these vegan gingerbread cookies are soft, chewy, and have a slight crisp on the outside! they are absolutely adorable and will be sure to put a smile on anyone’s face.
the inspiration
I have to confess something to you, a gingerbread cookie has always been one of my least favorite Christmas cookies. Don’t get upset.
I was never a huge fan of all the spices and seasonings as a child. However, my boyfriend loves them so I wanted to make him some. My gingerbread cookies have a decent amount of spice, but they aren’t overly spiced which I personally like.
So, now we have a gingerbread cookie recipe on the blog. Which honestly, should’ve been on here a while ago. Now grab your cookie cutters and let’s get to baking.
the ingredients
- All Purpose Flour: obviously to create the base of our vegan gingerbread cookie dough we need some flour. If you are gluten free I think subbing in gluten free all purpose flour would work well here. I also think that something like a whole wheat or spelt could work well due to the nuttiness of the flour.
- Organic Brown Sugar: the brown sugar works well here to create the texture. Brown sugar is just regular sugar mixed with molasses so it always adds a delicious, luscious texture.
- Vegan Butter: this is creamed with the brown sugar to help make the base of our cookie.
- Unsulphured Molasses: another very important and typical gingerbread cookie ingredient. You want to make sure it is unsulphured as it has a better taste.
- Ground Nutmeg: a typical spice used in gingerbread cookies.
- Ground Ginger: of course we can’t have a gingerbread cookie without ginger. It adds that heat and spice.
- Ground Cinnamon: I love cinnamon, it adds such great flavor to the cookies.
- Baking Soda: the baking soda is used here to help the cookies rise. The molasses in acts as an acidic ingredient needed to activate the baking soda, causing it to release carbon dioxide gas.
- Egg Replacer: this will help to bind the cookies together. I like to use Bob’s Red Mill.
- Vanilla Extract: we are baking, of course we need a little vanilla extract. It helps to round out the flavors.
making the vegan gingerbread cookie dough
If you look at gingerbread cookie recipes online, they are mostly the same. To be honest, mine isn’t very different either. Why? Because there is a basic way to make a cookie dough!
First, I prefer to use the least amount of bowls as possible and I like to use my stand mixer. So, I start off by creaming the brown sugar and vegan butter. You want to cream it for 2 to 3 minutes until it turns pale and fluffy.
Then, you will add in the vegan egg replacer, molasses, and vanilla extract. Mix it all up again and there you go, wet ingredients are taken care of.
Now, we just need to add in the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and spices). Give it another mix until it comes together and there you go! Vegan gingerbread cookie dough all done.
the spices
The big component of a gingerbread cookie is the spice. If you look at a bunch of recipes they will have the same few spices: nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger. However, there are some that others add.
You may see people use cloves and allspice. I personally, do not love an overly spiced cookie. I find these cookies have just enough of the seasonal spices without being over the top.
If you prefer to add in the ground cloves and allspice you definitely can. Also, if you prefer to use less or more of the spices I use then definitely adjust. I think gingerbread cookies are a very personal experience which is why it is important to adjust.
how important is chill time?
A big difference you will see in varying recipes online is how long to chill. Most will say at least 3 hours. Some say overnight. To be honest I have no patience and I want things chilled as quickly as possible.
So, I tested the recipe once with being chilled for an hour and once with being chilled for 2 hours. While, the 2 hour ones did hold their shape better when baking the 1 hour ones came out just fine. The dough with the chill time of 1 hour is what you see in all the pictures.
In conclusion, yes chill time is very important. I think if you are an apprehensive baker let it chill for up to 3 hours. However, if you are like me and lack patience the 1 to 2 hour mark is a totally fine place to be. If you want them to spread less go for the 2 hour mark.
rolling out the vegan gingerbread cookies
Once, the dough is done chilling it is time to roll! You will need a rolling pin and cookie cutters! I personally like a few different cookie cutter sizes so we can have small, medium, and large cookies. Also, I love to make snowflake cookies because they are so beautiful.
Start by taking the dough and placing it on a lightly floured, clean surface. You will start to roll the dough out and flour as needed. Rolling the dough out to different thicknesses will change the outcome of your cookie.
If you prefer a vegan gingerbread cookie that is crispier, roll your dough thinner. If you prefer a vegan gingerbread cookie that is softer and chewier, roll the dough out to be thicker. It all comes down to preference.
cutting the vegan gingerbread cookies
Once your dough is rolled out to your desired thickness, cut out as many cookies as you can. This is also why I like a variety of sizes for the cookies.
Then, place the cookies on a lined baking sheet. I prefer to use a silicone mat but parchment paper works great too. Take the scraps and repeat the process making as many cookies as you can.
COOKIE TIP!
If you don’t have cookie cutters you can either: roll the dough into a log shape, slice, and bake or you can roll the dough out and use a jar lid to cut out circles.
baking the vegan gingerbread cookies
Now, let’s get these little cookies in the oven! Bake time can vary based on where you live, your oven, your altitude, and the weather. So, don’t worry if you need to adjust your baking time.
I baked my vegan gingerbread cookies for 13 minutes and that is the perfect amount of time for my oven! The cookies had a slight rise and spread. After they cooled, they were soft and chewy on the inside with a slight crisp on the outside.
decorating the vegan gingerbread cookies
Let your cookies cool for at least an hour before you decorate. The icing on the gingerbread cookie is very basic, all you need is organic powdered sugar and water! Mix it up in a bowl and it will be a thick consistency. This is important because it makes decorating easier.
I prefer to use a small piping tip and bag to do this. However, you can also use a squeeze bottle with a small tip or you can cut off a tiny edge of a ziploc bag. If you would like to use the piping tips I used, you can easily get them online. I used the medium and largest size for piping (which is still very fine and small).
When it comes to decorating just have fun! Look at pictures online and gather inspiration. I showed a few ways to decorate in the YouTube video. However, the only way I got better at cookie decorating is from practicing for years.
more sweet treats
why you’ll love this recipe
If you are new to gingerbread cookies, like myself, these are a fun one! First, of all they look so cute. Even if you aren’t the best decorator once they are all together they look stunning.
They are an easy one bowl cookie recipe! You don’t need a lot of time to make the dough and it comes together quickly. Also, the dough is easy to work with and not too fragile which is nice.
I think everyone will love these cookies and nobody even has to know they are vegan! Just put them out and they will be devoured.
making the dough ahead of time
If you would like to make the dough ahead of time you definitely can. You can make it up to 2 days in advance. You can also freeze the dough for up to 2 months. You can let it thaw before using.
Another way to make it ahead of time is get all our dry ingredients measured out. Place them in a bag, jar or container. Then, when it is time to bake you can just add in the wet ingredients.
If you want to bake the cookies in advance for decorating, you can do that up to 3 days prior. Be sure to store them in a container.
vegan gingerbread faq
- Is this recipe gluten free? No, but you can use gluten free all purpose flour in place.
- Is this recipe soy free? Yes, just depending on your vegan butter ingredients.
- Is this recipe nut free? Yes, just depending on your vegan butter ingredients.
- How long will these last? They will last up to 5 days on the counter in a container. They should be nice and soft still when sealed.
- Can I freeze them? Yes. I love frozen cookies!
- Does the icing harden? Yes, after about 1 to 2 hours.
- What egg replacer are you using? I like Bob’s Red Mill. You can also use a flax or chia egg.
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Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Equipment
- Silicone Baking Mat or parchment paper
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cookies
- ½ cup vegan butter softened
- ½ cup organic brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
- 1 vegan egg replacer
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Icing
- 2 cups organic powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, with a hander mixer or by hand start to cream together the softened vegan butter and brown sugar. Mix together for 3 to 5 minutes until pale and fluffy. I like to start at a lower speed and then increase after 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add in the vegan egg replacer, molasses, and vanilla extract. Mix again for 30 seconds to a minute on a medium speed.
- Add in the baking soda, flour, and spices. Continue to mix on a medium speed until it forms into a dough.
- Knead the dough with your hands for 30 seconds just to press it all together. Roll into a ball and then place in parchment paper or plastic wrap. Press the dough into a disc.
- Wrap the dough and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or for up to 2 days.
- Once the dough is done chilling and you are ready to bake preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Take out the dough and roll it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out to a large square about ½ inch thick. If you prefer your cookies crispier roll the dough out thinner.
- Take your cookie cutters and begin to cut the cookies out. Place on a lined baking sheet. Repeat the process with the scraps until all the cookies have been made.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes depending on your oven. I found 13 minutes to be the perfect time for my cookies. Remove from the oven and allow the to chill for at least 1 hour before decorating.
- Combine the icing ingredients in a bowl and mix until it forms a thick, glaze consistency. Transfer into a piping bag with a top (or however you prefer to decorate). Ice the cookies in your preferred way and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Nutrition facts are based on my gram measurements put into Cronometer. Yours may vary, they are to help you get an idea.
- This recipe will make anywhere from 20 to 30 cookies depending on the size you make them. Also, if you make all cookies from extra large cutters you may end up with more like 15 to 20.
- Vegan Egg Replacer is Bob’s Red Mill
- Vegan Butter is Country Crock Olive Oil Plant Butter
- I am using a salted vegan butter. I don’t find any reason to use unsalted, however, if you use unsalted add in a tiny pinch of salt to the recipe.
I made these after seeing your recipe in Vegan food magazine. INCREDIBLE. Came out perfectly and smelled like Christmas 😉
Hi Kate!! oh my goodness yay. Thank you so so much for trying them and coming over here to leave a comment/review. means so so much. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and happy holiday season xoxo