Gingerbread Man Cookies Icing (Printable)

Spiced gingerbread men with crisp edges, soft centers, and decorative icing for festive moments.

# What You'll Need:

→ Gingerbread Cookies

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
03 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1/2 cup molasses
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
07 - 1 tablespoon ground ginger
08 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Royal Icing

13 - 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
14 - 1 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder
15 - 3 to 4 tablespoons water
16 - Food coloring (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
02 - Beat in molasses, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
03 - Whisk together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
04 - Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet mixture until a soft dough forms.
05 - Divide dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - Roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into gingerbread men shapes.
08 - Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared sheets and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are set.
09 - Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
10 - Mix powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until smooth and thick but pipeable; add food coloring if desired.
11 - Pipe icing onto cooled cookies using a bag; let icing set before serving or storing.

# Tips from dashanddishes:

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving and rolls out beautifully, even if you're working with kids or haven't baked in months.
  • The balance of spices is just right—warm without being sharp, sweet without being cloying.
  • They hold their shape perfectly in the oven, so your gingerbread men actually look like little people.
  • Royal icing turns them into edible art, and decorating them becomes the event itself.
02 -
  • Chilling the dough is not optional—it prevents spreading and makes cutting shapes so much easier.
  • Don't overbake or the cookies will turn hard and dry, losing that soft center.
  • Royal icing dries hard, so work quickly or keep it covered with a damp towel while decorating.
  • If your dough is sticky after chilling, dust your rolling pin and surface generously with flour.
03 -
  • For softer cookies, pull them out when the edges are just set but the centers still look slightly underdone.
  • If your icing is too thick to pipe, add water one teaspoon at a time until it flows smoothly.
  • Chill the dough again for 10 minutes after cutting if the shapes start to soften before baking.
  • Use a pastry brush to dust excess flour off the dough before baking for a cleaner finish.

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