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Soft in the middle, crisp on the edges, and full of rich molasses and warm spices, this vegan gingerbread cookies recipe is the ultimate holiday treat.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Let’s be honest, the holidays aren’t complete without lots of freshly baked cookies. Along with my vegan snowball cookies and vegan chocolate crinkle cookies, no holiday can go without these Christmas gingerbread cookies – here to spice things up (literally)! Crisp on the edges, chewy in the middle, and bursting with rich molasses, ginger, and warm spices, they’re festive perfection in every bite.
Even better, with no puffing up or spreading, these eggless gingerbread cookies are foolproof for cookie cutters (think gingerbread men, stars, trees, etc.). Plus, they use applesauce in place of eggs for ultimate ease, not that anyone would guess they’re vegan unless you tell them.
You might also enjoy my soft and chewy gingerbread oatmeal cookies, vegan gingerbread cake, gingerbread crinkle cookies, and/or triple ginger vegan cookies.
Ingredient Notes
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients, substitutes, and quantities.
Optional Add-Ins
- Orange zest (1 tbsp for citrusy brightness)
- Black pepper (To enhance the ‘spice’ of these easy gingerbread cookies)
- Cardamom (For depth)
- Espresso powder (To deepen/enhance the molasses/spice flavors. Add more for gingerbread latte cookies)
- Candied ginger (For chewy zing)
How to Make Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Step 1: First, cream the vegan butter and sugar with an electric mixer/stand mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the molasses, applesauce, and vanilla until fully combined.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and baking soda). Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and combine into a thick dough, careful not to over-mix.
Step 3: Roll it into a ball, cut in half, then shape each half into a 1-inch thick disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 356F/180C, and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper/silicone mats.
Step 4: Once preheated, remove one disk of dough from the fridge and unwrap the top, without lifting it from the plastic. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to ½-inch. If the edges of the dough crack, cover it with the plastic and use your hands to shape it.
Step 5: Use your cookie cutters of choice to cut out gingerbread cookies, removing the excess dough, then gently transferring each cookie to the baking sheet with an inch between. Re-roll excess dough to cut again.
Step 6: Bake the gingerbread cutout cookies for 8-9 minutes until the edges have set, but the middle is soft/under-done. While they bake, prepare the other half of the dough. Once ready, leave them to cool for 5 minutes on the tray, then transfer to a cooling rack until fully cooled. Once completely cooled, optionally decorate and enjoy!
The flexibility of plastic wrap should make moving the cookies easier without damage. If preferred, roll it between sheets of parchment paper and bake directly on the paper.
FAQs
This recipe was designed and tested with blackstrap molasses (which is denser and more robust/bitter), so I can’t guarantee the results when substituting it. Let me know in the comments if you try.
Yes, you can prepare this dairy-free gingerbread cookie dough up to the point of chilling it as disks in plastic wrap, then store it in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before rolling and cutting.
Pro Recipe Tips
- Measure the flour properly: This helps you avoid dense, dry cookies. Fluff it in its bag, spoon it into a measuring cup, then level it with a knife.
- Don’t skip the chill: This is incredibly important to make the dough easier to roll and ensure it holds its shape while baking.
- Handle the dough carefully: Otherwise, you risk squashing the edges. Rolling/cutting it over plastic wrap/parchment makes the job easier.
- Baking time may vary: For soft middles, bake until the edges have set, but the middle is soft. Baking longer makes harder, crunchy cookies.
- Cool completely before decorating: Then make sure to leave time for it to fully set.
What Are The Best Decorations for Gingerbread Cookies?
- Royal icing: In my case, vegan royal icing. This works perfectly for piping.
- Glaze icing: Make simple glazed gingerbread cookies with powdered sugar + plant milk if you don’t need it to ‘set’ the same way as royal icing.
- Melted vegan chocolate: In place of icing.
- Sanding sugar: Sprinkled over the icing to look like snow.
- Sprinkles/Mini candy: Perfect for adding ‘buttons’ to these easy gingerbread man cookies, ‘ornaments’ to tree-shaped cookies, etc.
- Edible vegan glitter
- Powdered sugar
- Shredded coconut
Storage Instructions
Store: In an airtight container. Separate decorated gingerbread cookies with layers of parchment/wax paper at room temp for 1 week or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Freeze: Flash-freeze undecorated vegan gingerbread cookies until solid, and transfer to a Ziplock/Stasher for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 40-60 minutes.
Microwave crisp gingerbread cookies for 5-10 seconds before enjoying for a slightly softer texture.
If you’re loving my recipes and would like a more comprehensive resource, check out my cookbooks!
Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
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Ingredients
- ½ cup of vegan butter at room temperature
- ¾ cups of brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons of unsulphured blackstrap molasses
- ¼ cup of unsweetened apple sauce
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 ⅓ cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons of ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- Decorating cookie icing
Instructions
- Place the vegan butter and brown sugar in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream the vegan butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the molasses, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and baking soda.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix well. It will be a thick dough.
- Form the dough into a large ball. Cut it in half and set them aside.
- Grab plastic wrap and lay it on the counter (do not cut it yet).
- Place one of the dough balls in the center of the plastic wrap and begin to flatten it with your hands to form a disc. Using a roller, roll it to about 1-inch thick.
- Cut the plastic wrap according to the size of the flattened dough. Wrap it well and gently transfer it to the refrigerator. Repeat the process with the other dough ball.
- Allow them to rest in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- When ready to bake, keep them in the refrigerator while the oven preheats.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set aside.
- Remove one of the dough sheets from the refrigerator and place it on your kitchen counter. Carefully open the plastic wrap. But do not lift the dough out from the plastic wrap.
- Roll out the dough on the plastic wrapper until about ½-inch thick. If the edges of the dough begin to crack, cover the dough back with the plastic wrapper, and using your hands, shape it while applying pressure.
- Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Do not lift the shaped dough. First, remove the excess dough from around the shaped dough. Place the excess dough on the side.
- Using the flexibility of the plastic wrap, gently lift each cookie out of the plastic wrap and place them on the baking sheet. Make sure to leave a one-inch space between them.
- Bake, one sheet at a time, for 8 to 9 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are just set but the middle is still soft and seems raw underdone.
- Remove the tray from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the tray. Carefully transfer them to a cooling rack so they can fully set and cool for about 30 minutes.
- Once completely cooled, decorate into little gingerbread men using the decorating cookie icing.
Notes
- Don’t skip the chill: This is incredibly important to make the dough easier to roll and ensure it holds its shape while baking.
- Handle the dough carefully: Otherwise, you risk squashing the edges. Rolling/cutting it over plastic wrap/parchment makes the job easier.
- Baking time may vary: For soft middles, bake until the edges have set, but the middle is soft. Baking longer makes harder, crunchy cookies.
- Cool completely before decorating: Then make sure to leave time for it to fully set.
![completed EASY Chocolate Depression Cake [Wacky Cake] sliced against a white surface](https://plantbasedonabudget.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/36-Crazy-Cake-Plant-Based-on-a-Budget-1-2-378x378.jpg)
So fun and delicious!