CREAM CHEESE FROSTED GINGERBREAD MEN

Cream Cheese Frosted Gingerbread Men image

Every Christmas, my family would visit a display of the most amazing gingerbread houses. Of course, we'd get to munch on gingerbread cookies along the way! I created my recipe with fresh grated ginger and cream cheese icing-it's the perfect mix of sweet and spicy. -Rebekah Jackson, San Jose, California

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 35m

Yield about 3 dozen

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Confectioners' sugar
FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Steps:

Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses, egg and ginger. In another bowl, whisk next six ingredients; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour., Preheat oven to 350°. On a surface dusted with confectioners' sugar, roll each portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-1/2-in. gingerbread man cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until edges are firm, 15-18 minutes. Cool completely on pans on wire racks., For frosting, beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla. Beat in confectioners' sugar. Spread or pipe frosting over cookies.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 127 calories, Fat 6g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 22mg cholesterol, Sodium 80mg sodium, Carbohydrate 16g carbohydrate (11g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.