Description
Gingerbread Man Mug Mates are adorable holiday cookies that hang on the edge of your mug, bringing festive fun to every warm drink. Made with classic gingerbread spices, molasses, and decorated with colorful royal icing, these cookies are perfect for Christmas gatherings, edible gifts, or cozy winter nights by the fire.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, at room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces (about 1 2/3 cups) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup meringue powder
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 24 mini candy canes
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Red, green, and black food coloring
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly spray baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cream together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- On a floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
- Cut out gingerbread man shapes, making a small slit in one arm to hang on a mug.
- Place cookies on prepared baking sheets and bake for 8–10 minutes until edges are golden brown. Cool completely on wire racks.
- For the icing, beat confectioners’ sugar, meringue powder, and 2–3 tablespoons of water until stiff peaks form. Divide and color as desired.
- Decorate cooled cookies with icing and mini candy canes. Let dry completely before serving or packaging.
Notes
- Chilling the dough helps maintain the cookie shape during baking.
- Do not overbake—slightly soft centers yield chewy cookies.
- Royal icing provides a glossy finish perfect for detailed decorations.
- Cookies can be stored airtight for up to 7 days or frozen for a month.
- For a vegan version, substitute butter with plant-based margarine and egg with a flaxseed mixture.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 175
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 85 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
Keywords: Gingerbread Man Mug Mates, gingerbread cookies, Christmas cookies, holiday baking, festive cookies, Food Network recipe, spiced cookies, mug cookies