Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

A yummy, gluten-free alternative to the staple Christmas gingerbread cookies! In fact, you may use the same recipe to make a gingerbread house. This recipe is so versatile, easy to make, and can be done ahead of time. It can also easily be turned into vegan and dairy-free. Perfect for gifts and bonding with the kids!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Cooling Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes

Servings cookies

Calories 131kcal

Equipment

Baking Sheet
Rolling Pin
Parchment Paper
Piping Bag
Small Pastry Tip
Cookie Cutters

Ingredients

For the cookies:

3 cups gluten-free flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter room temperature
1/2 cup coconut sugar packed
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla extract

For the icing:

2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract

Instructions

In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, spices, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl or in a Kitchenaid mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar together. Then, slowly add in the egg, a little at a time, making sure that the mixture is fully incorporated before adding more. Once the mixture is well blended, add in the molasses and vanilla extract and process until smooth. Add in the flour mixture and mix until homogeneous and dry enough to handle.
Remove the dough from the bowl or mixer and form it into a ball. Then, divide the dough in half. Pat both doughs into a 1-inch thick disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or until it’s cold and firm.
While the dough is chilling, start making the icing. Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl and transfer the mixture into a piping bag with a small tip. Set aside.
Remove one of the dough from the fridge and transfer it to a piece of parchment or wax paper. Place another paper on top and roll the dough using a rolling pin until it’s down to ¼-inch thick.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Remove the paper on top of the dough. Using a gingerbread and/or snowflake cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes. Use a butter or paring knife to remove the extra dough from the edges. Transfer all the cut-out doughs into a baking tray lined with a clean sheet of parchment paper (You may need to use two baking trays). Refrigerate while rolling out the next dough. You may also do the same process for the extra pieces of dough until all the dough is used.
Bake in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are firm and the centers are set. Once done, take it out of the oven and set aside to cool down to room temperature.
Get your icing and start decorating! Enjoy!

Notes

This recipe is so versatile and can be done ahead of time. You may store the dough in the freezer until you’re ready to bake the cookies. To freeze, wrap the dough in plastic wrap followed by a zip lock bag. This will ensure that the dough will not dry out too much in the freezer. When you’re ready to roll, cut, and bake your cookies, thaw it in the refrigerator until it’s pliable enough to handle. On the other hand, you may also bake them as instructed, cool down to room temperature, keep them in an airtight container, and store them in the freezer. Likewise, bring them to room temperature when you’re ready to decorate.
You may also make the icing ahead of time, keep it in an airtight container, and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
For the vegan and dairy-free version, use a vegan egg replacer and vegan butter instead of a regular egg and butter. Then, replace milk with almond milk. When doing this alternative though, make sure that the dough is chilled for at least 2 hours. You may also keep chilling them in between your cutouts to make sure that it stays firm.
If you want to add some colors to your icing, you may use natural ingredients like blueberries, pomegranates, beets, turmeric, matcha powder, and so on.

Nutrition