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Classic Gingerbread Men are a soft centered cookies with a crisp outside flavoured with brown sugar, molasses and perfectly spiced with ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice. Decorated complete with candy cane walking sticks!
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5 from 4 votes

Gingerbread Men

Classic Gingerbread Men are a soft centered cookies with a crisp outside flavoured with brown sugar, molasses and perfectly spiced with ginger, cinnamon and all spice.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time42 minutes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 18 Cookies
Calories: 226kcal
Author: Emma Burton

Ingredients

  • ⅔ Cups Butter, Softened (150g)
  • ¾ Cup Brown Sugar (140g)
  • ¼ Cup Molasses (90g)
  • 1 Medium Egg
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
  • 3 Cups Flour (360g)
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 Tbsp. Ginger
  • 1 Tbsp. Cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon Mixed Spice (Or All Spice)

Icing;

  • 1 teaspoon Liquid Glucose (Or Light Corn Syrup)
  • 1 Cup Icing Sugar (120g)
  • ¾ teaspoon Vanilla Essence
  • 2-3 Tbsp. Water
  • Few Drops Red Food Colouring
  • Few Drops Green Food Colouring
Metric - US Conventional

Instructions

  • In a large bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand beater, beat the butter until smooth. 
  • Add the brown sugar and beat until smooth and creamy.
  • Add in the molasses, egg and vanilla essence and beat until combined.
  • Add in the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice and beat until a stiff dough forms.
  • Flatten the dough into a flat disk shape and wrap with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least three ours to chill.
  • Line two baking trays with baking paper and preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
  • Flour the bench, cookie dough and rolling pin and roll the dough until it is around 3mm-4mm thick.
  • Cut into gingerbread men shapes. Place the gingerbread men on the baking trays and re-roll the scraps of dough until there is none left.
  • Place in the oven for around 10-12 minutes. The outside should be lightly golden and the middle soft but slightly firm to the touch. The cookies will harden as they cool.
  • Allow the cookies to cool completely while you make your icing
  • Place your icing sugar into a bowl with the liquid glucose and vanilla essence. 
  • Starting with 1 tablespoon of water add the water and mix. Add more water as needed to ensure the icing doesn't become too runny. If the icing becomes too thin add more icing sugar and if too thick add more water.
  • The icing should run off your spoon but hold its shape for a few seconds before turning back into icing.
  • Separate into three bowls. One for white, one for green and one for red.
  • Add liquid or gel food colouring to the respective bowls and mix.
  • Pour each colour icing into separate icing bags and cut the very tip off each.
  • Decorate as you desire.

Notes

For a stronger molasses flavour add an extra ¼ cup and increase the flour to 3 and ¼ Cups.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Cookie | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 13IU | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg