Easy Gingerbread Recipe

This easy gingerbread recipe makes soft, gently spiced gingerbread men that hold their shape, and it's the one we bake every single December. If you're in the festive mood, try my quick Chocolate Rocky Road or classic 3 Ingredient Shortbread next.

For those soft, bendy-in-the-middle biscuits everyone fights over, it's all about balance. Brown sugar keeps them moist, golden syrup adds that caramel warmth, and there's just enough spice to taste like Christmas without scaring off little taste buds.

This Aussie classic uses pantry staples, rolls out cleanly and doesn't spread, so your stars, trees and gingerbread men keep all their details. Planning a big baking afternoon? Pop a batch of White Christmas Slice or Chocolate Christmas Puddings on the list too.

Gingerbread Ingredients

You only need simple pantry ingredients for this gingerbread. Here are the ones worth a quick note:

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

• Brown sugar: light brown sugar keeps the flavour mellow and kid-friendly. Dark brown sugar gives a deeper caramel flavour.
• Golden syrup: gives that classic Aussie flavour and helps the dough hold its shape.
• Egg yolk: just the yolk makes a richer, tender biscuit that rolls and cuts cleanly.
• Ground ginger and mixed spice: together they give that smells-like-Christmas flavour without being too strong.
• Bi-carb soda: just a little gives some lift without puffing up your cut-out shapes.

How To Make Super Easy Gingerbread

These are short, fool-proof steps, perfect for baking Christmas biscuits with the kids. The full recipe card is below, with both conventional and Thermomix methods.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

1. Step 1: Cream. Beat the butter and brown sugar until pale and creamy, then beat in the golden syrup and egg yolk.

2. Step 2: Add the dry ingredients. Stir in the flour, mixed spice, ginger, bi-carb soda and a pinch of salt until it forms a soft dough.

3. Step 3: Chill. Knead the dough into a ball, wrap it in cling wrap and chill for 1 hour. This is the secret to clean shapes!

4. Step 4: Roll and cut. Roll the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper until it's 3 to 4mm thick. Cut out your shapes and place them about 4cm apart on lined trays.

Making Gingerbread In The Thermomix

Team Thermomix? The dough is made in one bowl in under 2 minutes:

• Mix: add all the ingredients (except the decorations) and mix for 15 seconds on Speed 6.
• Knead: scrape down the sides of the bowl, then knead on Interval for 1 minute.
• Chill, roll and bake: then chill, roll, cut and bake exactly like the conventional method.

How To Stop Gingerbread Spreading

This dough is made to hold its shape, but a warm kitchen can still cause a little spreading. Here's how to keep your gingerbread men looking sharp:

• Chill the dough for the full hour: cold dough holds its shape in the oven.
• Chill the cut shapes too: if your kitchen is warm, pop the tray of cut shapes in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking.
• Roll between baking paper: you won't need extra flour, so the edges stay neat.
• Leave space: place the shapes about 4cm apart on the tray.
• Stick with golden syrup: honey tends to make the biscuits spread a little more.

Decorating Gingerbread Men

This is the best bit for the kids! Wait until the biscuits are completely cool, then use a white icing pen or melted white chocolate to pipe on faces and squiggles. Red and green M&Ms make perfect buttons. For neat lines that set hard, use my Royal Icing.

Want more Christmas biscuits to decorate? My Easy Sugar Cookies and Reindeer Biscuits are always a hit.

Make Ahead And Storage

Make the dough ahead: wrap it well and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours (one reader left hers overnight and it worked perfectly). If you want to make it more than a day ahead, freeze it instead.

Freeze the dough: wrap it well and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then roll and bake. If it's very firm, let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before rolling.

Store baked gingerbread: keep it in an airtight container in a cool pantry for up to 1 week, decorated or undecorated.

Freeze baked gingerbread: undecorated biscuits can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the container to avoid condensation, then decorate. They make a lovely addition to my Homemade Christmas Food Gifts.

Easy Gingerbread Recipe FAQs

More Christmas Recipes For Kids

Whether you've got a budding little chef at home, or you're after a fun holiday activity, these kid-friendly Christmas recipes are perfect to make with the kids!