Description
These Vegan Gingerbread Cookies are a delightful holiday treat, perfect for those seeking a gluten-free and vegan option. Featuring aromatic spices like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, combined with a rich molasses and maple syrup base, these cookies offer a perfect balance of chewy and crispy textures. Finished with a smooth vegan buttercream-like icing made from aquafaba or egg whites, these cookies are festive, flavorful, and ideal for decorating.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups Bob’s Red Mill GF All Purpose 1:1 Baking Flour (can substitute regular AP flour if not gluten free)
- 2 ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cloves
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup refined coconut oil or vegan butter, softened but not melted
- ⅓ cup molasses
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
Icing
- ¼ cup liquid from can of chickpeas (aquafaba) OR 2 egg whites
- 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 tsp water as needed
Instructions
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Beat together all of the wet ingredients (coconut oil or vegan butter, molasses, maple syrup, dark brown sugar) using an electric mixer until well combined and creamy.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually mix in all dry ingredients with a wooden spoon, making sure to spoon and level the flour for accurate measurement. Mix until just combined to form a dough.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough and let it set in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up and make it easier to handle.
- Preheat Oven: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll and Cut Cookies: Roll out the dough using a rolling pin to about ¼ to ½ inch thickness depending on desired cookie texture (thinner for crispier, thicker for chewier). Use cookie cutters to shape cookies and arrange them with space on the lined baking sheet.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8-11 minutes until the cookies are evenly colored and the center appears set but still soft. They will firm up as they cool.
- Prepare Icing: For the icing, beat ¼ cup aquafaba or 2 egg whites until foamy. Gradually beat in sifted powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Adjust thickness by adding 2-3 tsp water as needed to ensure the icing can pipe without running.
- Decorate: Wait until cookies are completely cool before frosting. Use a piping bag or squeeze bottle to decorate the cookies as desired.
Notes
- Lightly oil and flour cookie cutters before use to prevent dough sticking and to preserve cookie shapes.
- If you don’t have cookie cutters, shape dough balls and flatten with fingers to form round cookies. Adding ½ tsp baking soda can help cookies spread more during baking.
- Properly measure flour by spooning into measuring cup and leveling the top to maintain accuracy, especially important for gluten-free baking.
- You can use either gluten-free or regular all-purpose flour; if gluten-free, ensure the blend contains xanthan gum for structure.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (about 30g)
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 65 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
