Spooky Skeleton Gingerbread Men Recipe

These Spooky Skeleton Gingerbread Men are a fun and festive treat for Halloween. Perfect for parties or as a creative activity with kids, these cookies are both delicious and visually appealing.

The recipe combines classic gingerbread flavors with a spooky twist, making them a hit among both children and adults during the Halloween season.

Halloween Gingerbread Cookies

This recipe yields delightful gingerbread cookies shaped like skeletons, decorated with icing for a spooky effect. The preparation time is about 30 minutes, with an additional 1 hour for chilling and decorating, making it a fun project for Halloween festivities.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
White icing for decoration
Black icing for decoration

Instructions

Prepare the Dough: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract.
Combine Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until a dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll and Cut: On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Use a skeleton-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the cookies and place them on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are firm. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
Decorate: Once cooled, use white icing to outline the skeleton shapes and fill in the details. Use black icing to add features like eyes and mouth.