Easy Mickey Mouse Gingerbread Cookies Recipe for the Holidays

Nothing says Christmas more than gingerbread cookies. These adorable Mickey Mouse-shaped cookies with all your favorite gingerbread ingredients are ideal little treats to celebrate the season.

Butter, brown sugar, molasses, and gingerbread spices come together for a crunchy, chewy treat that’s hard to resist. Don’t worry, Mickey won’t mind if you eat his head.

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I like to make a few batches of these Mickey Mouse Gingerbread cookies for my holiday celebrations. They look great on the dessert table and are the ultimate cookie to send to school for holiday parties. Kids absolutely love them. They are just so darn cute!

I sometimes give the cookies as holiday gifts to my neighbors. They make a nice inexpensive gift option.

Oh, and did I mention these cookies are awesome dipped in a cup of steaming hot coffee? Well, they are! After I whip up a batch, I look forward to relaxing and enjoying a cookie (or two!) with a cup of coffee or my favorite hot tea.

Looking for more fun and festive treats? Try M&M Cookies Ice Cream Sandwich, Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberry Santas or M&M Chocolate Holiday Bark. These desserts are super cute and colorful! They will all make a nice addition to your holiday dessert festivities.

Why You’ll Love These Gingerbread Cookies

• Fun Mickey Mouse shape!
• Super easy to prepare
• Customizable – add your favorite sprinkles or cake toppings
• The perfect edible holiday gift

Ingredients Needed To Make Mickey Mouse Gingerbread Cookies

Prep time: 10 minutes

Yield: 24 cookies

• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp granulated white sugar
• ½ cup butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 3 cups flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp ginger
• ½ tsp allspice
• ½ tsp salt
• White decorating icing
• Red and green M&Ms

How To Make Gingerbread Cookies

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix butter, brown sugar, and granulated white sugar until just combined. Do not cream the butter for these cookies.

Once combined, add in the egg, vanilla, and molasses. Again, mix until just combined. Add in all the seasonings. While mixing, add flour a little at a time until flour is fully incorporated and no longer visible.

Transfer the dough to a floured countertop. Roll out the dough.

Cut out the cookies with a Mickey cookie cutter and place them on a lined baking pan.

Bake in preheated oven for about 9-10 minutes.

Allow time to cool before icing.

Use white decorating icing to add a wave pattern to the ears. Place two dots of icing across the center in a vertical line.

Then, get one red and one green M&M. Place the two M&Ms on the dots.

Tips and Tricks

• Bring the butter and egg to room temperature before you begin.
• Keep a stash of icing and cake decorations on hand so you are ready to go whenever you make these cookies.
• Make sure the countertop is well-floured so the dough does not stick.
• Spray the cookie cutter with cooking spray so the dough doesn’t stick to it either.
• Make sure the cookies are completely cool before icing. If they are still warm the icing will run and ruin the design.

Variations of Gingerbread Cookies

• instead of M&Ms, use another colored candy like Skittles
• add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the cookies
• Change up the color of the icing
• Add a bow to the cookie using a different color of icing

FAQs

Should gingerbread cookies be hard or soft?

Typically, gingerbread cookies are supposed to be hard and crunchy.

Why are these cookies called gingerbread?

The word gingerbread came to be used as a descriptor for desserts around the 15th century. The word is now used to describe treats that contain honey, treacle, or molasses.

What can I substitute for molasses?

If you don’t have molasses on hand you can substitute corn syrup, maple syrup, or brown sugar but you won’t get the taste and texture required to make gingerbread cookies. I strongly suggest you use molasses. Molasses has a long shelf life so you don’t need to worry about them going bad in the pantry.

Can I make my own icing for these cookies?

Yes, you absolutely can make your own icing. Mix together icing sugar, some butter, and a touch of milk and use it to decorate the cookies. Feel free to add food coloring. Or divide the batch and make two different colors of icing.

Should I use salted or unsalted butter?

When I bake I typically use unsalted butter. If you only have salted butter on hand you can go ahead and use it, however.

Can I make these cookies gluten free?

I haven’t made these gluten-free but if you use a 1-1 gluten-free flour like Bob’s Red Mill they should work out okay.

Can I make these cookies in advance?

Yes, you can make these cookies in advance, freeze them undecorated and then decorate them when you remove them from the freezer.