What has sugar, spice, and everything nice? Homemade gingersnap cookies, of course! The classic treat is a must during the holiday season, whether you’re baking for loved ones or enjoying a snow day.
But if you follow a vegan lifestyle, you can still join in on the festive fun. This gingersnap cookie recipe calls for plant-based butter and flax egg, so it’s perfect for vegans and those with egg allergies.
What’s more, these gingersnap cookies are also gluten-free. We used this flour for our recipe, but feel free to use your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour. Happy holidays!
You will need:
- gluten-free all-purpose flour
- xanthum gum
- baking soda
- baking powder
- brown sugar
- plant-based butter
- molasses
- ground flaxseed
- water
- vanilla extract
- ground ginger
- cinnamon
- allspice
- clove
- cardamom
- salt
If your gluten-free flour already has xanthum gum, you can omit it from your ingredient list.
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two large metal baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. If you only have one baking sheet, you can just bake in batches later on.
In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed with water. Mix well, then chill in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it forms into a gel.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the plant-based butter and brown sugar. Beat until combined and creamy.
Add the molasses, vanilla extract, and flax egg. Beat to combine.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, xanthum gum (if using), baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, clove, ginger, and salt. Mix well.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the creamed butter.
Beat until fully combined.
Add the remaining flour, 1/3 at a time. Be sure to beat well before adding the next third.
Form the batter into balls, about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons each. Place on the baking sheet and flatten slightly. Leave about 2 inches between the cookies, as they’ll spread slightly during baking.
Bake for 10 to 13 minutes. If you prefer softer gingersnap cookies, bake for 10 to 11 minutes. If you want them to be more crunchy, bake for 12 to 13 minutes. Just be sure to keep a close watch, as the edges can burn quickly and every oven is different.
Carefully remove the cookies with a spatula and let them cool on a cooling rack.
If you’re only using one metal baking sheet, remove the cookies from the first batch and prepare the remaining batter for baking. You may need to bake the cookies in two or three batches, depending on the size of your sheet and cookies.
Store your vegan gingersnap cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature. But like most cookies, they taste best when freshly baked (or within the first 1 or 2 days).
Table of Contents
Vegan Gingersnap Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup dairy free butter room temperature
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 3 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon xanthum gum omit if flour has xanthum gum
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon clove
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two large metal baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed and water. Mix well, then chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, or until it forms into a gel.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar. Beat until combined and creamy. Add the molasses, vanilla extract, and flax egg. Beat to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, xanthum gum (if using), baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, clove, ginger, and salt. Mix well.
- Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the creamed butter. Beat until fully combined. Add the remaining flour, 1/3 at a time. Beat well before adding the next third.
- Form the batter into balls, about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons each. Place on the baking sheet and flatten slightly. Leave about 2 inches between the cookies, as they’ll spread slightly during baking.
- Bake for 10 to 13 minutes (see notes below). Carefully remove the cookies with a spatula and let them cool on a cooling rack. Store your vegan gingersnap cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature.
Notes
- If you prefer softer gingersnap cookies, bake for 10 to 11 minutes. If you want crunchier cookies, bake for 12 to 13 minutes. Be sure to keep a close watch, as the edges can quickly burn if baked for too long.
- Nutrition information for this gingersnap cookies recipe is a rough estimate automatically calculated by the Spoonacular food database.
