Easy Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies (Dairy-Free)

These gluten-free gingerbread cookies bake up with just the right amount of crisp on the outside and tender crumb on the inside. With a delicious combination of spices and molasses, these cookies will be the perfect addition to your Christmas baking.

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

The cookie batter will need to be chilled for 2-3 hours before rolling out. They’re also dairy-free.

If you want to make gingerbread houses, I have notes on how to adjust for that below, as well as tips on adding a gingerbread cookie decorating activity to your Christmas gatherings.

Ingredients

Gluten-Free Flour: My favorite gluten-free & dairy-free flour blends to use are Better Batter and Pamela’s Artisan Blend. I’ve been using them both with great results. They are both a 1-1 substitute. If you use another gluten-free flour blend, be sure that it contains xanthan gum. If it doesn’t have it, add 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of gluten-free flour.

Dairy-Free Butter: Country Crock Plant-Based Butter, Smart Balance, or your favorite brand. Set it out on the counter for 10-20 minutes to bring it to room temperature.

• Spices: The best gingerbread cookie is full of spices! You’ll need a tablespoon each of ground cinnamon and ground ginger. And smaller amounts of clove and nutmeg. 
• Sugar: Light brown sugar or dark brown sugar is fine. I used light because that is what I normally have on hand. The dark brown will give it a slightly deeper molasses taste.
• Molasses: Grandma’s Unsulphered Molasses is the type of molasses that I use. It’s normally by the maple syrup in the breakfast aisle at the grocery store.
• Other ingredients needed:  Egg, baking soda, salt, vanilla extract.

How to Make Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies:

Whisk together the gluten-free flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.

In a stand mixer, cream together the softened buttery spread and brown sugar.

Add in egg, molasses, and vanilla. Gradually add in the flour mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Layout two large pieces of plastic wrap and divide the dough evenly onto the two pieces of plastic wrap. Press the dough into a disk and then fold the plastic wrap up around the dough. Chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or overnight.

After the dough is chilled, remove one at a time from the fridge and set it out on the counter so that it’ll start to soften up. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two baking pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Layer the cookie dough between two large pieces of parchment paper. Roll out the cookie dough to about 1/4 inch thick.

Use cookie cutters to cut out cookies. Use a spatula dipped in gluten-free flour to remove the cutouts from the parchment paper to the baking pans. Place cookies about 1/2 inch apart. Bake for 10 minutes. Repeat with the second chilled dough.

Note: If you are having trouble moving the dough to the baking pan because it’s too soft or spreading, then slide the entire rolled-out dough and the parchment paper onto a flat baking sheet that will fit in your refrigerator and chill for 10 to 15 minutes and then you should be able to move them much easier.

Cool on baking pan for 5 minutes and then remove to wire rack. Cool completely before adding any icing.

To Make The Icing:

Take 2 cups of confectioners sugar and mix in 2-3 tablespoons of water. Start with 2 tablespoons and gradually add more as needed to get a good consistency. You don’t want it too thick, but you also don’t want it too runny. So add tiny amounts of liquid until you get it just right.

Place the icing in the bottom of a quart-sized ziplock bag. Push out any air and seal. Then, snip off the tiniest little bit of one corner. You can always cut bigger if needed, so start with the tiniest cut first. Then, you can squeeze out the icing to decorate your cookies.

Leave the cookies out in single layers for several hours to let the icing set.

Tips for decorating parties

• For the icing, I used only water with powdered sugar so that it would stay bright white. You could add some almond milk instead and even a little bit of vanilla extract, but it will make the icing just a little bit off-white.
• You can leave the wrapped dough in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. So, if you are having a cooking day with friends or family, you can have the dough already made and chilled beforehand.
• Freezing: Also, you can bake the cookies and freeze them so that the baking is done as well, so then all that needs to be done is the decorating. This would be an easy way to add a cookie-decorating activity to your Christmas gatherings.
• The decorated cookies could be frozen as well. Freeze in single layers for the best results, and then after frozen, you can repackage them with layers of parchment paper between the cookies. These can be frozen for 2-3 months.

Can I Make Gingerbread Houses With This Recipe? 

Yes, you sure can! To make gingerbread houses, cut out your shapes for the house and bake for 11-12 minutes instead of 10. This will make them a little crispier and stand up better. Depending on the size of your creation, you may want to make two or more batches of this dough. Use a royal icing recipe to put your gingerbread house together.

More gluten-free cookies you’ll love:

And be sure to see my collection of 12 Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies!