How do you make a ginger bread man?

- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

- 1 cup packed light brown sugar

- 1/4 cup molasses

- 1 large egg

- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- 2 teaspoons ground ginger

- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 1 teaspoon ground cloves

Instruction:

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.

4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out gingerbread man shapes using a cookie cutter.

5. Place the gingerbread men on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to brown.

6. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips

- To make the gingerbread men more festive, you can decorate them with icing, sprinkles, or candy.

- You can also add other spices to the dough, such as nutmeg, allspice, or cardamom.

- If you don't have a gingerbread man cookie cutter, you can use any other shape you like.

Enjoy your homemade gingerbread men!