Description
These soft gluten-free gingerbread cookies are the perfect holiday treat, featuring warm spices and a tender texture made with gluten-free flour. Ideal for shaping into festive gingerbread men, snowflakes, ornaments, and trees, these cookies bring a delightful and allergy-friendly twist to classic gingerbread.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 3/4 cup butter or vegan butter, softened (170 grams/1.5 sticks)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (100 grams)
- 1/2 cup molasses (120 grams)
- 1 large egg (at room temperature)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups gluten-free measure-for-measure flour, like King Arthur Flour (420 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- A few tablespoons additional flour (for flouring the work surface and cookie cutters)
Frosting
- 2 cups powdered sugar (240 grams)
- 3-4 Tablespoons milk (almond milk or preferred milk)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, kosher salt, and baking soda.
- Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a smooth dough forms. If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle in a few tablespoons of additional flour until manageable.
- Chill the Dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm, making it easier to roll out.
- Roll and Cut: Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin with additional gluten-free flour. Roll the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the cut-out cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until edges are firm but centers remain slightly soft. Remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Prepare the Frosting: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and spreadable. Adjust milk quantity to reach desired consistency.
- Decorate: Once cookies are fully cooled, decorate with frosting as desired. Allow the frosting to set before serving or storing.
Notes
- Use gluten-free measure-for-measure flour for best results to avoid altering texture.
- Chilling the dough is important to prevent spreading during baking and to maintain shape.
- For vegan option, use vegan butter and substitute the egg with a flax egg or another egg replacer.
- Add extra flour sparingly when rolling out dough to avoid tough cookies.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 186 kcal
- Sugar: 16.7 g
- Sodium: 159.1 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32.2 g
- Fiber: 0.7 g
- Protein: 1.4 g
- Cholesterol: 23 mg
