Kid-Friendly Gingerbread Man Cookie Recipe
One of my favourite treats to make with the kids at Christmas is Gingerbread Cookies. I’ve tried many recipes over time and this kid-friendly gingerbread man recipe is ideal for making some cookies with kids which we then decorate and gift to friends, family and those that have helped us to say thanks.
Now I love making gingerbread but my classic gingerbread recipe which I used for snowflakes to gift at Christmas and Halloween cookies is fantastic if you have a quite a bit of time and that isn’t always practical as a busy Mum. So this recipe is much easier to make and smells amazing as it bakes and then your children can decorate it as they want afterwards.
Unlike more traditional Gingerbread this recipe isn’t as strong and kids prefer it to a more traditional store bought Gingerbread Man which they find overpowering.
If you scroll down you will find our complete printable recipe card that you can then keep, laminate and use time and time again to make these delicious Christmas Cookies with your Kids year after year starting a fantastic family tradition that you and they will remember.
Ingredients for Kid-friendly Gingerbread Cookies
350g Self Raising Flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tsp caster sugar (superfine sugar)
4 oz butter
6 tbsp golden syrup (light corn syrup)
Read Next: Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies
Making child-friendly gingerbread cookies
Preheat the oven to 190C (adjust as you would normally for your oven!) and oil some baking sheets or line with greaseproof paper.
Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and mix together.
In a small pan add butter and golden syrup and melt over a LOW HEAT.
When melted pour over the other ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon.
Once it is mixed knead to make a smooth dough.
Lightly dust a surface and rolling pin with flour and roll out to around 5mm thick.
Take your cookie cutters – I love my 101 cookie cutters which take me all the way through the seasons and there is normally something for each occasion – and cut out the different cookies
Lay then on the baking sheets with some space in between – although these cookies don’t spread a lot there is some spread with them.
Roll the trimmings back together and cut some more cookies this mix should make around 30 medium sizes cookies so perfect for saying thank you to people and having a few yourself as well.
Bake the cookies for 5 – 12 minutes – keep an eye on them as the thinner and smaller they are the quicker they will cook.
Once cooled decorate as you wish I like to use the tubes of decorating icing with my kids as I know these work well and there is no fuss making frosting with them. It’s quick and simple and they can decorate to their hearts content.

Kid-Friendly Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 350 g Self Raising Flour
- 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 4 tsp Caste Sugar (Superfine Sugar)
- 100 g Butter - unsalted
- 6 tbsp Golden Syrup (Light Corn Syrup)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190C (adjust as you would normally for your oven!) and oil some baking sheets or line with greaseproof paper.
- Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and mix together.
- In a small pan add butter and golden syrup and melt over a LOW HEAT.
- When melted pour over the other ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon.
- Once it is mixed knead to make a smooth dough.
- Lightly dust a surface and rolling pin with flour and roll out to around 5mm thick.
- Cut out your cookies using cookie cutters
- Lay out on a lined or greased baking tray
- Place in oven for between 5 and 12 minutes - check regularly until lightly golden brown
- Leave to cool on a rack and then decorate as you wish
More Simple Christmas Recipes to Cook with kids
We love these Simple Christmas Cookies and make them with the kids on Christmas Eve each year.
If your kids love the story of the Grinch then these EASY Ginch Cookies made with Nutty Butters are so simple to make.
One of my favourite things to make with my grandma growing up was Peppermint Creams – I’ve passed down the tradition to my kids and they loved making these Peppermint Cream Mice.
I also found this way too dry and crumbly, despite adding more butter. Not sure how to fix the dough? We couldn’t really roll it out. Wondering if it’s just flours in different countries or something? (I’m in NZ.)We didn’t really enjoy the taste either (too bland for us), but good to try a different recipe and my toddler loved the process. Had tried this recipe as my go-to gingerbread is mostly done in a pot on the stove so not great for toddlers to help with.
I’m really sorry it didn’t work too well, I think it possibly is the flour as I know we have problems when my sister-in-law in the US shares her recipes with us.
These are delicious and easy to make with a toddler too!
Just finished this and it turned out pretty good. I did actually add a bit of powdered ginger since my three year old actually enjoys the taste. Many thanks.
Hi, Just tried this for my nursery class and it came out really crumbly. Any tips on binding it a bit more? More butter?
Thanks
This looks like so much fun. My son loves to bake. We will have to try making these together.