Spiced Gingerbread Men Cookies

These classic gingerbread men cookies are packed with a bold, festive flavor from all the wonderful spices. The aroma alone will fill your home with the scent of Christmas! They are the perfect balance of soft and chewy with a lovely spicy kick, not overly sweet. The secret to their incredible moistness is a slightly sticky dough, but don't worry—the recipe includes simple tips to make rolling and cutting a breeze.

Instructions

1. 1

   In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, mixed spice, and ground cloves. Set aside.

2. 2

   In a separate large bowl, using a stand mixer or electric beaters on medium-high speed (speed 7), cream the softened butter and brown sugar together for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.

3. 3

   Add the egg and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture. Mix on medium speed (speed 5) for about 30 seconds until fully combined.

4. 4

   Pour in the molasses and mix on low speed (speed 2) for 1 minute until incorporated.

5. 5

   Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, a quarter at a time. Mix on low speed (speed 1) at the start to prevent the flour from flying out, then increase as needed. Mix until the flour is just incorporated, then continue mixing for an additional 15 seconds. The finished dough should be soft and slightly sticky.

6. 6

   Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or until it is firm enough to roll out. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for 3 months.

7. 7

   Preheat your oven to 190°C / 375°F (170°C fan-forced). Place an oven rack in the middle position. Line three baking trays with parchment paper.

8. 8

   Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and cut it in half. Return one half to the fridge to keep it cold.

9. 9

   Lightly dust a sheet of parchment paper with flour. Place one half of the dough on the paper, sprinkle the top lightly with a little more flour, and cover with another sheet of parchment paper. Roll the dough out to a uniform thickness of about 4mm (1/6 inch). If the paper wrinkles, simply peel it off, smooth it out, and re-cover the dough. (See Note 7 for more rolling tips).

10. 10

    Using your gingerbread man cookie cutter, firmly press down to cut out shapes. If the dough starts to stick to the cutter, dip the cutter in flour first.

11. 11

    Carefully use a palette knife or a large flat knife to transfer the cut gingerbread men to your prepared baking sheet. Place about 6 gingerbread men on the first tray, spaced apart. Smooth any rough edges with a small knife if necessary.

12. 12

    Bake the first tray for 12 minutes for a classic, slightly soft cookie, or 14 minutes for a darker, crispier cookie. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely on the tray before handling.

13. 13

    While the first tray bakes, gather the dough scraps from the rolled-out half, press them together, and roll out again. If the dough becomes too soft or sticky, return it to the refrigerator and start working with the second half of the chilled dough. Repeat the process of rolling, cutting, and baking until all the dough is used. You should get between 18 and 20 gingerbread men, depending on your cutter size.

14. 14

    Once all cookies are completely cooled, you can decorate them. Use a half batch of Royal Icing to pipe decorations. The icing sets hard and won't soak into the cookies. The recipe yields a bit extra, but you can freeze the leftovers in a sealed piping bag for future use.

Recipe Notes

• Mixed Spice: This is a common store-bought spice blend in the UK and Australia that gives gingerbread a unique festive aroma. If you can't find it, you can create a substitute by mixing 1/4 tsp each of cinnamon and allspice with 1/8 tsp each of nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and coriander. If you are missing one or two of these, don't worry—the recipe will still taste wonderful.

• Cloves: Adding a touch of ground cloves provides a lovely, warm kick to the flavor. While optional, it is highly recommended.

• Softened Butter: For best results, your butter should be softened to a temperature of about 17°C / 63°F. It should be pliable when pressed but not so soft that it feels greasy to the touch. Butter that is too soft will negatively impact the dough's consistency.

• Brown Sugar: We used regular brown sugar, but you can use light brown sugar for a slightly lighter-colored cookie or dark brown sugar for a richer, deeper color and flavor.

• Large Egg: The recipe calls for a large egg, which is typically around 55-60g or 2oz. Make sure it is at room temperature. A cold egg from the fridge can cause the butter to harden and won't mix properly into the batter.

• Molasses: This ingredient is key to achieving that classic rich, deep gingerbread flavor. Golden syrup or treacle are excellent substitutes. Honey can also be used, but the cookies might spread a little more and won't have the same deep color or flavor, though they will still be delicious. Maple syrup is too thin and lacks the required flavor profile. Do not use molasses sugar.

• Rolling the Dough: The dough is designed to be soft and a bit sticky, as this is what makes the cookies so moist. Chilling the dough is essential to make it manageable. Rolling it between two sheets of parchment paper is the easiest method and helps prevent you from using too much flour, which can leave a white residue on the final cookie. If the paper on the bottom wrinkles as you roll, simply flip the dough over, peel off the wrinkled paper, smooth it out, and replace it.

• Baking for Soft vs. Crunchy: For a softer cookie with that classic light golden color, bake for 12 minutes. For a crunchier cookie with a richer, darker color, bake for 14 minutes. The cookies will feel soft straight from the oven but will firm up as they cool. Note that the crispy version may soften slightly the next day.

• Storage: Store the baked cookies in a tightly-sealed airtight container for up to one week. The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen dough in the fridge before using.