It may be that I’ve gone a little loopy with all of the recent Christmas preparations, but for some reason I got really hung up on what I should call these cookies. Are they Gingerbread Men? Or are they Gingerbread Boys? But then, I didn’t want to leave out the girls…so maybe some of them should be called Gingerbread Girls. Or maybe I just go with the politically correct name and call them Gingerbread People?
When did Christmas baking become so complicated? :)
Gingerbread Men/Boys/Girls/People/Cookies
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sucanat
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
Sucanat Powdered Sugar Frosting
Cream butter, sucanat and molasses together. Add eggs, vinegar, baking powder, ginger, baking soda and spices. Stir in flour and mix well. Cover and chill dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours (more is fine).
Roll out dough on a well floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut into desired shape. Bake cookies about 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet in a 375° oven for 5-8 minutes.
If you don’t put your cookies 1 inch apart on the pan, you’ll end up with one cookie kicking another cookie in the head. I tell ya, I can’t even get my cookies to behave sometimes. A mother’s work is never done…
I recommend spreading Sucanat Powdered Sugar Frosting on the cookies. I had a little bit of Chocolate Fudge Frosting leftover in the fridge and used that for faces and buttons.
I figured they wouldn’t mind if I put chocolate on their faces. I know I would never mind if someone wanted to put chocolate on my face. ;)
Deanna says
Can’t wait to try these, they look yummy!!!!
Chung Li says
I would love to try this!
Mary says
I made whole wheat gingerbread cookies for the first time this year. Yum!
Nora@ The Dollar Hollering Homemaker says
Looks great.
Bonnie says
Love that these are a healthier version. Hope you’re having a great Christmas week!
DorthyM says
Ohh, those look so good!
Beth says
Mmmm…but is there any substitute for molasses? I can’t find molasses in Asia! ;)
Christy says
I am having more trouble substituting (is that a word?) whole wheat in my cookie recipes. My taste buds are so used to the white flour in cookies….
Kellie says
They look yummy, whatever you want to call them!
Kathy S says
If my kitchen wasn’t in renovation mode, I would be trying these today!
Joanna S. says
Yum! Is it any wonder we all walk away after Christmas with our pants too tight?! :)
Sweetpeas says
Those are so cute!! My husband has agreed to make cookies with our kids today, but he might shoot me if I suggested they make ANOTHER kind hmmm . . . .
Brooke says
Looks good. What type of molasses do you use? Last year, my friend made them with blackstrap!! Yikes, were they dark, and strong tasting! By the color of yours, it doesn’t look like you use that kind. I’ve never thought to use chocolate icing! Yum!
susan says
your gingerbread men look cute. wish i could do the whole wheat baking. dh can’t tolerate it.
Katie M. says
Great recipe!
Tracey says
Since I don’t care much for gingerbread, my daughters and I make “gingerbread” men out of a chocolate cookie dough. I substitute some of the white flour called for in the recipe with whole wheat flour, making them at least a tad healthier!
Kelly Perry says
another hit! thanks!
Tricia says
My 2 year old will be so excited to make these! He loves gingerbread men…but usually calls them “The Muffin Man”. So cute!!
Lauren@BaseballsandBows says
So cute! I wouldn’t mind if someone put chocolate on my face either.:)
Lesley Wert says
They are cute whatever you call them!
Chris says
looks good!!
Christi says
I so want to try these products, especially those cookies! YUM!
Danielle says
These look so fun! The kids would love helping with them!
Lauri says
These look very good, my boys would love these.
Jodi says
Looks good, can’t wait to try them!
Angie says
Looks delicious and very fun to make!
Dacia says
The kids always want to make gingerbread men – the chocolate will do it for me! :)
Bobbi says
delicious!
Teresa says
I love that you share these recipes. They really help me see how I can alter things for myself!
Lisa says
These look so good!
Lisa says
This recipe looks really good.
Olivia says
Looks like lots of fun… and I say “Gingerbread Men”… who cares about politicalness… lol… nice word!
Cathy says
I may have to try this next year. My 2 year old helped me make sugar cookies this year. Trust me, compared to a decapitated angel, letting one gingerbread person kick the other in the head is nothing! :)
Jami says
Too cute to eat! How fun!
Katie says
They look so yummy and soft. Are they soft?
Jenny says
Thanks for the recipe!
Blair says
I’ve been waiting for this recipe! :-) now I can make them! Yummmmy!!!
Jacque says
Very cute!
Maren Lee says
These look great. thank you for sharing!
Jean says
My son loves gingerbread cookies. I think I will make him some of these! :o)
MandyK says
We will definitely use this recipe next year!!
Jamie says
Maybe you could call it a gingerbread ‘community’? Thanks for posting the recipe!
Darla says
Your gingerbread people look yummy, Laura! I want to pick one up out of the screen and bite its head off! :)
Janeen says
LoL. Thanks for the ideas!
darialauren says
they are so cute! i love gingerbread men!
Jessica says
I have never made gingerbread men before, I’ll have to make some sometime and your recipe looks really good.
Cheryl says
This looks like a fun thing to do in a house full of kids! And if you put chocolate anywhere near my face . . . well, you know what can happen! ;)
Heather says
We are enjoying the vanilla muffins this morning. Can’t wait to try the gingerbread man!
Barbara says
These look perfect!
Michelle says
These look delicious!
Christina says
I may become the cookie monster soon!
Kori Ireland says
These look and sound Yummy!
Kori
Johnlyn says
I think I’d go with Gingerbread men. Unless you put a skirt on one of them.
You have a wonderful sense of humor! Thanks for posting this recipe.
Jen B. says
Mmm! They look delicious!!
Natalie E. says
Thanks for sharing this. We may give it a try today!
angela rose says
I agree; go traditional with “Gingerbread Men.” I love all things ginger, thanks!
Meredith says
Can’t wait to try this! My kids will be so excited!
JOellyn says
Stay with tradition…Gingerbread Men. Lol. Have a very Merry Christmas!
Amy Cooper says
tasty looking cookies
Beth @ Living Simply says
If only I had some molassis on hand…
Cathy says
Thank you for sharing this healthful and yummy-looking recipe. Do these cookies end up soft or crisp? It would be a fun project to make with my kids!
Tami says
If I weren’t so busy baking your cinnamon swirl bread, I’d love to give these a try! Maybe an after-Christmas treat. :D And since they are wearing pants, after all, I think Gingerbread men is fully appropriate.
Misty says
Interesting with the vinegar in the cookie recipe. I’ve never used that in my gingerbread before, but then again I’m fairly new to baking with all whole wheat flour.
Natalie says
I’m not a huge fan of gingerbread… I’ll have to try these and see if you can convince me to like them like the rest of the things on this site! I’ve become addicted to things I never thought I’d try.
AllieZirkle says
Or how about Gingerbread Women? :)
Rhoda says
Gingerbread Folk works for me.
Amanda Y. says
I think it’s wonderful and cute that you took the time to think through men/boys/girls/etc. Honest, I would decorate some (healthy sprinkles or something of the sort) so you have men & women (or boys and girls) :-)
Michele Hughes says
I will definitely be making these! I have an angel cookie cutter – mine will be gingerbread angels.
Susan says
Those are so cute. I’d take chocolate faces any day. Yum.
Jen says
I am ok with “gingerbread men”. I will have to make these soon. Yum!
Cassie Jowers says
Look great!
kelly says
wow, you dough looks soooo yummy!
Erin S says
Definitely Gingerbread Men. I’m tired of having to think of politically correct responses to everything.
April says
Again, you are too funny!
nicole says
i am drooling!
Martha says
They look yummy. Probably good without the icing too. Have a Great Holiday.
Caroline says
My son wanted me to make gingerbread cookies today. I might try this recipe. I was looking for one with whole wheat flour. Great timing.
Jacqueline H. says
Beautiful Cookies! Merry Christmas
melinda mccormick says
Looking forward to trying this one too! Thanks Laura!
Rachel says
Aaaahhh, the recipe we have all been waiting for! Thanks so much for sharing!
Shannon says
I made gingerbread people today too. The house smells so good!
josette says
I have been thinking about making gingebread men thanks for the recipe. By the way I tried your vanilla muffins and they were a big hit over here…and the smell of them baking…heavenly.
Leah says
I had been wondering how you got darker frosting for the faces!
I let my girls decorate their gingerbread kids with raisins before we bake them…they’re the only cookies I let them eat because then they’re healthy!
Cheri says
This is my favorite Christmas Brunch ever – thanks Laura!
Heather says
I am putting this recipe away for next year . . . I just made my batch!
Laurie Plath says
Gingerbread men encompasses all female men and all male men, so stay traditional, it works!!
Shonda says
I’ll have to make these sometime!
Andrea says
I love gingerbread and I love chocolate, but I’ve never tried the two together. Sounds like a winner!
Lorinda says
Looks tasty! The cookies look thick. Is the texture more cake like?
Barbra says
Nummers, look forward to making them, but most of all consuming them…
Raynea Wallace says
Yum! Love gingerbread men!
Sarah DJ says
If these taste as good as they look, they’ll be an endangered species in this house, no matter what the gender ;-)
Kristina says
How about a gender-neutral “Gingerbreadness”?! Like gingerbread and goodness all rolled into one!
Gracie says
Perfect!! I’ll be using this recipe this weekend! Thank you!
April says
Those look lovely!
jessica says
Very cute!
Pam says
Mmmmm! I made some with my 3 year old. We put a cream cheese frosting on them.
Katie Duffy says
mhmmmmm…..
Mombeam says
“If you don’t put your cookies 1 inch apart on the pan, you’ll end up with one cookie kicking another cookie in the head. I tell ya, I can’t even get my cookies to behave sometimes. A mother’s work is never done…”
ROFLMHO!!! Thank you for a great laugh today.
Tiffany says
How cute!
Trevor says
Conventional, white powdered sugar be gone. Welcome sucanat version!
Kristen B. says
I have never had gingerbread men before since my mother never liked them but these look great!
Kris Mays says
I might need to buy a gingerbread man cookie cutter, now!
Kathy S says
Mmmmmm!
Teresa says
My kiddos and I are getting ready to make gingerbread cookies to leave on our gingerbread plate for Santa.
Jasmine says
You bring such simple and great recipes. I need to make a file folder just for Heavenly Homemaker recipes. ;-)
Thanks again.
Jasmine
Sarah Falk says
Totally cute!
Deanna says
Mmmmmmmm gingerbread!
Abby says
Cute!!! I need some gingerbread now…
Beth says
These would be a health food when eaten with a glass of milk in my book, lol! Yum.
Dawnette Thomas says
How about boring ol’ “Gingerbread Cookies”? Then we don’t have to worry about leaving anyone out.
Sarah says
My daughter has decided that this year we’ll be making gingerbread girls. Usually we make frosted sugar cookies, but these will be a nice change.
Lisa says
I just ordered succanat from Azure so I can make some of your recipes!!
Gigi says
They surely do look yummy!
Andrea says
We just made these (without the icing) and they were adorable but were more of a cracker than a cookie. I’m not partial to things that are too sweet in general, but these tasted more of a whole wheat cracker than anything else. The flour had such a strong flavor that we couldn’t taste any of the spices, which was disappointing. These were, though, very cute and are nice if you are looking for a rather healthy cracker-type snack.
Jennifer says
gjhgjh
stacy says
just made these using a non gluten flour mix…DELICIOUS! Thinking next time to use flax meal instead of eggs for totally allergy free cookies. zOur daughter (3.5) totally enjoyed decorating them and now we have gifts for all her favorite people!
stacy says
also we used coconut oil instead of butter and upped the ginger just a wee bit to make sure flavor came through.
katie ore says
how many does this make? I have a large family and usually have to double or triple but I thought I’d ask.
Katie
Laura says
If I remember right, it makes about 18 big cookies. :)
Priscilla says
these would be good to make and then read the book about The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett
Rachele says
Are these gingerbread men soft or crispy? They look soft, they way we like them. :)
Laura says
I’m ridiculously behind in answering questions – so sorry! They are soft if you roll them a little thicker and pull them out of the oven when they are bit under-done. But the get crispy if you leave them in the oven longer. So everyone can make them the way they like!