If you’re looking for the perfect Christmas cookie to bake with your kids, these easy, soft, and chewy gingerbread cookies are exactly what you need.

They’re made using a tried-and-true recipe inspired by Savory Nothings’ soft gingerbread cookies.

These cookies have that classic warm gingerbread flavor with hints of cinnamon, molasses, and cozy spices.

They stay soft for days, hold their shape when baked, and are sturdy enough for decorating with icing, buttons, sprinkles, or even simple faces the kids can draw on.

Whether you’re hosting a cookie-decorating party, dropping off treats to family, or making Christmas memories in your kitchen, these gingerbread men are guaranteed to become a yearly tradition.

---

⭐ Why These Gingerbread Men Are the Best

• Soft, thick, chewy texture — not dry or crispy
• Dough is easy to roll and perfect for cut-outs
• No spreading so your gingerbread men keep their shape
• Kid-friendly step-by-step
• Loaded with warm spices that make your home smell amazing
• Freezer-friendly for easy baking later

Gingerbread Man Cookies

---

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup molasses (NOT blackstrap)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

Warm Spice Mix

• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

---

How to Make Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Man Cookies

Step 1: Cream the Butter & Brown Sugar

Beat softened butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. This gives your cookies their soft texture.

Step 2: Add Egg, Molasses, Vinegar & Vanilla

Mix in the egg, molasses, vinegar, and vanilla until just combined.
Tip: Use regular molasses — blackstrap will make your cookies bitter and dry.

Step 3: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and all the spices. Make sure everything is evenly blended.

Step 4: Combine Wet & Dry

Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low just until the dough forms.
The dough will be thick — that’s perfect.

Step 5: Chill the Dough

Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight for best results.
Chilling is the secret to soft, clean cut-out shapes that don’t spread.

Step 6: Roll Out the Dough

Once chilled, let the dough sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes.
Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thickness.
This thickness keeps the cookies soft and chewy.

Step 7: Cut Out Gingerbread Men

Use your gingerbread man cookie cutter to cut shapes.
Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart.

Step 8: Bake

Bake at 350°F:

• Small cookies: 6–8 minutes
• Medium cookies: 8–10 minutes
• Large gingerbread men: 12–14 minutes

Cookies should be slightly puffy and set — not dark brown.
Slightly underbaking keeps them chewy!

Step 9: Cool & Decorate

Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Once cooled, decorate with:

• Royal icing
• Candy buttons
• White icing piped faces
• Sprinkles
• Melted chocolate

Keep it simple or go all out — either way, they’re adorable.

---

Tips for Perfect Gingerbread Man Cookies

• Chill the dough fully — it makes rolling and cutting so much easier.
• Roll dough evenly so each cookie bakes the same.
• Don’t overbake — this is the difference between soft and dry cookies.
• Use parchment paper so cookies bake evenly and won’t break.
• Freeze dough up to 3 months for easy holiday baking.

---

Storage & Freezing

• Room temperature: airtight container, stays soft 1–2 weeks
• Freezing baked cookies: freeze undecorated, up to 3 months
• Freezing dough: wrap tightly and freeze up to 3 months

---

More Christmas Treats to Make

• 20 Christmas Cookies
• Gingerbread Cookies
• 10 Easy Christmas Candy Recipes
• Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
• Christmas No-Bake Desserts
• No-Bake Little Debbie Christmas Cake Balls
• Cookie Exchange Recipes

---

✨ Final Thoughts

These easy and chewy gingerbread man cookies are everything you want in a holiday treat — soft, flavorful, and so much fun to decorate. Using this simple recipe adapted from Savory Nothings, you’ll get thick, beautiful cookies every time that your whole family will love.

They’re perfect for Christmas parties, classroom treats, Christmas Eve baking, and cozy nights in with hot cocoa.