Triple Ginger Vegan Cookies [Gingersnaps]

Use a combination of freshly grated, ground, and candied ginger to make perfectly spiced triple ginger and molasses vegan ginger cookies with crisp edges and a soft and chewy middle (aka gingersnaps!) – perfect for the holidays and ready in just 30 minutes!

Soft and Chewy Triple Ginger Vegan Cookies

During fall, our soft pumpkin gingersnap cookies, vegan gingerbread cookies, and gingerbread oatmeal cookies are a go-to of ours, so it’s no surprise that as Christmas nears, we have no intention of giving up warming vegan ginger biscuits. Watch out gingerbread biscuits, though, because this year, we’re loving these soft, chewy triple ginger vegan ginger cookies (gingersnaps) with a crackled brown sugar crust.

These triple ginger cookies combine fresh, candied, and ground ginger for a sweet, spicy, robust ginger flavor with plenty of depth that will blow you away. When combined with other flavors, including cinnamon, cloves, brown sugar, and molasses, these warm and cozy ginger spice cookies are perfect for Christmas, gifting to others, at potlucks, and more.

The Vegan Gingersnap Cookies Ingredients

Rely on simple, primarily pantry-friendly ingredients to easily pull together this vegan gingersnap cookies recipe.

• Flour: Regular all-purpose flour (or 50/50 AP and whole wheat flour) will work great for these triple ginger snaps. For chewier cookies, you could try high-gluten flour, like bread flour.
• Ginger: Load up on ginger flavor in these triple ginger cookies with:
  • Crystallized ginger (aka candied ginger for sweet n’ spicy flavor and chewiness)
  • Fresh ginger (peeled and grated – for its robust spiciness and extra ‘bite’)
  • Ground ginger (to add ginger depth throughout the cookie dough)
• Molasses: Use unsulphured dark molasses for the best flavor (avoid blackstrap molasses, which is very bitter). This not only gives this triple ginger cookies recipe a gingerbread flavor but also helps make soft and chewy gingersnaps.
• Vegan butter: Use your favorite vegan butter, like Miyoko’s, Earth Balance, etc. Coconut oil (in its solid state) may work instead, but we haven’t tested it.
• Applesauce: Use unsweetened apple sauce. This acts as a binder and introduces moisture to the vegan molasses cookie batter.
• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar and molasses are a match made in heaven, perfect for these candied ginger cookies. Turbinado sugar would also work for coating the cookie dough.
• Baking soda: This not only provides lift but helps give the vegan ginger biscuits their crisp edges.  
• Spices: Along with the ginger, enhance the warming spice flavor in this vegan ginger cookies recipe with
  • Cinnamon
  • Ground cloves
  • Sea salt (don’t use table salt as the ratios will be way off)

Optional Add-ins & Recipe Variations

• More spices: For even more flavor in these vegan ginger spice cookies, add a pinch of nutmeg, cardamom, and/or Allspice.
• Zest: Add just 1 teaspoon of lemon or orange zest for a subtle citrusy flavor.
• Vanilla extract: Just a tiny amount (1 teaspoon) for subtle flavor.
• Nuts: Add a sprinkle of chopped pecans or walnuts for extra texture to the Christmas ginger cookies.
• Vegan frosting: Make a simple vanilla glaze with vanilla, dairy-free milk (about 1 tbsp) or maple syrup, and powdered sugar, OR use vegan cream cheese for a tangier, thicker frosting. You can try this vegan vanilla buttercream frosting as well!
• Vegan chocolate: You can half dip the vegan ginger cookies into dark chocolate or vegan white chocolate and add candied ginger to garnish.

How to Make Soft and Chewy Vegan Ginger Cookies?

With no chilling and straightforward steps, this quick vegan gingersnap cookies recipe is easy to prepare and will make your kitchen smell amazing as the cookies bake.

• 1) First, preheat the oven to 350F/175C and lightly oil or line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
• 2) Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and finely minced (or pulsed in a food processor) crystallized ginger.

• 3) In a second bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the vegan butter and brown sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Then add the applesauce, molasses, and all the spices, including the fresh minced ginger.

• 4) Next, add half the flour mixture, beating on low until it’s just combined before adding the remaining half.

If the dough feels too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons more applesauce.

• 5) Then, add ¼ cup of sugar to a small bowl, and, working with about 2 tbsp of dough at a time (a small cookie scoop), roll the dough into a ball in the palms of your hands before rolling it into the sugar. If you find the dough is sticking to your hands, wet them with a bit of water or oil.

• 6) Transfer it to the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough, spacing them 1 ½-inches apart.

These cookies don’t spread a lot while baking. Flatten them for more traditionally shaped cookies.

• 7) Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes (check on them at 12 minutes, first) until they are lightly browned and set but still soft. Then remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for 10 minutes on the baking tray before transferring them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. They will firm up as they cool. Enjoy!

These pair wonderfully with a warm mug of tea, hot chocolate, or even plant-based eggnog!

FAQs

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• For smaller cookies: Use just one tablespoon of dough per cookie and bake for 10-13 minutes.
• Tweak the consistency: The thinner you flatten them and the longer you bake them, the more crisp/crunchy the interior will be. For barely flattened cookies, 12 minutes is usually great for softer and chewy whereas 15 is for more crunchy.
• Measure the flour correctly: Fluff it up in the flour bag, then spoon it into the measuring cup, using the back of a knife to level it.
• Adjust the cookie height: These vegan ginger snaps won’t spread a lot while baking, so flatten the cookie dough to your desired shape and thickness.
• For cookies that spread more: Try using a 50/50 combination of white sugar and brown sugar rather than all brown. Using some melted vegan butter instead of softened vegan butter also helps.

Storage Instructions

Store the chewy ginger snap cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or 5-6 days in the refrigerator. However, the texture will change over time.

You can also store the unbaked cookie dough in a plastic-wrapped bowl in the fridge for up to 2 days before rolling and baking the vegan ginger snaps.

Can You Freeze Vegan Gingersnap Cookies?

The Cookie Dough: Roll the dough into the 2 tbsp balls, roll them in sugar, spread on a baking tray, and flash freeze until solid. Transfer them all to an airtight freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. You can bake the vegan gingersnap cookies from frozen, adding a few minutes to the baking time.

The Baked Gingersnap Cookies: Flash freeze on a tray, then store in a Ziplock/Stasher bag for up to 3 months. Just 20-30 minutes of thawing at room temperature should suffice when you want to enjoy one.

More Vegan Cookie Recipes

• Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies
• Vegan Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
• Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Raspberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies
• California Cookies
• Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Photos by Alfonso Revilla