Gingerbread Man Buttons Classic (Printable)
Soft spiced gingerbread men adorned with colorful candy buttons, perfect for holiday gatherings.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 tablespoon ground ginger
06 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
→ Wet Ingredients
09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
11 - 1 large egg
12 - 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
13 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
→ For Decorating
14 - 1 cup royal icing or white icing
15 - 60 mini colorful chocolate candies
# How To Make It:
01 - Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside.
02 - Beat softened butter and dark brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
03 - Add egg, molasses, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat until fully combined.
04 - Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet mixture on low speed until dough forms.
05 - Divide dough in half, shape each into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C); line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - Roll one dough disk on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness; keep remaining dough chilled.
08 - Cut out gingerbread men using a cookie cutter and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are set; cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Once cooled, decorate each cookie with royal icing and press three mini chocolate candies onto each for buttons; allow icing to set before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dough is impossibly soft inside with just enough chew to make you want another one.
- Royal icing and candy buttons turn these into little edible art projects that actually taste incredible.
- They stay fresh for a week, which means you can bake ahead and still have warm cookie energy when people arrive.
02 -
- Chilling the dough is not optional—it's the difference between cookies that hold their shape and ones that spread into blobs.
- Don't bake them until they feel completely hard; they firm up as they cool, and pulling them out while the centers are still soft is what keeps them chewy.
- Royal icing sets faster on warm cookies, so let them cool completely before decorating unless you want the icing to soften.
03 -
- Use unsulfured molasses—it has a deeper flavor that makes these taste like the real deal, not a candy store.
- Keep your second dough disk in the fridge while you work with the first so it stays cold and cooperative.
- If your icing is too thick, add a tiny drop of water; if it's too thin, add another pinch of powdered sugar—icing consistency is everything for decorating.