The Best Soft Gingerbread Men Cookies for Christmas Eve

Sharing is caring!

These soft gingerbread men cookies bring childhood bakery memories to life in your own kitchen. Perfect for making with kids on Christmas Eve, this Gingerbread Men Recipe ensures they stay wonderfully soft and have just the right balance of holiday spices.

Why This Recipe Will Become Your Christmas Eve Tradition Too

Every December, as a little girl in England, I’d press my face against the local bakery’s window, mesmerized by rows of smiling gingerbread men. They were always perfectly decorated, lined up like little spiced soldiers ready for Christmas. The baker decorate their faces with such care, giving each one a personality all its own. My dad would buy me and my sister a Gingerbread man on the way home on those cold evenings in December.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here

Years later, with my own children beside me in our farmhouse kitchen, we’ve made these sweet memories come alive. Every Christmas Eve, after the stockings are hung and before the cookies are left for Father Christmas, we gather to bake and decorate our own army of gingerbread men. Some have crooked smiles, others have missing buttons, but each one carries the joy and laughter of our family tradition.

What Makes These Gingerbread Men Special

• Stays perfectly soft for days
• Easy to roll and cut
• Won’t spread while baking
• Perfect for decorating
• Made with simple ingredients
• Kid-friendly recipe

Key Ingredients Notes

Blackstrap Molasses: Using blackstrap molasses gives these cookies their rich, traditional flavor and helps keep them soft.

Spice Blend: The combination of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves creates that classic gingerbread taste.

The Recipe

Prep Time: 2.5 hours (includes chilling)
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours
Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• ⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar
• ⅓ cup blackstrap molasses
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon whole milk

For the Royal Icing:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 egg white
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Water as needed

Instructions

1. Prepare the Dough:

• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (3 minutes)
• Beat in molasses, egg yolk, and vanilla
• Whisk dry ingredients separately
• Combine wet and dry ingredients
• Add milk and mix until dough forms
• Wrap in plastic and chill (2 hours or overnight)

1. Shape and Bake:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
• Roll dough ¼-inch thick on floured surface
• Cut with gingerbread man cutter
• Place on aluminum baking sheets These are my go to, click here! (no sticking or burning)
• Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are set
• Cool 5 minutes on pan before moving to rack

1. Decorate:

• Mix royal icing ingredient
• Pipe faces and details
• Let icing harden completely

Expert Tips for Perfect Gingerbread Men

1. For Soft Cookies:

• Don’t overbake – edges should be just set
• Remove from oven when centers still look slightly underdone
• Let cool on pan for 5 minutes

1. For Perfect Rolling:

• Keep dough cold between batches.
• Use just enough flour to prevent sticking
• Roll to even thickness

1. For Beautiful Decorating:

• Let cookies cool completely before icing
• Practice piping designs on parchment first
• Let one color dry before adding another

Making It a Tradition

Our Christmas Eve gingerbread-making session has become more than just baking cookies. It’s when we share stories, and create memories that will last long after the cookies are gone. The children take such pride in decorating their own gingerbread men, they really enjoy this tradition.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

• Store in airtight container up to 1 week
• Layer with parchment paper
• Dough can be made 3 days ahead
• Baked undecorated cookies freeze well for 3 months

Common Questions

Q: Can I make the dough ahead?
A: Yes! Wrap well and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Q: Why did my cookies spread?
A: Make sure your dough is well-chilled and butter isn’t too soft.

Q: How do I know when they’re done?
A: Edges should be set but centers still slightly soft.

This recipe has been perfected over years of Christmas Eve baking sessions with my family. Each gingerbread man carries the joy of holiday traditions and childhood memories. I hope they bring the same magic to your Christmas Eve celebrations.

Pin this recipe to save it for your Christmas Eve baking tradition!