Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe

I’m sharing my favorite Soft Gingerbread Cookies recipe, gingerbread men frosted with easy royal icing and flavored with molasses and a classic spice blend, and the full recipe is on my website.

I make this Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies all winter long and somehow they keep getting better. A splash of molasses and a good hit of ground ginger give them that deep, classic flavor everyone argues about.

This Gingerbread Man Cookie Recipe tastes like a tradition but with less fuss, and the royal icing is simple enough that decorating becomes a game not a chore. I promise they stay soft in the middle and exactly chewy where you want them.

If you like cookies that disappear fast try these Chewy Gingerbread Cookies and then print the recipe so you dont forget.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour adds structure, carbs and a neutral base, not much protein.
• Butter brings richness fat and tender crumbs, adds flavor but it’s calorie dense.
• Dark brown sugar gives moisture and deep caramel sweetness, molasses flavor notes.
• Molasses is bold, full of iron and minerals, lots of bitter sweet depth.
• Eggs bind, add protein and moisture, help cookies hold shape and brown.
• Ginger gives warm spicy kick, antioxidants too, not hugely caloric.
• Cornstarch softens texture, makes cookies extra tender and slightly cakey.
• Powdered sugar and meringue powder make sweet royal icing for decorating.
• Vanilla adds aroma and sweetness illusion, tiny amount improves overall flavor.

Ingredient Quantities

• 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (150 g) packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsulphured molasses
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted (for royal icing)
• 2 tbsp meringue powder or 1 large pasteurized egg white
• 2 to 4 tbsp water (to thin icing)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or lemon juice (for icing)
• gel food coloring, optional

How to Make this

1. In a large bowl whisk together 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt; set aside.

2. In another bowl cream 3/4 cup (170 g) softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup (150 g) packed dark brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t overbeat or it gets greasy.

3. Beat in 1 large egg, 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsulphured molasses (warm it a bit if thick so it mixes easier) and 1 tsp vanilla extract until combined.

4. Add dry ingredients to wet in two additions, mixing just until incorporated. The dough should be soft and a bit tacky; if it’s too sticky chill longer. Don’t overwork it or the cookies will be tough.

5. Flatten dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour, preferably 2 to 24 hours. Cold dough rolls and cuts cleaner so be patient.

6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. On lightly floured parchment roll dough to about 1/4 inch thick (use another sheet on top to avoid sticking), cut gingerbread men shapes and place about 1 inch apart on sheets.

7. Bake 8 to 10 minutes depending on thickness. For soft, chewy centers take them out when edges are set but centers still look a tad underbaked. Let cookies cool on pan 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

8. To make royal icing: in a bowl combine 2 cups (240 g) sifted powdered sugar with 2 tbsp meringue powder or 1 large pasteurized egg white. Add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or lemon juice and then 2 to 4 tbsp water, a little at a time, until you reach desired consistency. For piping thicker lines use less water, for flooding use more. Beat until glossy.

9. Divide icing and tint with gel food coloring if desired. Fit piping bags or zip-top bags with a small corner snip. Outline and decorate the cooled cookies, then flood fill if you want smooth surfaces. Work fairly quickly, icing will crust in 10 to 20 minutes.

10. Let decorated cookies dry completely for at least 2 hours (overnight is better) before stacking. Store in an airtight container at room temp up to 5 days. If you want even softer cookies later, add a slice of bread to the container for a day.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl (for dry ingredients)
2. Medium bowl (for creaming butter and sugar)
3. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a sturdy wooden spoon if you dont have one)
4. Measuring cups, spoons and a kitchen scale (measure by weight when you can)
5. Whisk and rubber spatula (whisk dry stuff, spatula for scraping)
6. Rolling pin and an extra sheet of parchment (roll between sheets to stop sticking)
7. Gingerbread men cookie cutters (sizes you want)
8. Baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone mats
9. Wire cooling rack (cool cookies completely)
10. Piping bags or zip-top bags with a small snip or tip, and a fine mesh sieve for the powdered sugar

FAQ

Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour: swap for a 1-to-1 gluten free all-purpose blend (use 360 g) — dough may be a bit more fragile so chill it longer before cutting, or use whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 for nuttier flavor but expect a slightly denser cookie.
• Unsalted butter (3/4 cup): use salted butter 1:1 but cut the recipe salt to 1/8 tsp, or use solid coconut oil 3/4 cup (chill dough well, cookies may spread a bit more and have a faint coconut note).
• Unsulphured molasses (1/2 cup): if you dont have it use dark molasses 1:1 for the same depth, or use 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey in a pinch; expect a milder gingerbread flavor and slightly softer texture, so chill the dough before baking.
• Meringue powder / egg white for royal icing: use 2 tbsp aquafaba (chickpea brine) plus a pinch of cream of tartar as a vegan swap, or make a quick glaze with 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 to 2 tbsp milk or water (won’t dry as rock-hard as royal icing).

Pro Tips

1) Chill the dough longer when you can, even overnight. It really mellows the spices and makes the dough easier to roll so your cutters come out clean. If it’s too hard straight from the fridge just let it sit 8 to 15 minutes before rolling so it doesn’t crack.

2) Don’t overbeat the butter and sugar. Stop when it’s light and fluffy, not creamy slick, or the cookies can turn greasy and flat. Mix the flour in gently, don’t overwork it or they get tough.

3) Cornstarch is your secret for tender, slightly cakey gingerbread. Make sure the dry stuff is well whisked together and sift the powdered sugar for the icing so it’s smooth. Also, warm thick molasses a little so it mixes easier, but don’t make it hot.

4) For icing: add water one teaspoon at a time to get the right consistency. Use less for piping lines, more for flooding. Let your outline crust up first before you flood, that stops colors bleeding together. Gel color is strong so add tiny amounts, you can always darken but rarely lighten.

5) Watch the bake, not the clock. Pull cookies when the edges are set but centers still look a tad soft if you want chewy cookies. Let them rest on the sheet a few minutes then move to a rack. To keep them soft later, store in an airtight container with a slice of bread for a day or two.