These soft and chewy Gingerbread Man Cookies are sweetened with brown sugar and molasses and are full of delicious holiday spices! This easy homemade recipe makes the best Christmas cookies that are so much fun to decorate and impossible to resist!
Add brown sugar, softened butter, molasses, and granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl. Using either an electric handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together on medium speed until completely combined and creamy, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Mix in the egg and vanilla extract. (The butter may separate and that's okay.)
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt together.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until combined.
Divide cookie dough into 2 equal balls. Pat each ball down into flat round disks, and then separately wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or in the freezer for 30 minutes. (This stiffens the dough and makes it easier to work with.)
Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F and grease 2 baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
Remove one dough disk from the refrigerator or freezer while the other one continues to chill. Place on a lightly floured surface and roll out until ¼-inch thick using a floured rolling pin. Cut out the cookies using gingerbread man cookie cutters (mine were 3 ¼ inches long), then place them on the baking sheets 1 inch apart. Reroll dough scraps until all dough is shaped. Repeat this process with the other dough disk. (My dough made a total of 48 cookies.)
Bake on a center oven rack at 350°F for 8-10 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool completely before decorating.
Make the Icing
Add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk together until smooth. (To check for the right consistency, take a spoonful of icing and allow it to drizzle back into the bowl. The icing should hold its shape for several seconds before dissolving back into the rest of the icing. If it dissolves too quickly, add more powdered sugar, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.)
Optional: For different colored icing, divide into separate bowls and color with gel food coloring.
Add the icing to disposable piping bags, cutting a tiny snip off of the tips for piping. (You can also use Ziplock bags and cut a tiny snip off of one of the corners.) For children, twist the bags closed and secure with rubber bands.
Decorate the Cookies
Add a face and clothes to the gingerbread men with icing, candies, and sprinkles. Have fun and enjoy!
Notes
Storage: Place cookies in an airtight container or resealable bag and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Make ahead: Cookie dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If freezing, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Tips:
While rolling and cutting the dough, make sure you flour the surface and the rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking. If it becomes unmanageable, rechill the dough to make it firm again.
Different-sized cookie cutters will make different amounts of cookies. For example, a small cookie cutter (around 3 inches long) will make about 48 cookies, while a large cookie cutter (around 5 inches long) will make about 24 cookies.