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Homemade Mini Gingerbread Cookies will be your new favorite Christmas cookie! They are super soft, thick, will melt in your mouth and made in the most adorable mini Gingerbread Man shape! Topped with a simple glaze and will be loved by both kids and adults.

PIN this Mini Gingerbread Cookies recipe to try later!

Mini Gingerbread Cookies

If you know me, you know I love all things gingerbread this time of year. From cookies, to decking my kitchen out during the holiday season with tons of gingerbread decor that my kids especially love. Other mini cookies to try are these Mini Chocolate Chips Cookies and Mini Sugar Cookies!

These Mini Gingerbread Cookies are extra special because they’re made with powdered sugar instead of regular sugar (that’s used in traditional gingerbread cookies) so they’re extremely soft, tender, and WILL melt in your mouth. They have warm notes of gingerbread spices and a perfectly thin layer of icing.

Once you indulge in one of these cuties, you’ll be making these cookies every year and including them in your baking tradition like I have. My daughters love these small cookies and you can even make them with any cookie cutter and make different sizes. I just love the mini gingerbread man shape!

Other gingerbread recipes to try are my Classic Gingerbread Men Cookies, Gingerbread Cookie Bars, Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies, and Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This gingerbread recipe is made in one bowl, you don’t have to chill the dough so it’s quick to make the next time you’re craving a gingerbread treat.

They are the most adorable cookies that everyone will love.

Will melt in your mouth, ultra buttery, and super soft.

Can be decorated any way you want. Kids can easily help out and they will have so much fun doing this. 🙂 You can also leave these holiday cookies out for Santa!

The perfect treat to add to holiday cookie trays, cookie exchanges, the dessert table, and gifting.

key ingredients

Butter: I use 1 cup of butter so they are extra buttery.
Powdered sugar: The star ingredient to making these gingerbread cookies melt in your mouth and extra soft.
Unsulphured Blackstrap Molasses: Gives the cookies their signature “gingerbread” flavor. You can’t make these without this ingredient .
Cinnamon, Ground ginger, Nutmeg: The perfect combination of spices.
Egg: We just need one large egg to bind the ingredients together.
Vanilla extract: Intensifies the other flavors.
Baking powder: Makes these gingerbread men rise a bit and get puffy.
Flour: We use all-purpose flour as it works best with the cookie dough.
Homemade Icing: Powdered sugar, oil, butter, milk, vanilla extract.

how to make mini gingerbread cookies

Cream butter and powdered sugar: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats. In a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar until smooth.

Add in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract: Mix again until combined.

Add in dry ingredients: In the same bowl, add in the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and mix until soft cookie dough forms.

Cut out cookies: Lightly dust a countertop and a rolling pin and roll out the cookie dough about a 1/2 inch thickness. Use a mini gingerbread man cookie cutter to cut out cookies and place them on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake cookies: Bake for 6-7 minutes or until the tops no longer look glossy. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes and then transfer cookies to a cooling rack. I highly recommend placing a piece of parchment paper under the cooling rack for the icing.

Make icing: Make the icing by adding the butter, oil, and milk in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 15-30 seconds or until the butter has melted. Stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.

Ice cookies and let set: Once the cookies have cooled (they can be slightly cooled), dip each gingerbread man cookie into the icing to coat the top, and then place back on the cooling rack to set for about an hour. You could also omit the icing and dust the cookies with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

tips & variations

If you want to make these cookies extra festive, add food coloring gel to the icing or festive sprinkles on top.
For easy clean up, frost the cookies on a layer of wax paper or parchment paper.
Make this cookie dough in advance to save you time. You can store the cookie dough in the refrigerator after wrapping it in plastic wrap for up to 3 days.
You can use a royal icing, canned frosting, homemade frosting, or omit the icing completely. Add frosting to a pipping bag to make a Gingerbread Man face.
If you don’t have a mini cookie cutter thats ok. Use any of your favorite cookie cutters.
Instead of icing the cookies, dust the tops with powdered sugar or leave them as plain cookies- they will still be good!
You can make these cookies into larger Gingerbread Man Cookies, simply increase the baking time accordingly.

leftovers & storage

To-store: Mini Gingerbread Man Cookies will stay fresh when stored in a dry and cool area in an airtight container or freezer bag at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Storing these in your pantry or counter is perfect!

Freezing: These cookies freeze great and you have a few options on how you want to freeze these cookies!

Once the unfrosted cookies have cooled, place them in a freezer safe airtight container or freezer. They will stay fresh for up to 3 months. When ready to frost, let the cookies thaw for several hours.
Freeze the cookie doughboy wrapped each half of the dough tightly with plastic wrap and place in a large ziplock bag. The dough will last up to 2-3 months in the freezer. When ready to bake cookies, let the cookie dough thaw in the refrigerator overnight.