Description
These chewy gingerbread man cookies combine classic holiday spices with a rich molasses base for a soft, flavorful treat. Coated in a smooth vanilla glaze, they are perfect for festive occasions and cookie exchanges.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 1 cup molasses, Grandma’s brand
- 1 cup butter flavored shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 6 cups flour
Glaze
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup milk
- 4 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
- Prepare Your Space: Arrange your work area with multiple cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or silpat and set up cooling racks over parchment or paper to catch any icing drips. Keep a glass bowl ready for reheating dough if needed.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Make the Glaze: In a glass bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside for dipping.
- Simmer Molasses and Shortening: Over medium heat, combine molasses and butter flavored shortening. Simmer gently for 2 to 5 minutes, whisking at first to emulsify until the mixture thickly coats a spoon and becomes sticky and cohesive.
- Cream Sugar Mixture: In a standing mixer with paddle attachment, cream together sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth and well combined.
- Dissolve Baking Soda: Dissolve baking soda in hot water in a glass measuring cup and add this to the creamed sugar mixture, stirring lightly on low speed to combine.
- Add Spices: Stir ground cloves, cinnamon, salt, and ground ginger into the creamed mixture thoroughly.
- Incorporate Molasses Mixture: Beat in the hot molasses and shortening mixture into the creamed ingredients until fully incorporated.
- Add Flour and Form Dough: Gradually beat in flour, beginning slowly. The dough will become very sticky. When all flour is added and well mixed, transfer to a sprayed countertop for cutting.
- Roll and Cut Dough: Spray the counter with nonstick spray. Remove about one-third of the dough at a time. Roll out dough to about 1/2 inch thickness using a rolling pin coated with nonstick spray. Using small cookie cutters, cut out gingerbread men while the dough is still warm.
- Bake Cookies: Bake cookies at 375 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes depending on size. Small cookies bake for 5 minutes, medium 7 to 8 minutes, and larger cookies up to 10 minutes.
- Glaze Cookies: Immediately after removing cookies from oven, dunk each hot cookie completely in the prepared glaze, coating all sides.
- Cool Cookies: Place glazed cookies on cooling racks set over parchment and allow glaze to dry completely before handling.
- Store Cookies: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one month, or freeze in a sealed freezer bag for up to two months.
Notes
- The dough will be very sticky but avoid adding extra flour; use cooking spray on your counter and rolling pin instead of flour to roll out the dough.
- Keep the dough warm; if it cools, briefly warm it in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds to soften.
- Dunk cookies in glaze immediately after baking while still hot so the glaze adheres properly.
- If cookies feel too soft to handle after baking, bake a little longer before glazing to prevent squishing.
- Rotate glazed cookies on the cooling rack after a few minutes to prevent sticking.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to one month or freeze properly for up to two months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
