Classic Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Dec 5, 2017 (Last updated Mar 18, 2024) by Hannah Sunderani
Classic Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Hiya friends! I am SO excited to share this classic vegan gingerbread cookie recipe with you! These vegan gingerbread cookies are perfectly crisp on the outside, every so soft on the inside – with the perfect amount of ginger.
I make these gingerbreads every year and love them just the same! Not only are they so festive and the cut-outs so fun, but I find these gingerbreads taste even better as the days past – making them the perfect cookie to gift through-out the holiday season.
Not only are these cookies vegan, but these gingerbread cookies are refined sugar free – taking a healthier spin using ingredients like coconut sugar and maple syrup to sweeten! They can also be made gluten-free! I’ve recipe tested these cookies using gluten-free flour and they come out delicious.
So, without further ado, let me tell you how to make these tasty vegan gingerbread cookies!
These Vegan Gingerbread Cookies are…
- Full of deep, sweet flavour
- Refined sugar-free
- Nutrient rich
- Bursting with Christmas spirit
- Deliciously spiced
- Skeptic approved
- Family friendly
- Gluten-free friendly
Make these vegan gingerbread cookies with me!
Bake these cookies with me on my YouTube cooking show: Vegan Afternoon with Two Spoons.
Blackstrap Molasses Benefits
Most gingerbread cookie recipes call for regular unsulphured molasses, but these vegan gingerbread cookies are made with organic blackstrap molasses. Blackstrap molasses is molasses that has been boiled 3 times instead of twice.
This triple boiling process makes blackstrap molasses more nutrient dense. It’s rich in antioxidants and a great source of vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. There is a reason it is often referred to as the healthiest molasses!
Ingredient Notes
- Chia seeds – Ground chia seeds mixed with water make the perfect vegan egg replacer in these cookies. They’ll also add an additional boost of nutrition! To make ground chia seeds, place them in a spice grinder or small-cup food processor and process until a powder forms.
- Coconut sugar – In the spirit of keeping these gingerbread cookies healthy and nutritious, I opted for using coconut sugar instead of refined cane sugar. It’s a staple in my vegan pantry and versatile in vegan breakfast and dessert recipes.
- Almond butter – Almond butter adds healthy fats and creaminess to the cookie dough. Make sure yours is runny and easily pourable for the best textured dough.
- Vegan butter – A small amount of vegan butter makes these cookies extra soft and fluffy. If needed, substitute the vegan butter with softened refined coconut oil.
- Blackstrap molasses – Although you can substitute regular molasses, I highly recommend the blackstrap molasses. The flavour is a sweet, deep burnt caramel that is completely irresistible. Use leftover molasses to make my Holiday Porridge or Vegan Pecan Pie.
How to Make Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Start by combining the ground chia and water in a small bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes to thicken and become gelatinous. Next add the chia egg, coconut sugar, almond butter, molasses, maple syrup, vegan butter, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda to a large mixing bowl. Using an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer), beat together on a low speed until combined.
In batches, add flour and continue to mix on low speed until just combined. When the dough is ready, it should hold together when pressed together, but not feel dry.
Turn the cookie dough out onto a work surface and form a disk. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap or reusable vegan wrap, and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour, or overnight. The next day, or after 1 hour of chilling, generously sprinkle a clean work surface with flour then roll the gingerbread dough out until it is about ¼” thick.
Dip your cookie cutters in flour and cut out shapes. I chose the classic gingerbread men, but you can make your gingerbread cookies any holiday shape you’d like. Christmas trees, snowmen, or snowflakes would be so cute! After cutting shapes, roll the leftover dough back into a ball and roll out again, cutting additional shapes. Repeat the process until all dough is used.
Transfer the cut out gingerbread cookies to a baking sheet using a lightly floured spatula. These cookies should not spread much, but leave 1” between each to prevent any touching.
Bake the vegan gingerbread cookies for 6-8 minutes, or until slightly browned and golden on the edges. Keep in mind the cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.
Allow the baked cookies to cool for about 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Tips for Success
- Don’t skip the chill time! This step prevents the gingerbread cookies from overspreading and makes them significantly easier to cut into shapes. If the dough is too warm, the cookies will be very soft and won’t hold their shape. If you are in a rush and don’t have time to chill your cookie dough, make my Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies or Vegan Linzer Cookies instead!
- Bake time will vary depending on the thickness of cookies. The recommended bake time is for cookies rolled to ¼” thick. If you roll your cookies thicker, they may need 1-2 minutes longer. I would not recommend rolling them thinner, unless you prefer very crunchy vegan gingerbread cookies.
Pipable Royal Icing Option
If you’d like to decorate your gingerbread cookies, make my pipable vegan icing from my Vegan Sugar Cookies recipe. You may even want to bake up both cookie recipes at once!
For easy decorating, I recommend using a piping bag with a small piping tip. If you do not have a reusable piping bag, simply fill a large plastic zip top with the icing and snip the corner off of one side.
The icing can be prepped up to 1 week in advance. Allow it to warm to room temperature for 5-10 minutes before using it for easy icing.
Storage Instructions
Vegan gingerbread cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
If you are decorating the cookies with royal icing, allow them to dry completely before stacking to prevent any smearing (about 1 day). If freezing, baked sugar cookies will freeze best without icing.
You may also freeze this cookie dough before baking. Follow recipe steps 1 through 3, then tightly wrap the gingerbread cookie dough disc tightly in plastic wrap. Place in a freezer safe bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month.
When ready to bake, place the cookie dough into the fridge until soft enough to roll out and resume recipe with step 4.
Recipe FAQs
Why did my gingerbread cookies come out hard?
It’s possible the dough was rolled too thin or the cookies were baked too long. As with most cookies, they will continue to firm up after being removed from the oven, so if they look slightly underbaked after the recommended time, this is actually a good thing! This is the secret to making chewier cookies!
Do you cut gingerbread before or after baking?
Before baking. Cutting the cookies after baking would create a lot of wasted dough and be much more difficult.
What can I use if I don’t have molasses?
If you do not have any molasses, substitute it with 2 1/2 teaspoons of dark brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of water. Mix these together to create a similar syrup!
What can I use if I don’t have coconut sugar?
Swap the coconut sugar with brown sugar.
Can I make these vegan gingerbread cookies gluten-free?
Yes! Swap the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
More Vegan Christmas Desserts You May Love:
- Vegan Sugar Cookies
- Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
- Vegan Shortbread Cookies
- Vegan Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies
- PB&J Stuffed Dates
- Vegan Hot Chocolate
Be sure to check out my Vegan Christmas Cookie Recipes for more holiday themed cookies to add to your cookie box this year!
If you’re planning your holiday feast coming up, you may also love my Vegan Christmas Dinner Menu. It will take all the guesswork out of your holiday menu and planning and is the best 7 recipe plan the whole family will love.
I hope you love these vegan gingerbread cookies as much as we do! If you do make this recipe, please let me know in the comments below what you think! I truly love hearing from you, and I’m always here to answer any questions you might have.
And of course, tag me on Instagram with your pictures using the hashtag #twospoons. Nothing makes me happier than to see your recreations.
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Classic Vegan Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp ground chia seeds , or ground flax seeds
- 3 tbsp water
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 cup vegan butter (cold)
- 3/4 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , more for sprinkling (gluten-free flour also works)
Instructions
- Make the chia egg: in a small bowl combine the ground chia and water. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl add chia egg, coconut sugar, almond butter, molasses, maple syrup, vegan butter, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda. Beat with a hand mixer on low to combine.
- In batches add the flour and mix on low speed until well combined. Your dough should hold its shape when pressed, but not feel dry. (1 1/2 cups of flour was perfect for me, you might need a little more or less). Turn the cookie dough onto work surface and bring into a dough ball, form a disk and chill the dough for 1 hour, or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Generously sprinkle work station with flour before rolling. With a rolling pin, carefully roll out dough to be about 1/4 inch.
- Dip your cookie cutters in flour and cut out shapes. Gently transfer the cookie cutouts to the baking sheet using a lightly floured spatula. (Leave 1 inch between the cookies for spreading).
- Quickly roll any of the remaining dough back into a ball and roll it out again, 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle work surface with flour to avoid sticking as the dough warms with additional rolls. Cut out shapes and transfer cookies to sheet with a spatula.
- Bake the cookies in oven for 6-8 minutes, or until they appear only slightly browned on the edges. They'll continue firming up as they sit on the pan. Let cool for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
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Notes
Approvals
Nutrition
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Hi! That’s looks amazing!! Any gluten free version? I’m looking for vegan gf gingerbread cookies for ages!! I’ve found only all purpose versions which was suck becuase all this flours contains mostly potatoes which I don’t react good to..???? hope you’ll have my answer☺️❤️????????