Description
Soft and flavorful gluten-free gingerbread cookies perfect for holiday baking. These cookies use a blend of warm spices and molasses for traditional gingerbread taste while being friendly for gluten-free diets. Ideal for making festive shapes like gingerbread men and holiday ornaments.
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)
Royal Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar (240 grams)
- 3-4 tablespoons milk (almond milk or preferred milk)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Dough: In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg, and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, kosher salt, and baking soda.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a smooth dough forms. If the dough is too sticky, add a tablespoon of gluten-free flour.
- Chill Dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm it up for rolling and cutting.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll and Cut: Lightly flour the work surface with gluten-free flour. Roll out the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut desired shapes and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake cookies in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until edges are firm and the center is set. Remove and let cool completely on wire racks before decorating.
- Prepare Royal Icing: In a bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth and of a pipeable consistency. Adjust milk quantity as needed.
- Decorate Cookies: Use prepared royal icing to decorate cooled cookies as desired. Allow icing to set before serving or storing.
Notes
- Use gluten-free measure-for-measure flour for best texture and ease.
- Chilling the dough is important for easier rolling and cleaner cookie shapes.
- If the dough sticks to the rolling pin, flour the pin lightly or roll between parchment sheets.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- You can substitute almond milk with any milk alternative or regular milk for royal icing.
- Adjust spices according to preference for more or less gingery flavor.
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
