If you decided you wanted to do the gingerbread ornament tradition my Pennsylvania family follows, you may be at a loss for how to start mixing up the gingerbread man recipe. This easy gingerbread recipe will get you started.
This recipe will yield about two dozen (24) medium-sized cookies.
What you’ll need:
- Plastic wrap
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric beater
- 3 cups flour
- 2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 3/4 cup butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Step 1: Combine 2 cups flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Use an electric beater on medium (fork whipping does not work as well) to mix in the butter and brown sugar.
Step 3: Add molasses, egg and vanilla. Beat well on medium speed. Mix in the rest of the flour slowly, beating on slow.
Step 4: Roll the dough out into a thick, flat shape. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight. This wait time is important for the gingerbread man recipe.
Step 5: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Step 6: Sprinkle flour over your work surface and coat your hands well to keep from sticking to the dough. This gingerbread man recipe is very sticky because of the molasses.
Step 7: Roll the dough out and use cookie cutters to create gingerbread men.
Step 8: Bake 7-10 minutes or until the edges start to brown.
Step 9: Allow 10 minutes to cool.
Step 10: Decorate with gingerbread icing. I like using icing colored with food coloring to make punk gingerbread man cookies, including pink mohawks and body piercings - those buttons and happy faces just get boring after a while.
Enjoy and share this gingerbread man recipe with your family and friends. The dry ingredients can even be layered into a jar and sealed with cooking directions to make gingerbread recipes in a jar. These make great Christmas gifts.
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