Gingerbread Men

A traditional holiday treat, these tasty gingerbread cookies are soft, sweet and perfect for decorating! 

Decorating is one of the best parts of making gingerbread cookies; that and eating of course!  Instead of making the traditional gingerbread men, you can also turn them upside down and make cute little reindeer!  

Recipe

Ingredients

For the Cookies:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp. ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
1/2 cup vegan butter flavored coconut oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup applesauce*
1 tsp vanilla extract
​*you may need a bit more if the dough is too dry

For the icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
​2 to 3 tbsp. water

Directions

1. To make the cookies, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice in a medium-sized bowl.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the coconut oil and sugar with an electric mixer until light and airy. Add in the molasses and applesauce and continue to mix (If the dough looks curdled, don't worry, it'll be okay once the rest of the ingredients have been added). 
3. Mix in the dry mixture until combined (do not overmix).  Add the flour and mix until it starts coming together.  Turn onto a floured surface and work it with your hands. 
4. Place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper and top with another sheet.  Roll into a sheet about 1/4" thick and place in the refrigerator to chill for about 1 hour. 
5. Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Once the dough has chilled, cut the gingerbread men with a cookie cutter and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  
6. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until the edges are browned.  Allow to cool thoroughly before decorating.
7. Meanwhile, make the icing by mixing together the powdered sugar and water in a small bowl until there are no clumps.  If too thick, add a bit more water, and if too wet, add a bit more powdered sugar*.
8. Decorate the gingerbread men as you please!  Serve and enjoy!

*Only add the extra water and sugar a little bit at a time.  A small amount can make a big difference!