This Pull-Apart Gingerbread Man Recipe is a creative and shareable recipe, which features mini cupcakes and a rich ginger-molasses frosting. It’s a fun holiday centerpiece, ready in about 45 minutes.
Jump to RecipePull-Apart Gingerbread Man Recipe Ingredients
Ginger-Molasses Frosting:
- 4 sticks (2 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
- 1 tablespoon chocolate-hazelnut spread, such as Nutella
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Gingerbread Man:
- 48 mini cupcakes (preferably gingerbread), liners removed
- Assorted gumdrops, candies and royal icing, for decorating
How To Make Pull-Apart Gingerbread Man Recipe
- Whip the butter base: For the ginger-molasses frosting: Beat the butter, molasses, and chocolate-hazelnut spread with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Finish the frosting: Add the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, ginger, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium-low, increasing the speed as the ingredients begin to incorporate. Beat on medium-high for a few seconds until the frosting is completely smooth and fluffy.
- Shape the man: For the gingerbread man: Arrange the cupcakes on the large flat platter in a gingerbread man shape. Use about 14 cupcakes to make the round head, 14 to make the arms and chest, and 20 to make the tummy, legs, and feet.
- Frost the cupcakes: Transfer the frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe swirls to generously cover each cupcake top (the frosting on each top should touch its neighbor to create a cohesive look). Fill in any visible gaps between cupcakes with a squeeze of frosting.
- Decorate: Decorate as desired with gumdrops and candies to make buttons, eyes, and a mouth. Fill a small pastry bag fitted with a round tip with royal icing and use to pipe details like cuffs or a smile.
Recipe Tips
- Securing the cupcakes: To prevent the cupcakes from sliding around on the platter while you transport them, put a tiny dab of frosting on the bottom of each cupcake before placing it on the board.
- Cupcake choice: While gingerbread cupcakes are the most thematic choice, you can easily use chocolate or vanilla mini cupcakes. The ginger-molasses frosting will still give it that holiday flavor profile.
- Frosting consistency: If your kitchen is warm and the frosting feels too soft to hold a crisp star shape, chill the bowl for 10-15 minutes before piping.
- The “Pull-Apart” effect: The key to a good pull-apart cake is piping the frosting slightly over the edges of the cupcakes so that they connect. This makes the design look like one solid cake until someone grabs a piece.
What To Serve With Pull-Apart Gingerbread Man Recipe
This sweet, frosting-heavy dessert needs beverages to balance the sugar.
- Hot coffee or espresso
- Cold milk
- Hot cider
- A savory appetizer spread (to contrast the sweet)
How To Store Pull-Apart Gingerbread Man Recipe
- Room Temperature: You can leave the frosted cupcakes at cool room temperature for up to 6 hours.
- Refrigerate: If making a day ahead, cover the entire platter loosely with plastic wrap (use toothpicks to keep the wrap off the frosting) and refrigerate. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving so the buttercream softens.
- Leftovers: Store leftover individual cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Pull-Apart Gingerbread Man Recipe Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 180
- Total Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
- Sodium: 80mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 22g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 18g
- Protein: 1g
Nutrition information is estimated per cupcake (frosting + cake).
FAQs
Yes. Removing the liners makes it much easier to “pull apart” and eat without dealing with sticky paper wrappers covered in frosting. It also helps the cupcakes sit closer together.
You can, but the homemade ginger-molasses frosting provides the specific color and flavor of a gingerbread man. If using store-bought vanilla, you will need to tint it brown and perhaps add spices.
Yes. You can scale this down by using fewer cupcakes (e.g., 24) or just making a gingerbread head face instead of the full body.
Pull-Apart Gingerbread Man Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy48
servings45
minutes18
kcalA spectacular holiday party dessert made of 48 mini cupcakes arranged and frosted to look like a giant gingerbread man.
Ingredients
4 sticks butter, softened
3 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp Nutella
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp ground ginger
48 mini cupcakes (liners removed)
Gumdrops and candy (for decorating)
Directions
- Beat butter, molasses, and Nutella until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar, cocoa, ginger, vanilla, and salt; beat until fluffy.
- Arrange mini cupcakes on a large board in the shape of a man.
- Use a star tip to pipe frosting swirls over cupcakes, connecting them.
- Fill gaps with extra frosting.
- Decorate with candies for buttons and face.
Notes
- Visual Guide: Lay out the cupcakes loosely first to ensure the proportions look right before committing to the frosting.
- Serving: Simply let guests grab a cupcake and pull!
