True story: I was photographing these while our UPS guy was dropping off a package and he said, “Wow, those look good.” So I offered him one, and the next day he said, “Those cookies were BOMB.”
That just about sums it up.
These cookies are a play on my Fluffy 1-Bowl Vegan Gluten Free Sugar Cookies and require just 1 bowl to make!
To get that quintessential warm holiday spice, they’re infused with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and molasses. Mmm.
Once mixed and chilled for 30 minutes, roll into balls, dip in cinnamon-sugar (my favorite childhood condiment), and bake to perfection. Then drizzle (or don’t, but do) with my simple 2-ingredient powdered sugar frosting.
I hope you all LOVE these cookies! They’re:
Tender
Perfectly spiced
Not too sweet
Easy to make
& Seriously delicious
These would make the perfect treat to have on hand during the holidays and would even make great gifts, as they hold their shape nicely and would package well.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see. Cheers and happy baking, friends!
1-Bowl Ginger Cookies (V/GF)
Tender, spicy, perfectly sweet ginger cookies made entirely in 1 bowl! The perfect vegan, gluten-free cookie for your holiday spread.
Servings 15 (cookies)
Ingredients
COOKIES
- 1/2 cup softened vegan butter* (1 stick = 1/2 cup // I like Earth Balance buttery sticks)
- 2/3 cup organic cane sugar* (plus more for rolling)
- 3 Tbsp aquafaba (chickpea brine – the liquid from a can of cooked chickpeas)*
- 3 Tbsp molasses
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (plus more for rolling)
- 3/4 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 2/3 cups gluten-free flour blend*
- 2/3 cup almond flour*
- 1/3 cup cornstarch (I didn’t test it with arrowroot but think it would work the same)
GLAZE optional
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp unsweetened dairy-free milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Prepare the topping for later by adding 2-3 Tbsp organic cane sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon to a small bowl and mixing. Set aside.
- Add softened vegan butter to a large mixing bowl and beat until creamy and smooth – about 1 minute.
- Add sugar and mix on medium speed until fluffy and light – about 1 minute. Then add chickpea brine (or other egg substitutes*) and molasses and mix again, scraping down sides as needed.
- Add baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and sea salt and blend to combine. Then add gluten-free flour blend, almond flour, and cornstarch and mix on low until the ingredients are combined.
- The dough should be thick and almost difficult to mix at this point. If too soft, continue adding 1 Tbsp each gluten-free flour blend, almond flour, and cornstarch until a thick, moldable dough is formed. Then transfer dough to the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes*.
- Use a cookie scooper (I like this one) or Tablespoon to measure out 1 1/2 Tbsp amounts of dough and gently roll into balls – the dough will still be soft so be gentle. Then carefully roll in the cinnamon-sugar topping and arrange on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Press down gently with the palm of your hand or a drinking glass to smash until about the thickness you want to enjoy them at. They won’t spread or rise much so keep that in mind.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the cookies appear fluffy and the edges are slightly beginning to dry out. Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- If frosting, whisk together the powdered sugar and almond milk until a thick, pourable glaze is achieved. Then drizzle over the cookies. See notes if hoping to roll out and cut into shapes.
- Storage: Once cooled, store leftover cookies covered at room temperature for 3-4 days, or in the freezer up to 1 month.
Video
Notes
*I tried a similar recipe with softened coconut oil and didn’t have the best results. But if looking to avoid vegan butter it’s worth a shot!
*If you’d like to cut back on sugar, sub 1/3 cup of the sugar with 1 packet (~3/4 tsp) stevia extract- I like Trader Joe’s brand (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). This will make the cookies softer, so you may need to add more gluten-free flour, almond flour, and/or cornstarch to help thicken the dough.
*The chickpea brine substitutes an egg in this recipe. In its place, you can also try subbing 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1 egg replacer, or 1 small chicken egg if not vegan (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). I haven’t tested it with a flax egg or any of the other substitutes and can’t guarantee the results.
*You can substitute an equal amount of our NEW 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the DIY Blend in this recipe.
*If not gluten-free, sub the almond flour and gluten-free flour blend with unbleached all-purpose flour. We haven’t tested it this way and can’t guarantee the results.
*If avoiding nuts, you can try subbing the almond flour with a blend of gluten-free flour blend and cornstarch. I haven’t tried this recipe with arrowroot starch, but I believe it can be subbed for cornstarch and work the same.
*You can make the cookie dough ahead of time and refrigerate up to 2-3 days in advance. Simply let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before scooping and baking. It should be soft and moldable.
*I did not test this recipe rolling the cookies out and making them into shapes. But I believe it’s possible! Use my 1 Bowl Vegan Gluten Free Sugar Cookies recipe as a guide.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the glaze.
*If you’d like to cut back on sugar, sub 1/3 cup of the sugar with 1 packet (~3/4 tsp) stevia extract- I like Trader Joe’s brand (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). This will make the cookies softer, so you may need to add more gluten-free flour, almond flour, and/or cornstarch to help thicken the dough.
*The chickpea brine substitutes an egg in this recipe. In its place, you can also try subbing 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1 egg replacer, or 1 small chicken egg if not vegan (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). I haven’t tested it with a flax egg or any of the other substitutes and can’t guarantee the results.
*You can substitute an equal amount of our NEW 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the DIY Blend in this recipe.
*If not gluten-free, sub the almond flour and gluten-free flour blend with unbleached all-purpose flour. We haven’t tested it this way and can’t guarantee the results.
*If avoiding nuts, you can try subbing the almond flour with a blend of gluten-free flour blend and cornstarch. I haven’t tried this recipe with arrowroot starch, but I believe it can be subbed for cornstarch and work the same.
*You can make the cookie dough ahead of time and refrigerate up to 2-3 days in advance. Simply let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before scooping and baking. It should be soft and moldable.
*I did not test this recipe rolling the cookies out and making them into shapes. But I believe it’s possible! Use my 1 Bowl Vegan Gluten Free Sugar Cookies recipe as a guide.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the glaze.
Nutrition (1 of 15 servings)
Serving: 1 cookies Calories: 208 Carbohydrates: 36.8 g Protein: 1.7 g Fat: 6.8 g Saturated Fat: 4 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 80 mg Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 19 g
Kammie says
We’ve made this recipe a few times and substituted coconut sugar for cane sugar and instead of 3 T of molasses, 2 T and 1 of maple (we have strong molasses!). We also did 3 c. of almond flour and 9 T of tapioca starch (omitted the gf flour blend). The texture is more chewy this way, which my kids and I like.
Thanks for sharing, Kammie! We’re so glad you enjoy them!
Lauren says
Do these come out crunchy? I’m planning to make a pumpkin pie recipe, and in the crust I need a gingersnap
If you bake them long enough, yes! Also make them thinner before baking for that kind of texture.
LA says
Very yummy! I used flax eggs and they worked well. I also used a blend of white and brown sugar, and a blend of white and wheat all-purpose flours (approximately a 2:1 ratio for both sugars and flours) and it worked well. I also think the glaze gives them enough sweetness without rolling them in sugar and cinnamon, so I skipped that step. I would recommend doing one or the other. I also added real vanilla extract to the glaze to give it more flavor beyond just sweetness, and only lightly drizzled the cookies. Lemon juice would work well too I think. I brought these to a few events and everyone really liked them. They are not too sweet and it is easy to eat several of them!
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Krista says
We made these with a few small modifications because we enjoy a little more zing:
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp clove
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper (just trust me on this one)
We also added 1/2 cup chopped candied ginger
The batter was nice to work with and they were a big hit with my family.
Wendy Rainbow says
Instead of using all those individual spices we just use Pumpkin Pie Spice which already has all of them combined together. Saves a lot of time not having to measure each additionally. I bought a one pound bag of Pumpkin Pie Spice and put it in everything!
Madison says
Hi, I live in Australia and I was wondering if your oven is fan-forced or just a conventional oven? Fan forced ovens cook faster than conventional ovens so I don’t want to burn the cookies. Thanks!
Allison Warner says
Hi, these are great! I can’t eat almond flour so used garbanzo bean flour.
Any thoughts on freezability of the dough?
Hi Allison, thanks for sharing. As far as freezing if you form them into cookie shapes (or roll them into balls) they should keep in the freezer up to 1 month. Bake a little longer from frozen.
Allison Warner says
Thanks! That is a good tip to shape them before freezing! I really shouldn’t bake all this dough, because then I’ll eat the cookies! Saving for company coming over!
Debbie Patterson says
I have made this recipe twice now, so I had to comment. It has been a big hit!! My friends and family who sampled them just loved them and asked for the recipe. The only thing I did differently the second time was mix the glaze with lemon juice — very delicious. Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes, my husband & I have been on a plant based diet for nearly 2 years and I use your recipes often.
Cynthia says
I have made this recipe a few times now. This last time I decided to try rolling out the dough and cutting out cookies with a snowflake cookie cutter. I rolled them out to about 1/8 inch thick. They came out great. They crisped up as they cooled. I substituted lemon juice for the dairy free milk in the icing as I thought the lemon flavor would go well with the ginger. This is one of my favorite cookies!
sabrina r says
I just made these and they are amazing! I used a flax egg instead of aquafaba and all purpose flour instead of gluten free. They came out really soft and delicious.
Quinn says
I made these cookies with all-purpose, regular flour and, my goodness, they are delicious. They have the perfect soft texture and are just what I wanted for a holiday ginger cookie. Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! We’re glad to hear that, Quinn!
Katie says
I love that I can give these as Christmas gifts to everyone, regardless of dietary restriction. And I can eat them too, which isn’t normally the case with an egg allergy and cookies. Great recipe!
Britney says
My daughter and I just made these cookies and they are delicious! The only little change I made was the addition of two whole lemons zest into the icing and it’s DELICIOUS! We saw on a kids show that Santa’s favourite cookies are ginger cookies with lemon icing so we gave it a try with your cookies and big win! Give it a try next time. Will make these again on Christmas Eve for Santa!
Katie says
You’re a monster! It’s so difficult to not eat all of them… Regards from Czechia, thank you so much ❤️
Hah! We feel you :P
ashley says
My family loves your blog and recipes! I’m hoping to make these tomorrow… any tips if I want to use fresh grated ginger instead? Thanks!
Hi Ashley! I think you could use it in a 1:1 ratio! Let us know if you give it a try. xoxo
Ameeta says
I just made these and they were great! I substituted pumpkin puree for the aquafaba as in the instructions and worked fine :)
I own the cookbook and have tried many recipes which have all been divine!
I just have a suggestion though to increase your font size in measurements, both on the website and in your next cookbook. Because you are so precise, either making the amounts in decimals or making the fractions larger and not using such precise fractions to begin with would be helpful (I usually just rounded to nearest half). It’s very difficult to read and I actually had to rewrite the amounts for most recipes.
Thank you for creating enticing and easy vegan recipes!
Susanna says
Hi, my son has an allergy to chic pea, what could be used instead of he chic pea brine?
Thanks!
Susanna
Hi Susanna! In its place, you can also try subbing 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1 egg replacer, or 1 small chicken egg if not vegan
James says
Hi there. I have celiac’s and I love your recipes but don’t need the vegan element. Could I use regular butter instead of vegan and the same amount?
Sue says
I was diagnosed earlier in the year with loads of foods I cannot have so I have done a lot of research for baking and eating as I love to do both. I came across your website some months ago and get email updates of recipes. As its coming up to Christmas thought Id give your ginger cookies a go as my husband loves ginger biscuits. I’ve just finished and they have turned out great. I used buckwheat flour, an egg replacer I can have but did not use the cornflour as I have an intolerance to corn/maize. It did not alter the way they turned out. They look just like your pictures and are great. I didn’t roll in sugar as hubby doesn’t like things too sweet but sprinkled it on top before going into the oven. I am so lucky he will eat all my ‘strange’ recipes. Good Job! Keep it up.
Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Sue! We are glad you enjoyed them :)
Sara says
I plan on making these cookies tomorrow to bring to my family Thanksgiving for my aunt who cannot have gluten. I do not have the GF flour blend or ingredients to make it so instead I will be using Bob’s Red Mill GF oat flour. Do you think I can use a 1:1 ratio of oat flour to GF blend or should I adjust the amount? Thank you!
Hi Sara, another reader tried using just oat flour and they found that the cookies turned out a bit flat. I would recommend sticking his clothes to the recipe as possible, but if you experiment with it, let us know how it turns out. Happy Thanksgiving!
Carie says
If I make these with Cup 4 Cup gluten free flour do I need the extra cornstarch? It has a high ratio of corn starch in the blend already.
Hm! In that case, probably not!
Morgan says
This is super weird – when I added the flour to the mixture, it all just turned to crumbs. No matter how long I mixed, it was just a bowl full of crumbs! What did I do wrong??
Keep mixing and if that doesn’t help, add a bit more liquid!
Katharina says
This recipe is amazing! Thx so much for that <3
I used whole wheat flour instead of gluten free and 1 egg, but apart from that I stick to the recipe, and, OMG, I *love* these cookies!!!
My friends loved them too, they’re a big hit. Flavor is perfect, not too sweet. Texture blows you away! Not too soft, or too crunchy or chewy, and not too crumbly but still tender. Just amazing. So so good. Will make them again!
We are glad you enjoyed these cookies! Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Katharina!
Marina says
I’ve just made these, using the excuse of needing ginger in any shape or form, to get rid of an autumnal cold :) I made half with ground ginger only and half with extra grated ginger and dark chocolate chips, for added yumminess. Both came out great, crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. I think I prefer the second batch, as the first needed a bit more spice, in my opinion. Also, I used the flaxseed egg for the recipe.
Thank you for sharing amazing recipes!
We are glad you enjoyed these, Marina! Get well soon! We hope your cold is on the mend!
Dulce Garcia says
I just made these and am in heaven! Since I mostly use coconut sugar and stevia these days they taste plenty sweet to me but could be the tastebuds are less shot :) Also, for other mad ginger fans out there- saw had candied ginger in the back of the cabinet so i chopped like 7 pieces up and mixed it in…. someone stop me from eating the whole batch holy crap soooooo delicious!
Judy k says
That delivery guy was right! These are delicious!! I’m not strictly vegan so I used regular butter and one egg. Otherwise follow the recipe exactly – down to the frosting. Do NOT skip the frosting!
Charlotte says
I made 3 batches of these over Christmas and my family loved them! I subbed arrowroot starch and it worked fine. A second time I did not have any GF flour left so I subbed all purpose white flour and omitted the arrowroot and added a tad more almond flour and they still came out wonderfully. I find they are sweet enough without the sugar glaze (although it is pretty). Happy baking!
Caroline says
I made these for a vegan friend for Christmas. I used 1/2 c melted coconut oil instead of the vegan butter, used 2 c of normal flour and 2/3 c almond meal but left out the cornstarch. (She does not need to eat gluten free). Instead of the chickpea brine I used 1 mashed banana and about an extra 1/4 c of coconut oil to bring it all together. I rolled the mix into a log, wrapped it in baking paper and put it in the fridge for a couple of hours before cutting into slices and dipping one side in the sugar/cinnamon mix. They baked perfectly and came out crunchy around the edges but softer in the middle. My friend thought they were delicious! I did not put the drizzle on top – thought them sweet enough. Definitely making again but would probably add more of the spices next time though as we like spicy cookies!
Lauren says
I made these cookies and my family and I LOVED THEM. However, after baking the first 6 cookies, I tasted them and the flavor was very mild. I added about a teaspoon extra lf the ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg and another tablespoon of molasses. It could still use more of those spices but rhey definitely taste better after adding the extra amount.
Rachel says
Made exactly per the recipe and they were so yummy! Dough may appear crumbly but once you start rolling into balls, it sticks just fine. I didn’t tell anyone at work they were vegan and by the end of the day, all I had left was a container of crumbs. Winner in my book!
Brina says
These didn’t work at all for me! The dough is completely crumbly and not think at all. Such a bummer.
Lilo says
Planning on making these tonight, however molasses isn’t commonly used in Germany, so I’ll just leave it out, I’ll comment here and report on how they turn out :)
Sarah Green says
I had to add a little bit more chickpea brine to my dough to make it moldable, otherwise it was pretty dry and just crumbling apart, but they turned out AMAZING! Love it!
Nancy Ross says
One thing to note: if your definition of vegan includes not harming animals, palm oil production is seriously harming orangutans. Earth Balance contains palm oil, so It’s not technically vegan. Coconut oil is a good substitute. ❤?
Bonnie says
I always get such great results from your recipes. If I have to do some baking, your site is really the only one I end up using anymore. Thanks so much Dana!
Consuelo says
Thanks so much for your page!! It’s really hard to find vegan gluten free bakery recipes with easy to find and cheap ingredients… and also easy and quick to prepare… my 5 months old daughter has food allergies and the most difficult for me has been cutting out the sweets… so you don’t know how much I appreciate your work!
I made these today, and were absolutely delicious.. I used flax egg and made a gluten free flour mix using rice flour, corn flour and potato starch.. they worked fine!
Also the other day I made the pumpkin cake and was also gorgeous!!
I’m going to try other recipes because I’m sure they are as good as this…
Greetings from Chile…!
Anna says
Hi!! I made these today and they were so easy and cute to make (not sure if cute to make makes sense, but oh well haha)! I subbed all-purpose flour for the gluten free flour since I don’t have any on hand, used blackstrap molasses, almond meal from homemade almond milk pulp (dried out previously), and added more ginger powder into the cinnamon sugar coating (mostly because I wasn’t sure if I put the ginger into the actual cookies…LOL I am so forgetful.) I feel like the blackstrap molasses made the smell of molasses very strong, but maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be. Also, not sure if it’s just me loving strong ginger tastes, or because I forgot to put ginger in (ironic, I know), the taste of ginger is not very strong. BUT REGARDLESS, THESE WERE SUPER, SUPER GOOD. Straight from the oven, they are a bit crisp on the outside and so pillowy soft on the inside, and they make the house smell all warm and loving hehe. I will definitely be making these again!! Hopefully my changes can be useful to others who are curious if substitutions work :)
Anna says
Oh, I also used normal white sugar because that’s all I had, and cut it down to 1/2 cup. Might cut down a bit more next time because my family does not like very sweet things, and to bring out the ginger flavor a bit more (if that’s how it works…I’m not a skilled cook yet so will be experimenting) :)
Meredith says
good, but too sweet and not enough spice for me
I made it with oat flour instead of the gf flour blend and they went a bit flat. I think i judged the dough wrong and should’ve added more flour and cornstarch
Jay Mac says
Dana, I think I LOVE YOU! I appreciate your easy to follow and always reliable recipes. Question: How would I make your ginger cookies snap, you know a Ginger Snap! Thank you very much!
Magdalena Isabela Olszanowski says
Which gluten free flour blend are you referring to?
Hi! Here!
Tatiana says
Made these tonight – perfection. First time I use aquafaba, not sure I get all the hype yet but it worked well here! I’m not GF so I used all purpose (and 1/3 cup of whole wheat – turns out I need to get more flour. Oops). I do think the recipe calls for too much, I added the flour little by little to get the right consistency and I was still 1/3 cup short when it looked very similar to the picture, so I left it at that. I sprinkled some arrowroot on top since I wasn’t sure if I needed to include it (because I didn’t use GF flour) so I think another 1/3 cup of arrowroot would’ve been way too much. Despite that the cookies turned out great! I love your blog and your recipes never fail to impress. Thank you so much!
Nathan says
Hi there,
I live in a place where certain specialty items (chickpea brine) or organic items are either hard to get or more expensive than a student could justify paying. Is there something that I could substitute for the chickpea brine? Also, would substituting vegan, or vegetarian things such as the flour change the consistency or flavour very much?
Thanks,
Nathan
Hi Nathan! You’re in luck because chickpea brine is cheap + easy to come by! Did you know that it is just the liquid that comes along with canned chickpeas? You can kill two recipes with one ingredient, use the chickpeas for another meal and the brine for this recipe? If you need a recipe to use the chickpeas on, may we suggest this one?
As for the flour – I am not sure I quite understand the question! Were you hoping to sub the flour for a different variety?
Nathan says
Thanks for letting me know what the chickpea brine is, Canned chickpeas are in fact easy to get where I live.
As for the flour, yes, I was hoping to substitute the gluten free flour blend for a less expensive alternative, and the same for the almond flour.
Nathan says
The Buffalo chickpea wraps look really good.
Mandy says
Oh my goodness these were exactly what I was craving! Thank you
DELICIOUS ?
Mandy says
Made these last night, so so so so so good! I’m a ginger fiend, so I increased the ground ginger (by 1/4 tsp), used cloves instead of nutmeg (desperate times), used an egg, and used AP flour. turned out perfect! I only glazed a few, but I also added a pinch of ground ginger to the glaze (can’t help myself!). Will definitely make again!
PS – I love the addition of the filter to the comments, I typically only want to read comments from people who have already made the recipe, so super helpful!
KayT says
These cookies are delicious! I love a spicy ginger dessert! I was initially disappointed when I tasted them fresh, as they were a bit bland. However, after the cookies sat overnight, the flavor really improved! I think the spices had a chance to bloom. I would definitely make these again, the day before. fyi, I used all purpose flour as I am not gluten free.
Audrey says
Do you think I can sub coconut oil/safflower oil blend for the vegan butter?
Bill H says
I am a beginning baker and simply put, I need spout off about the Minimalist Baker. I have lurked on the recipes and I tried this. I did not make it vegan. So I have 2 strikes against me. You may ask why would I bake it then. Well, the ingredients and description are simply too interesting to not try. The recipe, the instructions, the explanations are simply the best! She takes the time to explain options to newbies like me and this helped me.
In summary I changed the following. Used only flour and eliminated the corn starch and did not do the cinnamon roll on the end (the reason for this is I wanted a non-sweet cookie and this is almost savory). I did the 3 variations. First was my non-vegan version, second a tweak (forgot what I did). The third time was it. The first 2 were good but the third was perfect for me! Fortunately the kids loved every one of the batches so simply put this is a rocking recipe that can be tweaked and give great results regardless of skill-set (me).
So the point of me spouting off is to say thank you for such a great recipe, a solid format (did I say I loved both the regular and metric format?) and I have showed my wife and now she has an idea of a cookbook for an experimenting fool like me for a future present. You are doing a great job and thank you for the cool ideas!
Thanks Bill!
Amanda says
Holy Moly! By far my favorite Xmas cookies this year. Subbed the almond flour w/ extra gluten free flour blend and extra cornstarch and they are fluffy, tasty bites of goodness.
Cassie Autumn Tran says
Is there a good substitute for the vegan butter? Possibly a substitute that isn’t as high in oil or fat? :)
Laura says
Dana, holy moly these were so tasty! I made your ginger cookies last night as well as the peanut butter cup cookies for a party I’m hosting tonight. I didn’t modify the recipes much, so I don’t have anything to add there, but I wanted to say how excited that these made me. Since having allergies to eggs, gluten, and milk it has taken a lot of the fun out of baking, but last night felt so easy and pleasant. I can’t wait to make these again in the future and excited for future holiday baking. <3 <3
p.s. I made the peanut butter cup cookies a few days ago with the Justin's brand cups and then last night with the Reese's cups and Justin's brand trump Reece's 100%. Worth the money.
Jo says
Hi! I’ve just mixed my dough, and it’s not very cohesive – seems crumbly and dry. I followed the measurements to a tee except used all purpose flour. Should I add water or almond milk?
Hi! It sounds like maybe switching to all purpose could have been part of the problem seeing as almond flour isn’t as absorbent. Next time start by adding a little at a time rather than the full amount. But to salvage this batch, moisten with a little almond milk. Good luck!
Jo says
Thank you so much!
Minhaj says
Can I add maple syrup for a little maple flavor? And can i use 1 cup unbleached flour and 2/3 cup whole wheat/white whole wheat flour? Thanks!
I haven’t tested it that way. But if you give it a try let me know how it goes!
Juana says
I made them today, everything was looking fine. The texture of the dough was great, delicious flavour and so on. Sadly when I baked them they flattened at the end so I ended up with a baking sheet of flat cooked dough… Maybe more flour is needed?
Hmm, yeah I’d say more flour was needed. It should be a firm, scoopable dough.
Elizabeth Kaplan says
Delicious! Did not make any substitutions/alterations and my husband couldn’t believe they were vegan! Yum! Thanks for a great recipe that I could make for my vegan friends (and scarf up the leftovers!) not that there were many!
Yay!
Haley says
Can I substitute butter for applesauce?
Hmm, I didn’t try that but I don’t think it will work. Let me know if you try it!
Haley says
Butter worked as a replacement!! These cookies are delicious! Thanks!!
Christina says
You subbed applesauce for butter and they worked with the same ratio!? I wanna try that !
Jessica says
These cookies turned out delicious!
I used aquafaba for the first time and I am really impressed with the fluffy results.
Since I didn’t have any molasses I replaced it with maple syrup.
Thank you for another great recipe!
Elizabeth says
Made these cookies last night and used a flax egg in place of the chickpea brine – they are a BIG HIT in the office today! Thanks Dana :)
Razib Ahmed says
Thanks a lot for the recipe. It looks healthy. I live in a country called Bangladesh. Biscuit is not a traditional food here but I enjoy it a lot. I will ask a friend of mine to try to cook the recipe.
Nat says
I just made these. I used pumpkin as a substitute for chickpea brine and they turned out wonderfully plus I think the pumpkin enhances the flavour! Yet another fantastic recipe, Dana! You never fail to impress!!!
Lyga says
Hi Dana,
I’m not quite sure how to roll in toppings. Could you elaborate a little please?
Thank you x
Sorry, I’m not sure I understand the question!
Lyga says
Sorry, I read that completely wrong ?
Sophia says
Made these tonight, using all-purpose flour since I’m not GF – so tasty! I probably would have upped the spices a touch, and done without the glaze (a bit too sweet for my taste) but overall a great first stab at vegan baking!! Thanks for another wonderful recipe, Dana :)
Caity says
Hi! So I’m in the process of making these now, and when I got to step 5/6, my dough did not turn out like the picture. It was very powdery and dry. I added a little almond milk in to get it to the right consistency (the dough’s currently resting in the fridge). I’ve read through the ingredients and instructions a few times and so far as I can tell I did everything per instruction. I did use normal flour instead of gluten free. I’m not a super experienced baker so I’m not sure what went wrong. Do you have ideas why it turned out so different?
Caity says
Well, they turned out awesome despite the moment of confusion! lol
That’s interesting. I’d say you did the right thing by adding almond milk. Maybe next time add the flour(s) little by little to get the right consistency!
Isabelle says
Just made a batch and they turned out great! I used a flax egg and it worked very well :) Thank you for all these awesome recipes!
Paige says
These look amazing! I just have one question though, I’m vegan but not gluten free and will be using regular flour, do I still need the cornstarch?
Hmm, good question. I would still add a little as it helps provide some structure!
Fanny says
Hi !
I have taste the recepe today it’s soooooo gooooood !
I have replace the molasse by agave syrup and it works !!
Tanks you !!
Your french friend Fanny :)
Michaela says
I’m so glad I found you… Celiac disease runs in my family and as of late I’ve been wanting to also go Vegan due to issues I have with the way livestock is treated, but it seemed like such a difficult task with an already limited diet… not anymore! Thank you so much for your beautiful recipes, I look forward to using your cook book. ♥
Sabrina @ Familynano says
WOW Dana
I’ve been waiting for the perfect ginger GF vegan cookie & this is it!!
Can’t wait to make these
Ulrike says
They look amazing, just like the classic cookie. i’m Adding this to my baking list.
I’m gonna try it and add it to my new years eave dessert.
Sam says
For the aquafaba, should it be 45ml? Is this based on 15ml US Tablespoons?
Yes! 1 Tbsp = 15 ml. I’ll fix that! Thanks!
East Indian restaurant Edmonton says
Looks delicious!! Hope to try this recipe in my home soon.
Adrienne says
Made this tonight with AP flour instead of gluten free – cookie dough turned out too crumbly to work with, added some vegetable oil (about 2-3tbsp) until it could be molded into a workable dough. Really nice base cookie!
Then added a little OOMPH to the glaze with some orange and lemon zest – it adds a nice pop of freshness and citrus with ginger can’t be beat!
Good cookie recipe!!
Adisoy says
Its a amazing recipe!it will be good in winter because ginger is good for cold and cough. I will definitely try it. Thanx for sharing this recipe.
Pam says
Could I use all spelt flour for this recipe?
I think so! Report back if you do.
Chris Kridakorn-Odbratt says
Hi !
Your picture(s) of the cookies shows cassia sticks, not cinnamon.
Most, aka 95+ %, of non-european recipes shows cassia, which is a different specie.It is much more potent, but also much more harch than true cinnamon.
Ok, cassia is a LOT cheaper than the real thing….
Cheers, Chris
Megan @ A Continual Feast Blog says
I just bought molasses and have been looking for the perfect ginger cookie recipe! Thanks for posting!
Miki says
Thanks for posting a gluten free vegan Christmas cookie recipe! I plan to share with my family for our holiday celebrations. So grateful!
Hannah says
I just finished drizzling the icing on these =) I used regular butter and an egg, bobs red mill gf flour and arrowroot instead of cornstarch. The dough was a little dry and consequently the edges of the cookies cracked when I baked them but they are still beautiful and delicious! They are soft in the middle and crunchy around the edges. Next time I will try making the dough a little more moist and see what happens.
BARBARA SASSANO says
Is this shot taken with a macro lens or an extension tube? It is good!
extension tube! See all of our camera equipment here.
Stephanie says
Is there any substitute for aquafaba that you would recommend? I am allergic to chickpeas, which, as a vegan, proves rather difficult!
Thanks :)
Sara says
She mentions a bunch of substitutes in the notes after the recipe :)
Stephanie says
Doh! Thankyou :)
No worries! Aquafaba does work best, but try an egg replacer or pumpkin puree instead!
Maya | Spice + Sprout says
WOW! These look totally awesome. That drizzle THO! <3
Deborah says
Is it possible to use reg salted dairy butter, and if so, how much should I use?
Danielle says
In my experience, the dairy free and regular butter is always 1:1 :)
Yes! Same amount.
Jessica says
Hi Dana
We do not have Earth Balance where I live in the UK, could I substitute it with another vegan ‘butter’ such as a sunflower ‘butter’ or avocado ‘butter’. I am worried that the cookies might turn out a bit oily?
It’s also hard to find coconut sugar here as well, any suitbale substitute? These look wonderful and would love to cook them with my boys this weekend. Thanks!!
Jessica
Anneliese says
Hey Jessica,
Not Dana, but hopefully you don’t mind me chiming in :) I use either coconut oil or any dairy-free spread from the supermarket in place of earth balance in my baking and it always turns out great. I’m not sure using nut/seed/avocado butter would work. You can get coconut sugar from Holland and Barret (and most health food shops nowadays) or order online from amazon. But I just noticed the recipe calls for cane sugar anyway! Hope that helps. Happy baking!
Jessica says
Brilliant, thank you for the input! Oops, I did mean to write cane sugar, not coconut sugar, have you found that at Holland & Barrett as well?
Anneliese says
Hmm not sure if H&B sell cane sugar, but you can find it, and other types of granulated white sugar, in the supermarkets! Any would be fine for the recipe!
Jessica says
Well, I used the substitutes (a sunflower based butter and golden caster sugar) and WOW!! My son and I baked this afternoon and just tasted our first cookie and they are wonderful. Soft on the inside, nice spices coming through. Absolutely delicious!!
Use regular organic cane sugar in place of coconut sugar, and for the vegan butter try coconut oil!
Jessica says
Well, I used the substitutes (a sunflower based butter and golden caster sugar) and WOW!! My son and I baked this afternoon and just tasted our first cookie and they are wonderful. Soft on the inside, nice spices coming through. Absolutely delicious!!
Leo Sigh says
Oh wow, these are vegan. I went vegan a few months ago, and am always looking for new recipes. These look awesome. Thanks!!
Miriam says
This sounds amazing. Thank you for this recipe! What kind of ginger do you use? Fresh ginger grated?
I used powdered!
Miriam says
Thank you, Dana. Then so will I.
Nicole says
Hi Dana,
Do you think this recipe would work with a cookie cutter? I’v been wanting to make gingerbread men and have been looking for a vegan/ gluten free recipe.
Thanks!
I didn’t try these with a cookie cutter, but yes! I think they would! Based on how well my sugar cookies did, these should perform about the same.
Karon says
I have made gingerbread men using this dough. No problems here! My brother and sister loved it! I’ve already made a second batch by request.
Sam says
I made these by rolling out the dough and using a cookie cutter. It worked well! :)
Glad to hear it worked out well for you! Enjoy!
Melissa says
I’ve read in other recipes that it’s necessary to reduce the aquafaba until it’s the consistency of a raw egg white. Is that the case with this recipe, or did you just use it straight out of the can?
Thanks!
In my experience aquafaba straight out of the can IS about the consistency of an egg white. Trader Joe’s organic chickpeas make the best aquafaba in my experience so far!
Ags says
These look amazing! I was looking for some GF ginger cookies to add to the Xmas menu… On the list :-) Thanks for sharing Dana!
Sherry says
These look wonderful! My sweetie is on a gluten, soy, dairy free diet right now and is missing Christmas cookies, especially my gingersnaps. I am adding these to my “to make” cookie list this year. Thanks!
Natalia says
If you use a gluten free blend such as bobs red mill, do you have to add xanthan gum? I’m very new to gluten free baking…thanks!
Nope!
Isidora says
Could I get the nutritional value for these please? Don’t seem to be seeing them on the page
I wouldn’t use only almond meal, but yeah, one of the other flours you mentioned should work in place of the GF blend.
Laura says
These look seriously yummy! Definitely saving this recipe for future use..
Carole says
Can I use almond flour only? (no all purpose flour at all)
Or maybe whole wheat flour instead of the gluten free blend or all purpose?
jem says
are these soft or crisp/crunchy? they look dee-lish!
I’d say on the softer side. A little bite on the outside and tender and fluffy on the inside.
jem says
thank you….just what I’m looking for! Merry Christmas &Happy New Year to you & yours!
Heidi says
I love ginger cookies gingerbread! I will certainly be trying these. Thank you for including information on making these with an egg. I am not completely vegan or gluten free but I love to try things. I made your pumpkin pie bars at Thanksgiving- vegan and gluten free and they were absolutely amazing!
Erin says
If I wanted to use all purpose in place of the gluten free blend but would I use the same weight of all purpose flour? I would like to keep in the almond flour .
Michelle Drechsel says
Yes, she outlines all of this in the notes after the recipe!
Yes, same weight of all purpose flour!
Stephanie says
The benefit of baking by weight is you can sub flours with minimal risk of texture problems. Weighing it solves density concerns. (There are some other issues–you still want to watch out for liquid absorption and strong flavors…)
Annie Hussain says
I have blackstrap molasses , not regular – can i use that or will it alter flavor too much?
Thx! Xoxo
That should work!
Sara @ Last Night's Feast says
I can’t wait to try this!
Aleksandra says
Just in time for Christmas :)
Karlie says
haha I love that story! These look amazing – just like the classic cookie but BETTER! Adding this to my baking list
Sarah | Well and Full says
THESE COOKIES LOOK AMAZING. That is all ;)
Hilary says
I agree Sarah, and I can’t wait to make them :)
Laura @ Raise Your Garden says
I’m just sitting here wondering if you told the UPS guy that they were vegan cookies!!!! It makes a difference. I had no idea that “vegan” food could be every bit as good, if not better than the more traditional varieties and it’s thrilling. They look bomb to me too. Especially the frosting drizzled on top. And we’re supposedly getting “bombed” with snow today in Buffalo, NY so now I have an activity!
Vanessa L. says
Laura,
We did get hit with snow in Buffalo today & also made these this afternoon! Small world :) Pretty easy to make, I used vitacost GF flour and the almond flour. The texture is soft and cakey. I think next time, I’ll try sanding sugar with cinnamon to roll them in for some added crunch. I’ll also punch up the spices- maybe add crystallized ginger.
Cathy says
Shoot! I baked these but they turned out huge and really flat! Help what did I do wrong?
That’s odd! They’re actually really fluffy. Did you smash them too much? Or, did you omit the baking powder?
Jules says
This happened to me but on second attempt I realised I had misread amount of flour as 2/3 cup when it should be 1 2/3cup
Kay says
Yup, this is because of the font, which is not optimal for writing fractions.