amount of ingredients changes depending on the servings, so click on the number listed to change it to the number you prefer.
    Nutrition Facts
    Soft Gingerbread Man Recipe
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 150 Calories from Fat 36
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 4g6%
    Saturated Fat 2g10%
    Cholesterol 18mg6%
    Sodium 104mg4%
    Potassium 36mg1%
    Carbohydrates 25g8%
    Sugar 11g12%
    Protein 2g4%
    Vitamin A 135IU3%
    Calcium 16mg2%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. youthfoodblog

      December 12, 2015 at 6:26 pm

      Gorgeous and fun!

      Reply
      • Daniela Apostol

        December 12, 2015 at 8:04 pm

        🙂 Thanks!

        Reply
    2. Lynz Real Cooking

      December 12, 2015 at 9:23 pm

      very nice Daniela!

      Reply
      • Daniela Apostol

        December 12, 2015 at 10:18 pm

        Thank you ?

        Reply
    3. milliethom

      December 13, 2015 at 9:19 pm

      Your little gingerbread family and Christmas tree look perfect for Christmas, Daniela. Gingerbread has only recently featured in the British Christmas celebrations. I think it's something that has caught on from the U.S. I've noticed it in some of the shops this year. i love gingerbread and would happily make it all year round! Your recipe looks a nice easy one, too. 🙂

      Reply
      • Daniela Apostol

        December 14, 2015 at 2:00 pm

        Thank you ? I used to love gingerbread as a child, but in my country they are not a traditional Christmas desser. They are sold at any funfair though, as kids love them.

        Reply
    4. Jay

      September 17, 2017 at 4:22 pm

      Can't wait for Christmas, looks deleicious.

      Reply
      • Daniela Anderson

        September 18, 2017 at 11:23 am

        Oh l love Christmas! I'm looking forward to it too!

        Reply
    5. Jay Gough

      December 10, 2017 at 1:01 pm

      Just made these. My little boy loves them. Thank you x

      Reply
      • Daniela Anderson

        December 10, 2017 at 3:35 pm

        I'm very happy he liked them, my little one loves them too. x

        Reply
    6. Hayley

      December 10, 2017 at 5:31 pm

      Is this recipe for soft gingerbread men or do they have a nice snap to them?

      Reply
      • Daniela Anderson

        December 10, 2017 at 8:37 pm

        Thank you for your comment! It depends entirely how long you bake them for. If you bake them for 7-8 minutes, they will be on the softer side. They do harden, but they won't have that much snap. If you bake them for 9-10 minutes, they will get the snap, but do keep an eye on them not to burn the edges, if they are left for too long. I prefer them on the softer side tough, so I usually bake them for 8 minutes, given my cookie cutter.

        Reply
    7. Julia

      December 18, 2017 at 4:20 am

      Ah thank you! I've been looking for a good gingerbread men recipe, I'll try this out 🙂

      Julia // The Sunday Mode

      Reply
      • Daniela Anderson

        December 18, 2017 at 7:25 pm

        Glad you like it, thank you!

        Reply
    8. brenda

      December 13, 2018 at 2:04 am

      What is the measurement on the brown sugar? All it says on either metric or US is "175".

      Reply
      • Daniela Anderson

        December 13, 2018 at 12:36 pm

        Hi! Thank you for your comment, I have updated the ingredients now, it's about 6 ounces of brown sugar.

        Reply
    9. Anastasia Wilkinson

      April 05, 2019 at 6:16 pm

      Such a fun recipe, thank you! One question though, for the butter mixture, must the sugar dissolve completely before you leave it to cool?

      Reply
      • Daniela Anderson

        April 06, 2019 at 6:38 pm

        I'm glad you like the recipe. The sugar does not have to be completely dissolved, but when you use muscovado sugar, it tends to be a bit lumpy, hence why it's mixed with the butter and syrup to make it smoother. Just mix it well,and it should be ok.

        Reply
    10. Esther

      October 19, 2020 at 3:45 pm

      Yum gingerbread. Thanks for the cool recipe adjusting tool for different batch sizes!

      Reply
      • Daniela Apostol

        October 20, 2020 at 2:55 pm

        Glad you like it!

        Reply
    11. Elliana Mae

      December 22, 2020 at 9:13 pm

      Hi Daniela. I was wondering if I could use light brown sugar and molasses (black treacle)? Thanks in advance!

      Reply
      • Daniela Apostol

        December 22, 2020 at 10:20 pm

        Hi! Light brown sugar is absolutely fine. The treacle might give a darker colour, but definitely worth a go.

        Reply
    12. Sarahjane Dooley

      November 30, 2021 at 7:53 pm

      Thank you for a soft cookie recipe. I love gingerbread cookies soft and chewy! I added turmeric to this recipe and it kicked up the spicy quality to a level I really like. They were delicious!

      Reply
      • Daniela Apostol

        November 30, 2021 at 9:11 pm

        The addition of turmeric sounds delicious!

        Reply
    13. Alison

      December 20, 2021 at 10:57 am

      Tried this recipe and was very happy with the results! They taste amazing and the soft texture is lovely. This is now my go-to gingerbread man recipe. Thanks for sharing Daniela 😊

      Reply
      • Daniela Apostol

        December 24, 2021 at 8:29 am

        I am glad it worked, and you are happy with the results.

        Reply
    14. Unhappy sally

      December 23, 2021 at 6:42 pm

      I put the dough in the fridge for well over half an hour and the cookies still spread out across the entire baking tray. I’m gutted, they were meant to be presents and I’ve now wasted so much ingredients 😕

      Reply
      • Daniela Apostol

        December 24, 2021 at 8:29 am

        Hi! I am sorry to hear that, it never happened to me, l actually made a huge batch today and they were perfect. When the cookies spread is because the amount of ingredients used was wrong, perhaps you swapped ingredients or used too much butter? I’d need some details to know what went wrong, as l never happen to have someone complain about the dough.

        Reply
    15. Janine

      May 06, 2022 at 11:39 pm

      Best recipe ever! Always turns out perfect. Everybody loves them children & adults alike. Makes the perfect gift . Don’t wait till Christmas haha. Made my grandson gingerbread cats because he loves the recipe & cats! Big hit. Thank you

      Reply
      • Daniela Apostol

        May 07, 2022 at 6:39 pm

        Thank you, l am glad you liked the recipe, we made gingerbreads often and just use different cookie cutters.

        Reply
    16. Sarah

      May 25, 2022 at 4:37 pm

      Now my go to recipie! Took me many failed attempts and scouring the internet. Now I've found this one I'm making sure I don't lose it !!

      Reply
      • Daniela Apostol

        May 25, 2022 at 9:01 pm

        I am glad you enjoy the recipe, I make these cookies so often and with great results every single time.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Daniela,the blogger behind My Gorgeous Recipes, welcome to my kitchen! I absolutely love cooking and baking. I love good food that is healthy (and not so healthy), delicious and nutritious.

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