Gingerbread Men – with Smarties
Gingerbread men are a holiday classic, but in Canada they often came with a twist: bright Smarties buttons. At Christmas, kitchens filled with the scent of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves as trays of little men cooled on the counter, waiting for kids to decorate them with icing and candy. The colourful Smarties — a Canadian childhood staple — turned simple spiced cookies into something festive and uniquely ours, bringing cheer to cookie tins, school exchanges, and family gatherings.
Prep Time: 25 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling)
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Makes: About 24 cookies
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup molasses
1 large egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
For decorating
Royal icing or simple glaze
Smarties, sprinkles, or coloured sugar
Method
Make dough: In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in molasses and egg until smooth.
Combine dry ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Gradually stir into wet mixture until a dough forms.
Chill: Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour to firm up.
Cut shapes: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Roll dough on a floured surface to ¼-inch thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters.
Bake: Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake 8–10 minutes, until edges are set but centres are still soft. Cool completely on racks.
Decorate: Pipe with royal icing and add Smarties for buttons, plus sprinkles or coloured sugar as desired.
Variations
Extra spice: Add a pinch of black pepper for a bolder flavour.
Maple glaze: Swap icing for a simple maple syrup glaze for a Canadian touch.
Soft centres: Bake 1–2 minutes less for chewier gingerbread men.
In Canada, Smarties aren’t the chalky candies found in the U.S. — they’re candy-coated chocolates, proudly made in Toronto since the 1930s. Using them as buttons on gingerbread men became a holiday tradition, blending Old World spice cookies with a sweet Canadian twist. And of course, every kid knew the jingle: “When you eat your Smarties, do you eat the red ones last?” Fun fact: Canada even had its own candy rivalry. Dairy Queen and McDonald’s famously battled over whether to use Smarties or M&M’s in their frozen treats. For years, McDonald’s stuck with Smarties in the McFlurry (uniquely Canadian!), while Dairy Queen championed M&M’s in the Blizzard. The debate wasn’t just about candy — it became part of Canadian pop culture, with people passionately loyal to their side.
