How could you not resist these adorable Halloween Gingerbread Men for the spookiest night of the year! With a quick and easy spicy gingerbread cookie dough and icing, these guys are perfect for little trick or treaters. With an updated recipe and some handy hints, it’s time to get creepy and kooky…
Yay! It’s October, I’ve been waiting for it for ages. This means that it’s wedding anniversary month, birthday month and lots of other exciting things… I’m beyond excited!
It also means that Halloween is just around the corner!
I love Halloween, not the scary horrible stuff but the nicer side of things.
When we were in Florida for my birthday one Halloween, it was Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party that we headed for, rather than Universal’s Evil Movies. I’d have had nightmares for weeks if we had visited there.
Honestly, I’m such a wuss; I’ll hide behind a cushion and stick my fingers in my ears when the Halloween film adverts come on.
Take me to the gingerbread men already!
Not-so-scary Halloween treats
Luckily for me, when it comes to Halloween baking, it tends to be less on the gruesome side and more on the Disney side… phew!
I’ve had this skeleton gingerbread cutter sat in the cupboard since Spring. I brought it on the off-chance, and I think it’s quite cool.
It’s a dual cookie cutter and embossing stamp, for the skeleton; and it ticks the cute spooky checkbox for making Halloween gingerbread men.
Tried and test gingerbread recipe
Anyway, Ian announced last week that he’d rather have biscuits and cookies to take to work, as he was making too much of a mess with cake.
Seriously, how does he manage to make a mess? It’s straight in, in a couple of bites for me; no crumbs, no mess. But this Boy takes his time over cake, and so the crumbs are inevitable.
Cue the excuse to get skeleton cookie cutter out, and test-run a tweaked gingerbread recipe.
Way back when I had the shop, I would make little gingerbread men to top off my white chocolate and gingerbread cupcakes.
They were more short and biscuity, as they couldn’t be too soft because of the buttercream. But they were a hit every year!
How to make Halloween gingerbread men
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card
We’re looking for a snap that then starts to soften after a day or so. Rock hard gingerbread isn’t nice to eat and is only good for building houses that you’re not going to devour.
To kick up the spice a little, I’ve upped the ground ginger, added a little cinnamon and nutmeg, and switched the muscovado sugar for a soft light brown. You still get that golden colour, but it lets the ginger come through more.
Decorating the gingerbread men
You can make the skeleton gingerbread men without the embossing stamp by icing directly onto the cookies, but the embossing gives the icing somewhere to flood.
The one thing to remember though, if you are using the embossing stamp, is to make sure you push down all over, else the emboss is shallow and has a tendency to bake out.
TOP TIP: If the embossing bakes out, gently press the stamp into the baked cookies while they are still soft and warm; then leave to cool.
Step by step vide0
Handy hints for Halloween gingerbread men
View my Amazon shopping list with equipment and ingredients.
This is a super simple recipe, and the gingerbread dough is perfect for the Christmas holidays as well as Halloween. But to get the best dough every time, check out these top tips…
- Chill your gingerbread dough – wrap the dough in clingfilm and pop in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. It’s easier to handle and less likely to stick to your rolling pin.
- Add a sprinkle of water – if you find your dough breaks apart when rolling out, this usually indicates that it is too dry. Fix this by sprinkling a little cold water over the dough with your fingers, then gently bringing it back together before rolling out again.
- Don’t overwork the dough – handle the dough with care and you’ll get great gingerbread men every time. Overworking or over-rolling the dough can cause the cookies to be tough. You’re after a firm snap, not one that gives your teeth a workout.
- Freeze leftover gingerbread dough – if you don’t want to make a whole batch or you have dough leftover, wrap the dough tightly in clingfilm and freeze for up to 3 months
- Humidity is the bane of a gingerbread man’s life – make sure you keep your gingerbread somewhere cool and dry, and in an airtight container. Leaving it out will make it turn soft really quickly
Recommended equipment
Looking for more Halloween bakes?
Check out these other awesome Halloween recipes for inspiration…
Halloween Gingerbread Skeleton Men
Equipment
Ingredients
- 350 g Plain Flour or All Purpose flour
- 150 g Light Soft Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Ground Ginger
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 100 g Butter Salted, Cold and Cubed
- 1 Eggs Medium
- 4 tbsp Golden Syrup or Light corn syrup
VIDEO
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line two large baking trays with baking parchment.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking soda. Add the butter and rub in with your fingertips. The rubbed-in mixture should resemble fine breadcrumbs or sand. Add the sugar to the rubbed-in mixture.350 g Plain Flour, 1 tbsp Ground Ginger, 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1 tsp Ground Nutmeg, 1 tsp Baking Soda, 150 g Light Soft Brown Sugar
- In a separate bowl, add the egg and golden syrup. Whisk together.4 tbsp Golden Syrup, 1 Eggs
- Make a well in the centre of the rubbed-in mixture, and pour in the egg and golden syrup. Mix together to form a smooth dough.
- Roll the dough into a sausage, wrap in cling-film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and roll out on a floured surface to a thickness of approximately 3-5mm.
- Using a gingerbread man cutter, cut out as many gingerbread men as possible. Gently lift onto the lined baking tray with a flat palette knife.
- If using an embossing stamp, gently but firmly press onto the gingerbread men; or using a small knife or cocktail stick make holes for eyes, mouth and buttons.
- Make sure the gingerbread men are spaced well apart to allow them to spread when they are baking. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Take the gingerbread men out of the oven and slide them off the baking tray and onto a cooling rack to cool.
- To decorate, fill a piping bag fitted with a round piping nozzle, with Royal Icing and flood the embossed skeleton. Alternatively, fill a piping bag and snip off the end to make a very small opening.
Notes
- Chill your gingerbread dough – wrap the dough in clingfilm and pop in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. It’s easier to handle and less likely to stick to your rolling pin.
- Add a sprinkle of water – if you find your dough breaks apart when rolling out, this usually indicates that it is too dry. Fix this by sprinkling a little cold water over the dough with your fingers, then gently bringing it back together before rolling out again.
- Don’t overwork the dough – handle the dough with care and you’ll get great gingerbread men every time. Overworking or over-rolling the dough can cause the cookies to be tough. You’re after a firm snap, not one that gives your teeth a workout.
- Freeze leftover gingerbread dough – if you don’t want to make a whole batch or you have dough leftover, wrap the dough tightly in clingfilm and freeze for up to 3 months
- Humidity is the bane of a gingerbread man’s life – make sure you keep your gingerbread somewhere cool and dry, and in an airtight container. Leaving it out will make it turn soft really quickly
Nutrition
DISCLAIMER
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
That’s brilliant, why can’t I think of stuff like this? Definitely pinning this.
Thanks Renee! Most of my ideas come at the most random times, then I have to remember to note them back or I forget.
Never made my own gingerbread men but you’ve explained it all so well I might give it a go. Theses look very cute and expertly decorated. Thank you for sharing your recipe with #CookBlogShare.
Thanks Monika! I love making gingerbread cookies especially this time of year, for Halloween and Christmas! Once you’re got a recipe that works for you it’s really quick to make.
argh, these look fab! We’re making Halloween gingerbread tomorrow actually. They won’t be as neat as yours!!
Thanks Donna! I bet your gingerbread looks and tastes amazing! I love these as the cookie cutter embossed gives you the guide so you get the perfect skeleton. If I did it freehand, it would be a right mess.. hah!
These look perfect for Halloween – my kids would love them. And that cookie cutter sounds great. It makes it really easy.
Thanks Helen! Kids, big and little, love them. And yes, the cookie cutter is amazing! I love how simple it is to use, and that you don’t have to be amazing with a piping bag and nozzle, the impression from the cutter means you can easily ice the skeleton, and even little ones ca as well.
Tried and tested recipe for Halloween and Christmas… love it!
What can I sub golden syrup with? I read I can use corn syrup and sometimes even honey but I’m worried it would ruin the texture or the flavor. Has anybody made this with a sub for the golden syrup?
Hi Trish
You can substitute Golden Syrup with corn syrup. It is slightly thinner but you can substitute it without having to change the quantities. Dark corn syrup is probably better for gingerbread, for the taste, but I couldn’t see using light corn syrup making that much difference. I would think that honey would add a more distinct flavour, but could still be used.
Hope that helps.
I love gingerbread cookies but most recipes I’ve seen in the past call for molasses and oddly in my part of the world they sell molasses by the gallon and I don’t exactly have much use for that quantity hence I’ve always ended up buying from Starbucks especially round the holiday season. Thanks for the response Louise. Can’t wait to try it out!
My pleasure. Hope that they work well for you, and a gallon of molasses is rather a lot to get through, hehe! I’ve a couple of ideas I want to try with the recipe for Christmas. Will pop them up if they work.
Good luck 🙂
About to share on my FB page… amazing
Thanks Jo! Really glad you like them. I’ve got some Christmas ideas for them and gingerbread house in mind that I’m looking forward to trying out 🙂
These look so good, will definitely give them a go. I will have to pipe the skeletons freehand though, hope they will work!
Thank you 🙂 I think with freehand the key is making sure the royal icing is the right consistency. I’ve some different ideas I want to do with them that I’ll need to do freehand, which I hope will work too. Let me know how you get on with them!
Hi, I would love to make these cookies, but will have to do the skeletons free hand. Do you have a recipe for royal icing that is the right consistency? I’ve never made that as well ?
Love these!! I’m absolutely making ’em for Halloween this year =)
Thank you 🙂 I’m definitely making them again for Halloween, Ive a couple of different ideas I want to do with them as well.
LOVE these. Just so cute and really effective. I want those cutters!
Thanks for linking up to #recipeoftheweek. I’ve Pinned and Stumbled this post, and there’s a new #recipeoftheweek linky just gone live. I’d love you to pop over and join in again with another fab recipe post 🙂
Thanks Emily! I can’t believe I left it so long to try the cutter out. I checked and they do have them in Lakeland 🙂
All linked up again this week, with my latest post.
how cute, any child would love those.
I love the cutters. I have some fab skull ones to try out this week 🙂
Oooo I love the idea of making some skull gingerbread as well. Let me know how you get on and will keep an eye on your blog too x
Help! i’m baking this recipe now, but can’t see how much light brown sugar to put in? Cwesty
Hi, oops I’ll pop it in the recipe now but it’s 150g 🙂
Thanks for replying so promptly! Lifesaver!
No worries 🙂 Hope they work out for you.
Love the design – perfect for Halloween. (Here via #recipeoftheweek)
Thank you 🙂 Perfect for Halloween or can be decorated for Christmas without the skeleton; I’ve a couple of ideas in min, but it’s a bit too early just yet.
These are wonderful! I love Le Manoir (Raymond Blanc even joined us for breakfast once many years ago)-love him! Thanks so much for linking up to #tastytuesdays!
I am SO excited about the patisserie course, and I love Le Manoir and RB. I can’t wait; will definitely be posting about it 🙂 Pleasure to link up too x
I love this idea. I think I am going to have to borrow it……
Thank you! Do borrow it; you don’t have to do the skeleton thing. They work perfectly as normal gingerbread men with Smartie buttons and everything else.
They are so fab! Great icing skills Louise – I could never be that neat! Vohn x
Thanks Vohn! The beauty of the stamp is that it means there’s a guide for icing, so it helps with the neatness 😉 x
Seriously cute (for a skeleton) and I like the fact you have adapted to keepn the gingerbread soft.
Thanks. I’m not very good with Halloween; I’m more cute and spooky than scary and evil, lol! I do hate it when gingerbread goes teeth-breakingly rock hard, I prefer it to go soft. This still has a snap but isn’t too hard on the teeth 🙂
I love these, very clever
Thank you! I’ve been wanting to make these for ages.
These are great gingerbread men, perfect for Halloween!
Thank you 🙂 I’m more a nice Halloween sort of person, I don’t like all the scary, horrid stuff so these are perfect for me!