Description
This recipe for Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies offers soft, flavorful holiday treats perfect for making gingerbread men, snowflakes, ornaments, and trees. Made with gluten-free flour and warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, these cookies combine traditional gingerbread taste with a gluten-free twist. The dough is easy to work with, and the finished cookies are deliciously soft and sweet, decorated with a simple powdered sugar icing.
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 gluten-free flour (for flouring the work surface and cookie cutters)
Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar (240 grams)
- 3-4 Tablespoons milk (almond milk or preferred dairy/non-dairy)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and packed brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, kosher salt, and baking soda to evenly distribute the spices and leavening agents.
- Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a smooth dough forms. If the dough feels too sticky, add a tablespoon of additional gluten-free flour at a time until workable.
- Chill the Dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling the dough helps it firm up and makes rolling out easier.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll Out Dough: Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin with gluten-free flour. Roll the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Use your desired cookie cutters to cut shapes from the dough.
- Place Cookies on Sheets: Transfer cut-out cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart to allow for slight spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the edges are just set and the cookies are firm to the touch but still soft inside.
- Cool Cookies: Remove cookies from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Icing: In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk (start with 3 tablespoons), and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable. Add more milk if the icing is too thick.
- Decorate Cookies: Once cookies are completely cooled, use the icing to decorate as desired. Allow icing to set before serving or storing.
Notes
- Use gluten-free measure-for-measure flour for best results; regular gluten-free blends may alter texture.
- Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading and to help in rolling and cutting shapes.
- If you prefer dairy-free, use vegan butter and almond milk as indicated.
- The icing can be adjusted in thickness by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or more milk to thin.
- Cookies are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- For extra spice, add a pinch of nutmeg or allspice to the dough.
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
