Bring these delicious traditional Gingerbread Men to life this Christmas Season! These will make your home smell like cinnamon, nutmeg, and a cozy Christmas. These have been our traditional Christmas cookie every year, they are soft and chewy, warm and delicious, you don’t want to miss out on this recipe!
And while gingerbread is spiced and bold, the frosting should be simple, classic, and comforting, which is where traditional vanilla buttercream comes through. Smooth, creamy, and lightly sweet, this frosting balances the deep warmth of the cookies without overpowering them. It can pipe beautifully for buttons and smiles, or spread effortlessly over each cookie to keep decorations in place. Together, these gingerbread men and vanilla buttercream create the kind of timeless holiday treat that invites you to gather around with family and friends, decorate freely, and enjoy every bite.
What really makes gingerbread so good is the combination of simple, old-fashioned ingredients that just work together perfectly. Ground ginger gives that warm, spicy bite you expect, nutmeg and cloves add depth without being overpowering, and vanilla rounds everything out so the cookies don’t taste too strong. Unsulphured molasses is key—it adds richness, moisture, and that deep, almost caramel-like flavor that makes gingerbread taste like the special cookie recipe it is. There’s nothing fancy or trendy here, and that’s kind of the point. Gingerbread is a great holiday cookie because it feels nostalgic, smells amazing while baking, and holds up well for decorating, gifting, and making memories in the kitchen. These will make you want to come back to back again, year after year.
Gingerbread Men
Ingredients
For Gingerbread Men
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup (100 g) light or dark brown sugar tightly packed
- ½ cup (120 ml) unsulphured molasses (I use Grandma’s or Brer Rabbit brand and avoid using blackstrap)
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups (345 g) all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For Icing:
- 3-4 cups (375 g) powdered sugar sifted
- 2-4 Tablespoons milk
- ½ cup butter (softened)
- 1tsp teaspoon vanilla extract
For Cookies:
- Combine butter, sugar, and molasses using an electric mixer, beat until ingredients are creamy and well-combined.
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (100 g) light or dark brown sugar,½ cup (120 ml) unsulphured molasses
- Add in egg and vanilla extract until well-combined. The mixture may look like it’s separating, but it will all come together when you add the dry ingredients.
1 large egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices (ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg).
2 ¾ cups (345 g) all purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda,½ teaspoon salt,1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon,¼ teaspoon ground cloves,¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- With mixer on low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until the dough is smooth, and completely combined.
- Divide the dough into two parts (it may be quite sticky, use a spatula) and wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, pressing the dough down into a square shape and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, up to overnight.
Rolling and Cutting Cookies
- Once dough has chilled, preheat oven to 375F (190C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Generously flour a clean surface and lightly flour the dough as well.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to be approximately 1/4-1/2” thick, and use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes.
- Use a spatula to place cookies on prepared baking sheet, spacing at least 1-2″ apart and then transfer to 375F (190C) oven, and bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Place baked cookies on cooling rack for 5-10 minutes to allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating.
Gingerbread Cookie Icing
- Beat softened butter in a medium sized bowl with hand mixer, add in powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until fully combined. If frosting is too thick, add more milk, about a teaspoon at a time. If too thin, add additional powdered sugar until desired texture is reached.
3-4 cups (375 g) powdered sugar, 2-4 Tablespoons milk, ½ cup butter (softened), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, (decorative candies and sprinkles *Optional)
- Transfer to a piping bag with a piping tip, or place in a Ziploc bag and snip a small piece of the corner off. Pipe frosting on cookies and decorate with decorative candies. Or spread on with a butter knife or spatula.
- Keep uneaten cookies sealed in an airtight container at room temperature, or freeze for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
If the dough is difficult to roll (too stiff) or is cracking, let it sit at room temperature for 10-20 minutes before continuing.
Another one of our favorite holiday recipes you should try will be our Nutella Christmas Tree Pastry! Click the link below and it will take you right to it!
Click the link below to find some cute gingerbread cookie cutters:
I always love to hear from you, so be sure to leave me a comment or send me an email if you try these! Be sure to find and tag me on Instagram at livingsimplybykalani, on Tiktok at Kalani Bryson, and on Pinterest at Living Simply by Kalani if you make these!
Follow back for more simple and delicious recipes!
Gingerbread Men
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Hand Mixer
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Cutters
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cookies:
- ½ cup unsalted butter *softened
- ½ cup light or dark brown sugar tightly packed
- ½ cup unsulphured molasses (I use Grandma's or Brer Rabbit brand and avoid using blackstrap)
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Icing:
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- 2-4 Tablespoons milk
- ½ cup butter
- 1 tsp teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Gingerbread Men Cookies
- Combine softened butter, sugar, and molasses using an electric mixer, beat until ingredients are creamy and well-combined.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (100 g) light or dark brown sugar, ½ cup (120 ml) unsulphured molasses
- Add 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, mix until well-combined. The mixture may look like it's separating, but it will all come together when you add the dry ingredients.
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together, 2 ¾ cups (345 g) all purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt,1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg.
- With mixer on low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until the dough is completely combined.
- Divide the dough into two parts (it may be sticky, use a spatula) and wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, pressing the dough down into a square shape and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, up to overnight.
Rolling and Cutting Cookies
- Once dough has chilled, preheat oven to 375F (190C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Generously flour a clean surface and lightly flour the dough, and rolling pin as well.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to be approximately 1/4-1/2” thick, and use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes.
- Use a spatula to place cookies on prepared baking sheet, spacing at least 1-2″ apart and then transfer to 375F (190C) oven, and bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Place baked cookies on cooling rack for 5-10 minutes to allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating.
Gingerbread Cookie Icing
- Beat softened butter in a medium sized bowl with hand mixer, add in powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract, mix until fully combined. If frosting is too thick, add more milk, about a teaspoon at a time. If too thin, add additional powdered sugar until desired texture is reached.3-4 cups (375 g) powdered sugar, 2-4 Tablespoons milk, ½ cup butter (softened), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Transfer to a piping bag with a piping tip, or place in a Ziploc bag and snip a small piece of the corner off. Pipe frosting on cookies and decorate with decorative candies, or spread on with a butter knife or spatula.
- Keep uneaten cookies sealed in an airtight container at room temperature, or freeze for up to 2 weeks.
