Gingerbread Men
How to Make Gingerbread Men With Kids: An Easy, Stress-Free Recipe
Baking gingerbread men is one of those traditional Christmas activities that every parent wants to tick off the December bucket list. But if you’ve ever ended up with sticky dough glued to your kitchen counter, flour all over the floor, or biscuits that come out of the oven looking like blobs rather than people, you know it can get messy fast.
The trick to a successful baking session with little ones comes down to two things: a dough that is easy to roll out without sticking, and a realistic approach to the mess.
If you're looking for a reliable, easy gingerbread man recipe that holds its shape and tastes delicious, here is a straightforward guide on how to make gingerbread men with your children - minus the kitchen drama.
The trick to a stress-free build isn't structural perfection - it’s using a sturdy biscuit recipe, the right icing consistency, and a bit of patience. Whether you are baking your dough from scratch or looking for simple gingerbread house ideas to try on a rainy afternoon, this guide breaks down how to make a gingerbread house that actually stays standing.
What Makes This an Easy Gingerbread Recipe?
Many traditional gingerbread recipes require boiled sugar syrups or doughs that need hours of resting in the fridge. When you have excited toddlers or young children standing on chairs waiting to press cutters into dough, you need something much quicker.
This recipe uses a simple creamed butter method. It creates a soft, workable dough that doesn't crumble easily, making it an ideal gingerbread man recipe for kids of all ages to help with.
Ingredients
- 350g plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 125g unsalted butter (cubed, at room temperature)
- 175g light soft brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 4 tbsp golden syrup
Top Practical Tips for Baking With Kids
- Roll between parchment paper:
If dough sticking to the rolling pin causes frustration, place your dough ball between two sheets of baking parchment and roll over the top sheet. Zero sticking and zero extra flour mess! - Gather and re-roll gently:
Gather up the dough off-cuts, press them back together, and roll again. Try not to overwork the dough too many times, or the biscuits can get a bit tough. - Make a hole for hanging:
If you want to hang your gingerbread men on the Christmas tree, use a straw to punch a hole near the top of the head before baking. Once baked and cooled, thread a piece of ribbon through.
How to Make Gingerbread Men
1. Mix the Dry Ingredients
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl. Sifting gets rid of any lumps of ginger and gives young children a great first job to do with a wooden spoon or whisk.
2. Rub in the Butter
Add the cubed butter to the flour mixture. Let the kids rub the butter into the flour using their fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. It’s tactile, fun, and almost impossible to mess up.
3. Add the Wet Ingredients & Form a Dough
Add the brown sugar. In a separate mug or jug, whisk the egg and golden syrup together, then pour it into the bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to clump together, then use your hands to bring it into a smooth dough ball.
- Practical tip: If the dough feels a bit warm or sticky from little hands handling it, wrap it in clingfilm and pop it in the fridge for just 15 to 20 minutes. Chilling hardens the butter and makes rolling much easier.
4. Roll & Cut
Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan / Gas Mark 4) and line two large baking sheets with baking parchment.
Dust your work surface and rolling pin generously with flour. Roll the dough out to roughly 5mm thickness. If you roll it too thin, the gingerbread men will end up hard and crunchy; too thick, and they won't hold their shape properly.
Hand over the gingerbread man cutters and let the kids press them out! Use a palette knife or spatula to carefully transfer the shapes onto the lined baking sheets, leaving a little space between each one.
5. Bake & Cool
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until they are lightly golden around the edges. They will still feel slightly soft when they first come out of the oven, but they will firm up as they cool.
Leave them on the baking tray for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
FAQ
What is the easiest thing for kids to bake at Christmas?
Chocolate chip cookies are the easiest, because there's no rolling or cutting. Gingerbread biscuits are a close second.
Can toddlers help with Christmas baking?
Yes, from around age 3, with an adult. Let them pour, stir, cut shapes and decorate, and keep the oven an adult job.
What’s included in a Craft & Crumb Christmas baking kit for kids?
Our Christmas baking kits come with pre-measured dry ingredients and simple step-by-step instructions, so children can mix, bake and decorate with less mess and less prep for you. Check the product page for the exact contents of each kit.
Can I send a Christmas baking kit as a gift?
Yes. Christmas baking kits are easy to send as a gift for children, families and grandparents. Just add the kit to your basket and enter the recipient’s delivery address at checkout. For a gift that keeps going after Christmas, see our Crumbs Club subscription.
In the mood for more festive baking?
Check out our other Christmas-inspired baking kits!
