What cookie is often shaped like a man and decorated with icing?

What cookie is often shaped like a man and decorated with icing? The answer is a gingerbread man.

A gingerbread man is a cookie made from gingerbread dough and cut into a stylized human shape. Typical decorations include icing faces, shirt buttons, hair, cuffs, and shoes; raisins, candies, or chocolate can also be used. “Gingerbread person” is a broader modern term that includes other shapes and genders.

The tradition has deep European roots. Gingerbread dates back at least to the 15th century, while figure-shaped gingerbread was documented at the court of Elizabeth I of England in the 16th century. The queen reportedly had gingerbread figures made to resemble important guests. By the 19th century, gingerbread figures had become strongly associated with Christmas.

A common mix-up is confusing the cookie with the fairy-tale character called The Gingerbread Man. The story inspired popular culture, but the baked cookie can have many designs and is not required to depict that character specifically.