Chocolate Gingerbread Men

Prepare the Gingerbread Dough In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.

2.In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the molasses and egg, and mix until well combined.

3.Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until the dough comes together. Divide the dough into two equal parts, and shape each part into a disc.

Chill the Dough Wrap the dough discs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the Oven Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll out the Dough Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly. Roll out one dough disc at a time on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thickness.

Cut out the Cookies Use gingerbread men cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the rolled-out dough. Place the cut-out cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of space between each cookie.

Bake the Cookies Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still appear slightly soft. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Prepare the Royal Icing To make the royal icing, combine the powdered sugar, egg white, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat until the mixture becomes smooth and shiny. If desired, divide the icing into separate bowls and add food coloring.

Decorate the Cookies Transfer the royal icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Decorate the cooled gingerbread men cookies with the icing, creating faces, buttons, and other designs as desired. Allow the icing to set before serving or storing the cookies.