Ingredients
Method
Method
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, kosher salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. The mixture does not need to become extremely fluffy.
- Add the wet ingredients: Beat in the egg until incorporated. Add the molasses and vanilla and mix until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl so the mixture is evenly combined.
- Make the dough: Add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing on low speed just until no dry flour remains. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky but cohesive. If it seems unusually sticky, cover and chill it rather than adding a large amount of extra flour.
- Chill the dough: Divide the dough into two portions and flatten each into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The dough should feel firm and cool when ready to roll.
- Prepare the oven and baking sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough: Lightly flour the work surface and rolling pin. Roll one portion of dough to about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Keep the second portion refrigerated while working with the first. If the dough becomes too soft to handle, return it to the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes.
- Cut the cookies: Cut the dough with a 4- to 5-inch (10- to 13-cm) gingerbread man cutter. Transfer the shapes to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) between cookies. Gather the scraps, chill them briefly if needed, reroll once, and continue cutting.
- Bake: Bake for 8–10 minutes, one sheet at a time, until the edges look set and slightly darker while the centers still look soft. Do not wait for the cookies to become completely firm in the oven; they will continue setting as they cool.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Cool completely before decorating. The centers should be tender and chewy once fully cooled.
- Make the icing: Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together until smooth and thick enough to pipe. If the icing is too thick, add milk a few drops at a time. If it is too thin, whisk in a little more powdered sugar.
- Decorate and set: Pipe the icing onto the completely cooled gingerbread men as desired. Let the icing sit uncovered until firm before stacking or storing.
Notes
The cookies can be decorated with a simple vanilla icing once completely cool.