Robby's Baking Therapy

  The “baking therapy” discussed on this blog refers to my personal experience using baking as a self-help and relaxation tool.”

Original Author Rosanna Pansino’s Baking All Year Round

Hey everybirdy! Welcome back to the nest.

I am back with another cookbook favorite! If you know me, you know that when I find a cookbook I love, I use it until the pages are completely worn out. Today’s project is sweet, classic Gingerbread People inspired by Rosanna Pansino. Whether you use a classic gingerbread man cutter or get creative with entirely different shapes, these cookies are such a timeless treat.

Baking these cookies is a huge part of my baking therapy routine. There is something incredibly grounding about working with dough that has been chilled and rested. Taking the time to roll it out evenly and carefully cut out each little figure requires a quiet level of focus that naturally settles a busy mind. Plus, the warm aroma of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves filling the house is an instant mood booster!

Gathering the Twigs

This budget-friendly holiday bake pairs your classic kitchen staples with a warm, spiced twist. Here is exactly what you need to track down in the cupboards:

For the Gingerbread Dough:

• 4 cups All-Purpose Flour: Our trusty baking structural foundation.
• 1 tsp Baking soda: Gives our little figures their perfect texture.
• 2 tsp Ground cinnamon, 1-1/2 tsp Ground ginger, 1/2 tsp Ground cloves, & 1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg: Our cozy, warm spice blend.
• 1 tsp Salt: To balance out the rich sweetness.
• 12 tbsp Butter: Softened to room temperature for clean mixing.
• 1 cup Brown sugar: Light or dark works beautifully here!
• 1 large Egg: Holds our dough base together perfectly.
• 3/4 cup Molasses: For that deep, traditional autumn color and rich flavor.
• Candies (Red Hots or M&Ms): For pressing in those classic candy buttons!

For the Icing:

• 3 tablespoons Egg white powder (or 3 large egg whites)
• 4 cups Confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon Cream of tartar
• 1 tablespoon Honey (or light corn syrup for shine)
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
• 4 to 5 tablespoons Warm water (add one tablespoon at a time until smooth)

Visit my Patreon for a free post featuring the full Walmart price breakdown for this budget-friendly bake!

Fly on Over to the Kitchen

1. GET READY: In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt until beautifully combined. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. CREAM & MIX: In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and brown sugar for 3 to 5 minutes until it looks light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and molasses.
3. COMBINE: On low speed, gradually mix your flour and spice blend into the wet base until a uniform dough pulls together.
4. CHILL: Shape the dough into flat disks, wrap them tightly in plastic, and let them rest in the fridge for 3 hours.
5. SHAPE: On a lightly floured surface, roll out your dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out your gingerbread figures using your favorite cookie cutters and arrange them 1 inch apart on your lined sheets. Pop the sheet into the freezer for 15 minutes to lock in the shapes.
6. BAKE: Bake at 350°F until the cookies are firm to the touch and look nice and dry, about 10 minutes. I always start checking at 8 minutes because every oven has its own personality!
7. DECORATE: While the cookies are still warm from the oven, gently press 3 red hots or candies down the center for buttons. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before piping your smooth icing details on top.

Robby’s Baking Tips for Success

• The Chill is Key: Don’t skip the refrigeration time! Letting the dough chill for 3 hours (or even overnight) makes it a breeze to handle and keeps your shapes from spreading in the oven.
• Button Trick: Gently press your red hots or chocolate candies right into the cookies while they are still warm from the oven so they lock in place perfectly!

Common Baking Questions

Q: Does it matter if I use light or dark brown sugar?
Robby: Not for the flavor! Dark brown sugar has a tiny bit more molasses in it, so it will make your cookies a slightly darker shade, but both options turn out absolutely delicious.

Q: Why do I need to freeze the shapes before baking?
Robby: Popping the cut cookies into the freezer for 15 minutes right before they hit the heat helps them hold their clean edges perfectly. If your dough is still very cold from the fridge, you can sometimes skip it, but it’s a great safety step!

Join the Flock!

If you want to grab the same budget-friendly baking tools I used today, you can find them right over on my Benable.

Every time you bake a batch of these, remember that Robby’s Baking Therapy is all about finding a little peace of mind in the kitchen without breaking the bank. It’s my personal way of using baking as a self-help and relaxation tool, and I am so grateful to have you on this journey.

Your support helps keep this mission flying! If you want to dive deeper into the community, you can read my personal updates and deep dives on Substack, get exclusive Budget Breakdowns of my recipes over on Patreon, or find pay-what-you-want recipes and direct services on my Ko-fi.

Print Pin

Soft & Spiced Gingerbread People

I love gingerbread cookies so much.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Christmas, Christmas Cookies, Cookies, Ginger, Gingerbread, Molasses, Rosanna Pansino

Prep Time 3 hours hours

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Dozen

Cost Per cookie: $ 0.19 or Per batch $9.30

Ingredients

For the Gingerbread Dough:

• 4 cups All-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking soda
• 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 12 tablespoons Unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• 1 cup Packed dark brown sugar
• 1 Large egg
• 3/4 cup Molasses
• Red Hots Candy or M&Ms for buttons

For the Best-Ever Icing:

• 3 tablespoons Egg white powder or 3 large egg whites
• 4 cups Confectioners’ sugar sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon Cream of tartar
• 1 tablespoon Honey or light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
• 4 to 5 tablespoons Warm water

Directions

• GET READY: In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt until beautifully combined. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• CREAM & MIX: In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and brown sugar for 3 to 5 minutes until it looks light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and molasses.
• COMBINE: On low speed, gradually mix your flour and spice blend into the wet base until a uniform dough pulls together.
• CHILL: Shape the dough into flat disks, wrap them tightly in plastic, and let them rest in the fridge for 3 hours.
• SHAPE: On a lightly floured surface, roll out your dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out your gingerbread figures using your favorite cookie cutters and arrange them 1 inch apart on your lined sheets. Pop the sheet into the freezer for 15 minutes to lock in the shapes.
• BAKE: Bake at 350°F until the cookies are firm to the touch and look nice and dry, about 10 minutes. I always start checking at 8 minutes because every oven has its own personality!
• DECORATE: While the cookies are still warm from the oven, gently press 3 red hots or candies down the center for buttons. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before piping your smooth icing details on top.

Notes

The Bake Doctor’s Notes:

• Original Recipe Credit: This classic holiday bake is adapted from and inspired by Rosanna Pansino’s Baking All Year Round.
• Storage: Keep your cookies locked tight in an airtight container at room temperature. They actually get even better and softer after a day or two!