Last Updated on January 14, 2023
Doesn’t everyone love gingerbread man icing cookies? Personally, I love making them anytime of the year, not only for the holidays. But their taste is not their only appeal. Decorating them makes them come alive! This is an easy gingerbread man icing recipe that you can also use in any other type of cookie you want to decorate.
Even if you are a beginner you will find this recipe extremely easy. It will only take you 5 minutes and it will make your cookies look and taste delicious. This is a variation on royal icing, but it is so much easier. It will harden and look glossy once set. The recipe is from I Heart Naptime.
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Gingerbread Man Icing Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon light corn syrup
- 2 Tablespoons milk, more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, can also use almond extract
- Food coloring is optional
Know the Most Common Baking Conversion Measurements
How To Make Gingerbreadman Icing
- Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl.
- Add the corn syrup, milk, and extract. Whisk them until there are no lumps.
- To add the food coloring, divide it into bowls and mix the desired colors in each one. We recommend you use gel food coloring, as the liquid would change the consistency of the mixture.
- Be mindful of adding the milk a spoonful at a time. You will need a toothpaste-like consistency at first to outline, and a honey-like consistency to fill out larger gaps. You can test this: scoop some up into a spoon and if the icing flows slowly down, then you have it!
Check these ready-made royal icing recipes for cookies.
Putting Your Gingerbread Man Icing on Cookie
You can use a knife, spoon, or frosting bag to spread it over the cookies to make the gingerbread man clothes. If you are piping, first use the frosting as is. It should have a toothpaste-like consistency. With it, outline the area to keep the rest of the icing from falling over the cookie.
This consistency is also perfect for pipe little details like the eyes, mouth, and shirt buttons. It is great for precision jobs!
Once that is set (it will take a few minutes) you can fill out the rest of the area, like its shirt or pants. For this, you will need a honey-like texture, so add a bit more milk to the mixture. If you added too much, you can always correct it with a bit of extra powdered sugar. Reversely, if it is too thick, you can always thin it out with a bit more milk.
Amazing Gingerbread Man Icing Recipe Made Easy
Equipment
- knife, spoon or frosting bag to spread it over the cookies to make the gingerbread man clothes
- Piping bag if you want to
Ingredients
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 Tablespoons milk more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract can also use almond extract
- Food coloring is optional
Instructions
- Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl.
- Add the corn syrup, milk, and extract.
- Whisk them until there are no lumps.
- In order to add the food coloring, divide it into bowls and mix the desired colors in each one. We recommend you use gel food coloring, as liquid would change the consistency of the mixture.
Notes
Gingerbread Man Decorating Ideas
There are many ways to make the most out of your gingerbread decorations. Whether you choose to make the traditional gingerbread man shape, or something slightly different – we’re here to give you a whole host of ideas!
When it comes to classic gingerbread man shapes, you can do something simple like decorate them with royal icing and sprinkles. Or you can make them into teddy bears, snowmen, hula girls, elves, nutcrackers, penguins, yetis, or something as simple as a gingerbread man with a Christmas sweater.
If you want to be more adventurous and try different shapes with your gingerbread, some of my favorite options include, mini gingerbread houses, reindeer, and snowflakes, or you could even make a scene out of the gingerbread cookies you’ve made.
How to Decorate a Gingerbread Man
When it comes to decorating gingerbread men, you can use a range of options, but you may be curious as to how you use each decoration to give the best results. Let’s take a closer look.
- Royal icing. Royal icing is the most traditional way of decorating your gingerbread men. As well as that, it’s a great “glue” if you’re looking to make structures out of your gingerbread. Royal icing is perfect for creating outlines for your gingerbread man, as well as lines such as the smile, etc. It can also work as a layer to stick ingredients on, such as sprinkles or candies.
- Candies. While we’re talking of candies, they work well as a simple decoration! Using items such as M&M’s or gumdrops works well for gingerbread, and they’re super easy to stick using royal icing too!
- Rubber stamps. Whether you’re looking for a simple pattern or a phrase to press into your gingerbread, using a rubber stamp is an effective way to do this. All you need to do is shape the dough into your required shape and then lightly press the rubber stamp into the dough just before you place it into the oven.
- Sprinkles. You could use simple sprinkles such as Christmas or Halloween ones from the store. Or you could use sprinkling sugar. Just before you bake your cookies, sprinkle the sugar over the top of the gingerbread and press into the dough, and bake as usual. This is great for adding texture, as well as adding a pop of color to your gingerbread cookies.
- Candy melts. Simply melt your candy melts and then use a paintbrush to brush on the chocolate in any way that you’d like. This is perfect if you’re looking to create exact details on your cookies. As well as this, you can dip them into your gingerbread to coat parts of them, such as the hands and feet.
Best Icing For Gingerbread Cookies
If you’re looking for a gingerbread man icing recipe that also works for cookies, then look no further! Gingerbread cookie icing is super easy to make and can be used for many reasons when it comes to baked goods.
For this recipe, you’ll need:
- 1 cup of sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup of milk
- around 10 drops of food coloring (if needed)
Now all you need to do is:
- Add the sugar and milk to a bowl and mix well.
- Keep mixing until you have a smooth texture.
- If coloring, separate into different bowls and add your food coloring, and mix well.
Another icing for gingerbread recipe that I use consists of:
- 1 egg white
- 1 cup of sifted confectioners’ sugar
- food coloring if needed
Now all you need to do is:
- Add the egg white to a stand mixer and mix until you reach soft peaks.
- Once soft peaks have formed, add the icing sugar slowly. Keep mixing until all sugar has been added and stiff peaks begin to form.
- If coloring, separate into different bowls and add your food coloring, and mix well.
Tips & Tricks
Remember to always wait until the cookies are at room temperature to ice them. If it is too hot it will melt the icing and all your beautiful decorations will be ruined.
As this icing recipe hardens pretty quickly, you will need to put extra decorations immediately on top. If you want to put sprinkles on, make sure to have them on hand. If the icing has already hardened, it will not stick.
To wrap or package the cookies, wait until the icing is completely set. This will take from 10 to 12 hours depending on how dry the weather is.
Comment below if you followed our gingerbread man icing recipe, with pictures of your gingerbread man cookies! We would love to see them!
Karen is a passionate pastry chef who loves to create delicious baked goods. She has been in the culinary arts for over 10 years, honing her skills and perfecting her craft. Karen is known for her creativity and attention to detail, creating unique desserts that bring a smile to everyone’s face. She is always looking for ways to challenge herself and come up with new recipes that are both tasty and visually appealing. Karen loves to experiment with different flavors and textures, and she is committed to providing the highest quality of products to her customers.