I created these easy-to-use gingerbread man cookie templates because I love making fun gingerbread man cookies every holiday season to decorate for my family and for gift-giving and events! There are four sizes of gingerbread man patterns included, from mini all the way to giant—a size for every holiday baking and craft project!

Did you know that gingerbread cookies date back to Queen Elizabeth I, who served them as decorated figures to foreign dignitaries? Today, these charming cookies remain a beloved holiday tradition, and I’m here to help you create the perfect ones.

Whether you’re baking with kids or preparing for a Christmas party, having the right template is crucial for those Instagram-worthy gingerbread men. So grab the templates, prep the dough, and get baking!

DOWNLOAD THE GINGERBREAD MAN TEMPLATES!

Why You’ll Love These Gingerbread Man Cookie Templates

• Just the Right Size: Whether you need a mini man or plan on creating a giant gingerbread man cookie, these templates have all the sizes you’re looking for!
• Use Any Recipe: These templates work beautifully with any gingerbread recipe, whether it’s your grandmother’s treasured recipe or a modern gluten-free version.
• Baking or Crafting: If you want to do a craft project for the kids, just print another copy of these templates and craft away! Who says they’re just for baking?

👩‍🍳 My kids love baking gingerbread men during the holidays, so we have a family tradition to break out these templates and let everyone bake their chosen size. It’s a fun family tradition we look forward to every year!

Gingerbread Sizing Guide: Template Sizes

These templates are the classic gingerbread shape—the adorable gingerbread man! The four sizes I’ve included are what I consider to be the essential gingerbread man pattern sizes, for both baking and crafting.

• Mini 3-inch templates for bite-sized treats
• Standard 5-inch template perfect for traditional cookies
• Large 8-inch template for statement pieces
• Oversized 10-inch template for big, giant fun

DOWNLOAD THE GINGERBREAD MAN TEMPLATES!

Materials and Tools Needed

To make the most of these templates, you’ll need a few key items.

1. Printer or Cricut for printing the templates.
2. Heavy-duty cardstock or food-grade plastic for printing. Regular paper won’t hold up to repeated use.
3. A sharp X-acto knife or precision scissors for cutting out the templates, especially around the fingers and toes where detail matters.
4. Dough for making gingerbread cookies and royal icing for decorating!

If you print the templates onto food-grade plastic, like with Cricut machine, then you can save them for next year. Store them in a flat, rigid folder to prevent bending, and consider laminating them for extra durability.

I also suggest keeping a dedicated set of cutting tools just for your cookie work to maintain sharp edges. Obviously the younger children will need help using any sharp tool!

Cookie Cutting Guide

This is my go-to dough for making the most delicious gingerbread cookies. I give a lot of these cookies out as gifts during the holidays so there are many people who claim these are the best they’ve ever eaten!

The secret to perfect gingerbread men lies in the details of how you use these templates. Here are the exact steps to take to ensure the best cut-out results:

Step 1: Roll your dough to exactly 1/4 inch thickness for optimal baking—any thinner and they’ll burn, any thicker and they’ll be doughy in the middle.

Step 2: Position your template with at least 1.5 inches between each cookie to allow for spreading during baking.

Step 3: When cutting, press straight down firmly with the tool rather than dragging it through the dough.

Pro Tip: For the cleanest edges, chill your dough before cutting and work quickly while it’s still cold.

Decorating Techniques & Ideas

I totally believe this royal icing is perfect for decorating gingerbread man cookies, so whip up a batch and then you’re ready to transform your perfectly-shaped gingerbread men into charming holiday characters with these foolproof decorating techniques.

Icing Border Techniques: Start by piping a clean border around the edge of your cookie using stiff royal icing—this creates a beautiful frame and prevents your flood icing from spilling over.

Button & Feature Placement: For traditional gingerbread men facial features and buttons:

• eyes should sit about 1/3 down from the top
• the nose centered between them
• and three buttons spaced evenly down the torso.

Color Scheme suggestions: While classic white-on-brown will always look elegant, don’t be afraid to experiment with holiday color schemes—deep forest green and gold create a sophisticated look, while red and white give a candy cane charm.

Professional Piping Tips: For the smoothest piping results, hold your bag at a 45-degree angle and maintain consistent pressure; I recommend using a size 2 tip for details and size 4 for borders.

Flood-and-Detail Technique: The flood-and-detail technique is the secret to achieving those professionally polished gingerbread cookies you see in bakery windows.

1. Start with a border of stiff royal icing (consistency of toothpaste) piped around the area you want to fill—this acts as a dam to contain your flood icing.
2. Then, thin your royal icing to “flood consistency” (like warm honey) by adding a few drops of water. Fill the bordered area with this thinner icing, using a scribe tool or toothpick to guide it into corners and pop any air bubbles.
3. Let this base layer dry completely, which typically takes 6-8 hours or overnight for best results.
4. Once your flood layer is fully set (test by gently touching—it should feel completely firm), you can pipe detailed designs on top using stiff royal icing.

This layering creates a smooth, professional finish where detailed piping sits proudly on top of a perfectly flat background.

For gingerbread men, this technique works beautifully for creating “clothing” like sweaters, mittens, or boots, allowing you to add intricate patterns, textures, or even polka dots that stand out beautifully against the flooded base.

Pro Tip: My favorite professional trick is to let each layer of icing dry completely before adding the next, ensuring crisp, clean lines that will make your cookies look professionally decorated.

Let the Festive Holiday Baking Begin!

Ready to bring your gingerbread dreams to life? With these templates and tips, you’re all set to create perfectly shaped cookies that will charm everyone at your holiday gathering!

Remember, the best template is one that you’ll actually use, so don’t be afraid to start simple and work your way up to more elaborate designs.

Happy baking, and don’t forget to share your creations!

Other Cut-Out Cookies for Family Fun

Cookies

Pinwheel Cookies

Christmas Cookies

Gingerbread Wreath

Christmas Cookies

Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

Christmas Recipes

Best Homemade Gingerbread House | Recipe + Template

Did you use these templates? Share pics on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest so we can see your creatiions!