Homemade Gingerbread People

Gingerbread is an iconic symbol of the holidays, but it can also be enjoyed at any time of the year. For example, if you’re preparing for your birthday, you can dress your Homemade Gingerbread People in more colorful outfits. Maybe, you can even add a birthday hat if space permits.

Besides special occasions, you can also bake and decorate your gingerbread cookie on days you just want something sweet, spicy, and a little tangy to munch on. It’s a great way to spark your creativity and invite the kids for some fun in the kitchen.

On top of piping colored icing on the surface of your Homemade Gingerbread People, you can also use chocolates and candies to add more dimension and character. Plus, if you have other cookie cutters in several sizes and shapes, I suggest you use them too to create a whole new world of delicious cookies.

Just a helpful tip: make sure that you chill your dough for at least two hours (or overnight if possible!) in the fridge before rolling it out. Trust me. Doing this will make it a lot easier for you to work with them. They won’t stick to your rolling pin or make a massive mess on your countertop.

If you want to achieve perfect crisp edges and soft centers, you need to bake the cookies at a lower temperature. This is because the molasses and brown sugar tend to burn quite fast.

Now that you know what to do, you’re all set to making the perfect Homemade Gingerbread People for everyone to enjoy! Let your fun and creative side shine through and decorate the best cookies ever!

Homemade Gingerbread People

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Want to make a dessert that you can play with? Then the Homemade Gingerbread People is the one for you. Its slightly sweet and perfectly-spiced flavor makes it a tasty treat, but its plain surface makes it a blank canvas for you to decorate.

• Author: Addie Gundry
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 24 gingerbread people 1x
• Category: Bakery

Ingredients

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• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for the work surface
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Set aside.
3. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until creamy. Add the egg and beat well. Add the molasses, vanilla, and orange zest and beat until combined. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture slowly, mixing until a dough is formed.
4. Divide the dough in half. Refrigerate 1 half while you roll the other half on a lightly floured surface to ¼ inch thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut out gingerbread people, transfer them to the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then carefully place the cookies on a wire rack to cool further. Repeat with the remaining dough. Decorate and serve.

I love making these with sprinkles and icing. Do you have a favorite gingerbread person shape? Or some other shape that you enjoy making?