Skeleton Gingerbread Men Cookies (Print Version)

Warmly spiced gingerbread men shaped and decorated as skeletons—perfect for festive treats or themed parties.

# 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 tablespoon ground ginger
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
11 - 1 large egg
12 - 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For Decorating

14 - 2 cups powdered sugar
15 - 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
16 - 1 egg white (optional, for traditional royal icing)
17 - Black food coloring gel (optional)

# Steps to Follow:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt until evenly combined.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and dark brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
03 - Add the egg, unsulphured molasses, and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft and uniform dough forms.
05 - Divide the dough into two portions, flatten into disks, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of dough at a time to a 1/4-inch thickness.
08 - Use a gingerbread men cookie cutter to create shapes, placing them about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are set. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons milk (and egg white if using) until smooth and pipeable. If desired, color a portion with black food coloring gel for detail work.
11 - Fill a piping bag fitted with a small round tip with white icing. Pipe skeleton bones onto fully cooled cookies. Use black icing for additional detailing as desired.
12 - Allow decorated cookies to dry completely before serving or storing. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Uses everyday baking staples you likely already have in your kitchen
  • Perfect for group decorating and festive get-togethers
  • Yields cookies with a sturdy snap and soft centers ideal texture for decorating
  • The dough is forgiving and easy to roll and shape
02 -
  • These cookies freeze beautifully un-iced or decorated
  • Each cookie is vegetarian and can be easily modified for dairy free or vegan needs
  • They are high in flavor and the spices make your kitchen smell amazing
03 -
  • Chill the dough fully for the cleanest shaped cookies and sharp skeleton lines
  • Use gel food coloring for bold hues without watering down your icing
  • Take your time with skeleton piping—it's easier than it looks and imperfections make every cookie unique

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