Nothing says Christmas like a plate of smiling gingerbread man cookies. These are soft in the center, lightly crisp at the edges and full of warm ginger and holiday spice.
They are sugar-free, made with almond flour and sweetened with allulose, with a simple white icing for the faces and buttons. Each of the 10 cookies has about 116 calories and just 2g net carbs.
The dough rolls out easily between sheets of parchment, so there is no sticky mess on the counter.
Why You’ll Love These Gingerbread Man Cookies
- Classic holiday cookie. Cute cutouts with white icing faces.
- Warm spice. Ginger and pumpkin pie spice in every bite.
- Soft centers. Tender, not hard or dry.
- 2g net carbs per cookie. About 116 calories each.
Ingredient Notes
Flours. One cup of Bob’s Red Mill blanched almond flour and 2 tablespoons of coconut flour make a dough that rolls and cuts cleanly.
Butter and Neufchâtel. Two tablespoons of softened butter and 2 ounces of block Neufchâtel keep the gingerbread man cookies soft and rich.
Spices. Two teaspoons of McCormick Pumpkin Pie Spice and 1½ teaspoons of ground ginger give the classic gingerbread flavor.
Icing. NOW Confectioner’s Erythritol mixed with a few drops of water makes a thick white icing for piping.
Allulose. Granulated allulose sweetens the dough and gives the cookies a golden color. Allulose is a rare sugar that the FDA allows to be excluded from the total sugars and added sugars declarations on the Nutrition Facts label.
If you want to check the nutrition of staples like almond flour and butter yourself, you can look them up on USDA FoodData Central. The nutrition is estimated from ingredient labels.
How to Make Gingerbread Man Cookies
You need an 18×13-inch baking sheet, parchment, a 3-inch gingerbread man cutter, a rolling pin, mixing bowls, a hand mixer and a piping bag. Prep takes about 25 minutes, the dough chills for 40 minutes, the cookies bake for 13 to 17 minutes, and the icing dries for about an hour.
Make and cut the dough
Step 1. Beat the butter, Neufchâtel and allulose until smooth.
Step 2. Mix in the egg without whipping too much.
Step 3. Whisk both flours, the pumpkin pie spice and the ginger.
Step 4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
Step 5. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
Step 6. Roll it between parchment sheets to 5/16 inch (8mm) thick.
Step 7. Cut 10 cookies with a 3-inch gingerbread man cutter, rerolling the scraps gently.
Chill and bake
Step 8. Arrange the cookies 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 9. Refrigerate the shaped cookies for 10 minutes and heat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
Step 10. Bake for 13 to 17 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
Step 11. Cool completely on the baking sheet, about 30 minutes.
Decorate
Step 12. Mix the powdered erythritol and water into a thick white icing.
Step 13. Pipe smiles, eyes, buttons and delicate cuffs on the gingerbread man cookies.
Step 14. Let the icing dry for 45 to 60 minutes.
Success Tips for Gingerbread Man Cookies
Keep the dough cold. Chilled dough holds sharp arms and legs in the oven.
Roll between parchment. No extra flour is needed, and the dough will not stick.
Do not overbake. Pull them when the edges just turn golden for soft centers.
Make thick icing. Add the water drop by drop so the lines stay neat.
Serving Ideas
Serve them on a Christmas cookie tray, wrap them in cellophane as gifts or set out plain cookies and icing for a kids’ decorating party.
More Sugar-Free Gingerbread Treats
For an easy pan version, try my sugar-free gingerbread bars. For a spiced cookie with crinkly tops, the sugar-free ginger spice cookies are lovely.
And for a high-protein snack, make the sugar-free gingerbread protein pudding.
Storage
Store the gingerbread man cookies airtight for up to 5 days, with parchment between the layers to protect the icing.
Gingerbread Man Cookies FAQ
Why did my gingerbread men spread?
The dough was too warm. Chill the cut shapes for 10 minutes before baking.
Can I skip the icing?
Yes. The cookies are tasty plain, and the carbs stay about the same.
Is this icing like royal icing?
It is thinner and more delicate than royal icing, so handle decorated cookies gently and stack them with parchment.
How many gingerbread man cookies does this make?
The recipe makes 10 cookies, about 116 calories and 2g net carbs each.
Is allulose a sugar alcohol?
No, allulose is a rare sugar, not a sugar alcohol. Erythritol, used in the icing, is a sugar alcohol.
Soft, spiced and smiling, these gingerbread man cookies are a sweet sugar-free tradition for the whole family.
Sugar-Free Gingerbread Man Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Beat butter, cream cheese, and allulose until smooth.
- Mix in the egg without whipping excessively.
- Whisk both flours, pumpkin pie spice, and ginger.
- Fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
- Roll between parchment sheets to 5/16-inch (8mm) thickness.
- Cut 10 cookies using a 3-inch gingerbread man cutter.
- Reroll scraps gently to distribute dough evenly.
- Arrange 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Refrigerate shaped cookies for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Bake 13–17 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
- Cool completely on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.
- Mix powdered erythritol and water into thick white icing.
- Pipe smiles, eyes, buttons, and delicate cuffs.
- Allow icing to dry for 45–60 minutes.
Notes
- Keep dough chilled for well-defined shapes.
- Avoid overbaking for tender centers.
- Icing is more delicate than traditional royal icing.
- Store airtight, separated by parchment, up to 5 days.