Gingerbread man cookies
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RECIPE FOR GINGERBREAD MAN COOKIESSource: Adapted and modified from You Can Cook (for kids) by Annabel Karmel and Martha Stewart
Make: 4 baking trays (about 80 small gingerbread men or 24 large gingerbread men )
Ingredients:
400g plain flour
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp mixed spice
½ tsp salt
170g unsalted butter, at room temperature
110g soft dark brown sugar (refer to photo at the right)
100g black treacle (or unsulfured molasses) – (refer to note 1 and photo at the right)
1 large egg (lightly beaten)Egg wash – 1 egg white
Methods:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk and sift flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, ground ginger and mixed spice. Add in salt and mix well. Set aside.
- Let the butter soften at room temperature (refer to note 2). Transfer softened butter to a mixing bowl. Add in brown sugar. Use a rubber spatula to combine the ingredients.
- Use a hand held electrical mixer, beat them until light and fluffy.
- Add in molasses and then slowly add in egg in 2-3 batches. Beat at high speed till creamy.
- Gradually add the flour mixture. Just a few tablespoons at a time at first, and then in larger batches. Use a rubber spatula to roughly mix the flour mixture with the wet mixture. Do not stir the mixture in a circular movement. Use “cutting”, “pressing” and “scraping” actions to just combine the ingredients. Then use hand to form the dough. Do not overwork the dough.
- Divide the dough into 3 portions. Flatten each into disc about 2½cm (1 in) thick and wrap in cling film. Refrigerate until firm, for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Working with one disc at a time. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Place dough on lightly floured parchment paper and cover with a cling film. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to 3mm (1/8 in) thickness. Then return the dough to the fridge, refrigerate or freeze until firm for about 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 170°C. Line baking trays with parchment papers.
- Remove dough from the fridge, cut out shapes with cookies cutters and transfer to baking tray. Gather all the trimmings, re-roll and briefly refrigerate or freeze to firm up. Repeat until all the dough is used up.
- Using pastry brush, brush cookies with egg white.
- Place the baking tray at the lowest rack. Bake at 170°C for about 8-12 minutes (refer to note 3), rotating the baking tray halfway through. After that, turn off the oven, leave the cookies inside with the oven door shut. Let the residue heat in the oven cook the cookies for a further 5 minutes.
- Remove the baking tray from the oven. Leave the cookies to cool slightly on the baking tray before turning onto racks to cool completely. Decorate with royal icing (refer method at PAGE 3) as desired. Then store them in an airtight container.
Notes:
- I bought molasses from Phoon Huat, a local baking ingredient supply shop. Before you measure the treacle/ molasses, dip your spoon into oil and grease the measuring cup so it doesn’t stick.
- Use your finger tip to press lightly on the butter to test (refer to photo below).
- Set the baking time depending on the texture and size of the cookies. For smaller or softer cookies, bake 8-10 minutes. For bigger or crunchier copies, bake 11-12 minutes.
- If you are making these cookies as gift tags, make a hole at the top of the cookies with a straw before baking.
48 Comments
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They are really cute… even I don’t fancy much of ginger bread. But, it really makes the coming Xmas more merry! Have a Merry Christmas my dear friend! 🙂
Alice: Before that, I’m not a big fan for ginger cookies. But now, after making this batch, I change my mind now. These cookies really taste delicious!! You got to give it a try when you’re free. Merry Christmas to you and your family!! 😉
I feel so Christmas now…. Love your gingerbread man, so cute!!!!
Joanne (CP): Me too!! Eating festive cookies and listening to Christmas songs every day!! 😉
Wah nice! I’m not much of a gingerbread fan, but like to look at the creative ways ppl do to make and decorate the gingerbread stuff.
IAFTM: Thanks!! Glad you like it! 😉
WOW! LK, everybody is already in Christmas mood now 🙂 Your gingerbread man looks cute.
X’mas 🙂
Anncoo: Yeah, counting down to Christmas now! Thanks and merry christmas to you!! 😉
The gingerbread man is cute, and your boy is even cuter. 🙂
Wishing you and your family an advance Merry Christmas!
Little Inbox: Thanks for the compliment on my son!! Merry Christmas to you and your family too!! 😉
I still haven’t baked the gingerbread men…should really start now. Yours look so pretty!
Angie: Thanks!! Yeah, better start now. Only 10 days left. 😉
Everytime I see gingerbread man…..reminds me of the one in Shrek….he he he!
Peteformation: Oh really? Hehehe! 😉
I’m so glad to hear you guys recovered in time to make these! They are super adorable!
Joanne: Thanks!! Yeah, just in time! Hehehe! 😉
OMGOSH these look incredibly cute!
Hannah: Thanks for your wonderful compliment! 😉
Your son looks so satisfied here. Great photo!
Evelyn Ng: Thanks for your wonderful compliment! 😉
the gingerbread man and your son have one thing in common …..–cute!!!What a great way for bonding too. Happy Christmas! 😉
Ladyhomechef: Thanks for your lovely comments! Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas too! 😉
So cute and so festive! I probably go bake some cookies today. Thanks for the push! 😛
This is very festive looking! Very pretty and cute!
Lee Mei (MCH) : Thanks for your sweet compliments!! 😉
So cute! Suddenly, this reminds me of Chinese ginseng – it will run away! Cos the cookies are so alive.
Tigerfish: I never know Chinese ginseng can run away too! Interesting! 😉
These little guys are too cute! I’m sure you and your son both had a great time making these!
Peggy: Thanks! Yes, it’s a great bonding for us. 😉
I can feel the Christmas mood right away…
but … it’s seem abit work to come out with this gingerbread man , & ur hard work is worth .
Anggie: Yes, I’m counting down now. Thanks! Your gingerbread men look great too! 😉
They are so so cute LK! Love it! When I make shaped cookies or use any other kind of dough that requires rolling out, moulding etc., I always have the air-conditioning on in my dining room (which is connected to my open kitchen). Singapore weather is CRAZY for handling dough…
Have a very blessed Christmas!
Clare: Thanks! Yes, the weather here is really flaming hot in the afternoon! Merry Xmas and happy holidays to you! 😉
Hi you cookies look lovely, I am tempted to try out your receipe but will need some advice on where to get the mixed spices in your ingredients list. thanks in advance
Clarice: Thanks!! You can get mixed spices from any local baking supplies shops such as Phoon Huat and Sun Lik Trading. Happy trying! 😉
hi for your step 7, you mention cut to 3mm.. 3mm is quite thick.. is there any typo?
Working with one disc at a time. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Place dough on lightly floured parchment paper and cover with a cling film. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to 3mm (1/8 in) thickness. Then return the dough to the fridge, refrigerate or freeze until firm for about 15-20 minutes.
Li Yi: 3mm = 0.3cm (even less than 0.25 inch). Are we looking at the same measurement? 😉
Hello! where can i buy black treacle (or unsulfured molasses) in Singapore?
Dawn: Maybe you can try NTUC Finest or Cold Storage. Alternatively, check out Phoon Huat or Sun Lik.
[…] 21. Easy Gingerbread Man Cookies Gingerbread men don’t have to be hard to make, and this recipe proves it. The key is having a gingerbread man cookie cutter and the rest is pretty standard. It’s just a matter of mixing up the listed ingredients, rolling it out, and cutting your men out of the dough. The fun part is decorating them to make them look finished, and this is where you can get creative or keep it simple. They’ve kept it pretty simple for you here with just a smiling face, and a few buttons down his front. Nothing too elaborate but it gives it a classic look. […]
We had fun making these yummy gingerbread cookies with my son. It’s really delicious! Thanks for the receipe.
Evelyn: Glad to know that both of you have so much fun! 😉
Hi, may I know where did you bought the cute gingerbread man mould. So chubby shape 🙂
Arlia: I bought this mould many years ago in Singapore and can’t recall the place now. Most likely from a local baking supply shop. Maybe you can check out Phoon Huat. 🙂
Hi, I have tried your recipe and my families and colleagues love it so much! Thnak you so much!
Arlia: Glad that it suits your families and colleagues’ palate!! 🙂
Hi, I baked a batch of gingerbread cookies today. Why are they soft once they are cold enough for icing? Are they meant to be soft?
They were initially crunchy but after 10mins..they go soft. =(
Sharol: They can be either soft or crunchy depending on baking time. Return the cookies to the preheated oven and bake for a further 3-5 minutes at 160°C. Hope it helps! 🙂