Name: Vegan & Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies
Prep time: PT-481483H18M15S
Cook time: 13 min
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 1 flax egg (1 TBSP ground flaxseed meal + 3 TBSP filtered water); 1/2 cup unrefined coconut sugar; 1/2 cup creamy almond butter; 3 TBSP molasses; 3/4 tsp powdered ginger; 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 1/4 tsp nutmeg; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1 1/4 – 1 3/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill Superfine Almond Flour

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Vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free gingerbread cookies sweetened with coconut sugar and molasses. Roll them into round cookies or cut into gingerbread men!

This past Sunday I ran a half marathon in my neighborhood.

While it was the longest run of the year, it was also by far the coldest.

My Apple electronics that I used to track the 13.1 miles started dying rapidly after the first 5K (which I later learned was probably a factor of the extreme cold and wind), so I finished the race with an educated guess at distance.

I went off of the established fact that 1 loop around the duck pond is equal to ~1 mile — in case you were curious.

It was quiet while I was running (I’d turned off the music to preserve battery life) so I had plenty of time to think.

I thought about 2020, about what a wild and heart-wrenching ride it’s been.

I thought about how I had signed up to run this race as an empowerment run; it was something to work for to establish my newfound post-divorce identity.

I also thought about Christmas, and how the holidays have a comforting way of showing up every year no matter how hard the months and days before it were.

Lucky for you, I also had time to think about Christmas baking.

So here’s a seasonably appropriate recipe for you, just in time for your holiday cookie exchanges.

These Vegan & Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies are naturally sweetened with blackstrap molasses and coconut sugar.

They also happen to be oil-free, grain-free, and an absolute delight to make and consume!

Are you team chewy or crunchy cookie?

Well, I made some gingerbread men that achieve that perfect balance of both.

They’re crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and delicious all around.

Growing up, we always had a box of gingersnaps open during the holiday season.

They’re my kind of cookie; they’re ginger-y, sweet, and bold in the most classically simple way.

These Vegan & Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies are easily made with simple ingredients!

What You Need to Make Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

You’ll need:

flax egg
unrefined coconut sugar
creamy almond butter
molasses
powdered ginger
cinnamon
nutmeg
baking powder
Bob’s Red Mill Superfine Almond Flour

That’s it!

How to Make Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

These cookies are easy to make in one (large) bowl!

First, prepare the flax egg by mixing ground flaxseed meal and filtered water.

Let it sit for a bit to gel while you get out the rest of the ingredients.

Next, add in the almond butter, molasses, coconut sugar, spices, and baking soda and beat on low with a mixer, or vigorously whisk with a fork.

I recommend using a super creamy, freshly opened jar of almond butter.

This recipe calls for almond butter instead of oil, so it’s important that it’s creamy and not stiff to ensure the best results!

After the liquids are well mixed, sift in the almond flour and stir with a wooden spoon.

I love using Bob’s Red Mill Superfine Almond Flour as the gluten and grain-free base to these ginger-y cookies.

If you’ve never worked with almond flour before, it’s only one ingredient: almonds!

The almond flour adds healthy fats and moisture to ensure that these cookies are moist and chewy.

Your dough should hold its shape when pressed and not feel dry.

Here’s the hard part: waiting.

Cover the dough with a lid or plastic wrap and let it chill (literally) in the fridge for at *least* one hour.

I usually like to make my dough the night before, and then bake cookies the following morning or afternoon.

However, an hour or two should usually do the trick, so you don’t have to sleep on it if you just can’t wait.

The chilled dough is *much* easier to roll out to hold whatever shapes you choose!

Once your dough is firm and chilled, the waiting game is over!

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line some cookie sheets with parchment paper.

At this point, you’ve got options.

You can simply roll the dough into balls and flatten with your hands to create perfectly respectable and equally delicious cookies.

Or, you can roll the dough into the cutest little gingerbread men cookies you’ve ever seen.

Check your heart, make a decision, and see it through!

How to Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookie Shapes

If you decide you’ve got some extra time and want to shape your cookies into gingerbread men– yay!

Roll out the dough to a little thicker than 1/8 inch, sprinkling the bottom and top layer with more almond flour before rolling.

I’ve found that the easiest way to do this is by rolling between two sheets of parchment paper.

Make sure the dough isn’t too thin or the cookies will burn!

Once you have the dough into a nice even slab, remove the top sheet.

Pro tip: Dip your cookie cutters in almond flour before cutting the dough into shapes for smoother slicing!

Lift the parchment paper with all of the cut dough onto a large plate and freeze for about five minutes to let them firm up.

This makes the gingerbread men easier to transfer to the cookie sheet so none of them lose a limb!

Next, use a lightly almond floured spatula to carefully transfer the cookies to a baking sheet.

Make sure to leave space for a little spreading.

Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes or until they appear only slightly browned on the edges.

If the cookies seem undercooked fresh out of the oven, that’s OK!

They’ll continue firming up as they sit on the pan.

Allow the cookies to rest on the pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

How to Decorate Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

Once the gingerbread men are completely cooled, decorate them with frosting, or sprinkle with sugar.

You can also leave them plain, too!

For this recipe, I did a mix of plain, sprinkled with sugar, and piped with vegan frosting.

Store covered leftover gingerbread men cookies at room temperature for several days.

You can also freeze them for long term storage so you have gingerbread cookies into the new year!

These holiday cookies are both healthy and delicious!

I think they’d make a fantastic gift because they’re just so darn cute.

They’re perfect for sharing this season, as they are free from the most common cookie-allergens!

Share them with anyone looking for a gluten-free, grain-free, vegan, and oil-free gingerbread variation.

Present them on a plate, in a large cookie jar, or sealed in a festive plastic bag.

Just don’t forget to bake some extras for yourself to have on hand…OK?

How to Serve Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

Enjoy these Gingerbread Cookies as a healthy option for your Christmas cookie baking.

I love mine with a glass of almond milk or hot tea as a fun winter weather dessert!

When you’re short on time, flatten them into basic cookies.

If you’re feeling really creative, try cutting these cookies into fun shapes!

However you decide to style them– enjoy!

More Vegan Holiday Cookie Recipes

I Want to Hear From You

If you make this Vegan & Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies recipe, let me know!

Be sure to leave me a comment, rating, and review so I can use your feedback to create more yums.

Give me a shout on Instagram and use #floraandvino to show me your creations.

Check out my Pinterest page to pin more recipes like this one to make later.

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XO Lauren