You’ll absolutely love this unique gingerbread man cookie recipe by Greek celebrity chef Giorgos Tsoulis!
These homemade gingerbread man cookies are soft, full of warm spices (five different ones!), and make the perfect holiday treat. They’re decorated with a delicious lemon-flavored frosting and Skittles (or other colorful candies).
Enjoy!
Spiced Gingerbread Man Cookies
Giorgos Tsoulis
This is a unique gingerbread man cookie recipe that's full of spices and flavor. A perfect holiday treat!
In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice) and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, add the molasses and warm water, and mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until the molasses is dissolved.
Add the melted butter and brown sugar to the molasses mixture, and mix until well combined.
Then, add the egg and vanilla extract, and continue mixing until incorporated.. Once incorporated, gradually add the dry ingredients to the mixer and mix until a firm dough forms.
Divide the dough into 4 equal parts, wrap them in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 170° C/340° F, on convection mode.
When the dough is ready, remove one portion from the fridge, flour the work surface, and roll out the dough to a thickness of about 4-5 mm (~1/4 inch).
Using cookie cutters, create gingerbread man shapes or other festive stars, and transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake in the oven for 8 minutes and repeat the process for the remaining dough portions.
Once the cookies are baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely.
For the frosting:
In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice on high speed until fluffy, then gradually add the powdered sugar while continuing to beat until the frosting is smooth.
For the assembly:
Decorate the cookies with the frosting, creating any designs you like, sprinkle colorful candies on top, and serve.
Notes
Chef’s tips:
Place the dough in the fridge to firm it up.
When removing the dough pieces from the fridge, take them out one by one to prevent the later pieces from softening. This approach helps maintain better control over the dough’s texture and makes it easier to roll out.
Celebrity Chef Giorgos Tsoulis specializes in modern Mediterranean cuisine and his recipes are widely appreciated not just in Greece and Cyprus but also around the world.
He has been the executive chef of numerous successful Greek restaurants, while at the same time hosting many popular culinary TV shows in Greece and Cyprus. Giorgos Tsoulis is passionate about educating his fans in more sustainable and healthy cooking and eating while making the most of the flavors of the ingredients.
As sustainable cuisine ambassador for WWF Hellas, he plays a key role in cooking activations that relate to the European #Eat4Change program, as well as the #Farm2Fork program.
Two things. First, the recipe calls for melted butter, but there is no mention of it in the Instructions. It’s pretty obvious when to add it, but for someone that hasn’t done this much before, it would help to be a little more clear when to add it. Secondly, I think this is a case where shortening should be used instead of butter to help reduce the spread of the cookies so they keep their shape a little better as they bake. Thoughts?
Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback and insights! You’re absolutely right about the melted butter—clarity is key, especially for those who may be trying this recipe for the first time. We’ll update the instructions to specify when to add it.
As for your suggestion about using shortening, it’s a great point. Shortening can indeed help cookies retain their shape better during baking. However, Chef Giorgos is a strong advocate for healthy eating and prioritizes the use of natural ingredients in his recipes, which is why he opted for butter here. That said, we always encourage readers to adapt recipes to suit their preferences and needs, so shortening could certainly be a good alternative for those looking for a firmer texture.
Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts—they’re greatly appreciated!
Two things. First, the recipe calls for melted butter, but there is no mention of it in the Instructions. It’s pretty obvious when to add it, but for someone that hasn’t done this much before, it would help to be a little more clear when to add it. Secondly, I think this is a case where shortening should be used instead of butter to help reduce the spread of the cookies so they keep their shape a little better as they bake. Thoughts?
Hi Bryan,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback and insights! You’re absolutely right about the melted butter—clarity is key, especially for those who may be trying this recipe for the first time. We’ll update the instructions to specify when to add it.
As for your suggestion about using shortening, it’s a great point. Shortening can indeed help cookies retain their shape better during baking. However, Chef Giorgos is a strong advocate for healthy eating and prioritizes the use of natural ingredients in his recipes, which is why he opted for butter here. That said, we always encourage readers to adapt recipes to suit their preferences and needs, so shortening could certainly be a good alternative for those looking for a firmer texture.
Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts—they’re greatly appreciated!