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Vegan Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

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The BEST Easy Vegan, Gluten-free and Oil-free Gingerbread Men Cut-Out Cookies! Made with wholesome ingredients like almond butter, oat flour, molasses, maple syrup and all the holiday spices. Made with just 8 ingredients and 1 bowl!

closeup of the vegan gingerbread men and red stars on white platter

VEGAN GLUTEN FREE GINGERBREAD COOKIES

You really didn’t think I would only give you 1 recipe using my Homemade Gingerbread Spice Mix, did you? My Vegan Gingerbread Cake has become my most popular holiday cake. Record amount of remakes in just 5 days with all 5 star ratings, so put it on your holiday Christmas baking day, ok??

I had a large amount of requests for 2 cut-out cookie recipes this holiday season…sugar cookies and vegan gluten-free gingerbread cookies.

These vegan gingerbread men cut out cookies are so easy to make, the dough is really simple to work with. They are rich in spices and have the best crispy texture and flavor. I’m crushing pretty hard on how cute they turned out. Talk about bringing your inner child out to decorate. I used melted chocolate and vegan sprinkles and candies I found on Etsy. I’d say Christmas time is the time to break out the extra dazzle in decorations, like sprinkles and stuff.

For this recipe, I used my oat flour and starch combo I came up with years ago. It never fails me. These are DELICIOUS. They are vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, made in 1 bowl and just 8 ingredients (+ salt). The dough, just like my Gingerbread Cake, is rather dangerous. I’ve heard from several of you how you keep eating the batter of that cake before baking. Well, sorry, but you will be eating half of this dough before making cut-outs too, haha.

bunch of gingerbread men cookies and red star cookies on large white platter

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

(Only 8 main ingredients needed. Full details and measurements on the recipe card below.)

  • Superfine oat flour: I use Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free oat flour. The texture is fine and works best in baking. You can find this at Kroger and other grocery stores or online.
  • Tapioca starch: This replaces and eggs and helps to bind these cookies, while giving them wonderful crispy edges.
  • Gingerbread spices: I, of course, use my homemade gingerbread spice mix because it’s so much better than store-bought.
  • Baking soda
  • Coconut sugar
  • Roasted almond butter: This replaces any oil or butter and gives a beautiful color and depth of flavor to these cookies. I use my homemade almond butter, but store-bought is fine, too, just make sure you are using a runny, smooth kind and not a dry/stiff almond butter, or the dough will be difficult to worth with and your cookies turn out dry.
  • Maple syrup: Using this keeps these cookies refined sugar-free. Not to mention, flavor! Maple syrup tastes so much better than regular sugar.
  • Molasses: You will want to use regular molasses here and not the blackstrap, as it is much too bitter and strong. Regular is lighter in color, flavor and is more sweet. You can find regular molasses at most grocery stores like Kroger, Walmart and even Target. Or even Amazon, very easy to find.

overhead shot of several gingerbread men on white wood

HOW TO MAKE VEGAN GLUTEN FREE GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Step 1: Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk well.

Step 2: Add the wet ingredients to the same bowl and stir until a thick, cohesive dough forms into a ball.

Step 3: Place the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up some.

Step 4: Roll the dough out in between parchment paper to 1/4 inch thick and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Try not to eat all the dough now because it’s absolutely delicious.

rolled out vegan gingerbread cookie dough with cookie cutters

Step 5: Place each cookie on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes. Cool before decorating.

STORAGE

These cookies keep wonderfully for a couple of days, especially with icing. They should be stored sealed tightly at room temperature. These vegan gingerbread cookies are shockingly gluten-free. The texture is amazing, crispy, moist buttery center and the structure is perfection. They hold together and don’t fall apart. They even work to make a vegan gingerbread house!

overhead shot of several gingerbread men cookies on cooling rack

MORE VEGAN HOLIDAY COOKIE RECIPES

  • Vegan Gluten-free Sugar Cut-out Cookies
  • Gluten-free Vegan Sugar Cookies (Oil-free)
  • Vegan Snickerdoodles
  • Vegan Almond Butter Blossoms
  • Vegan Cardamom Pecan Cookies
  • Vegan Coconut Butter Gingersnaps
  • Vegan Chai Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
  • Dark Chocolate Molasses Cookies

several vegan gingerbread men cookies on cooling rack

Vegan Gluten-free Gingerbread Cookies (The Best!)

Brandi Doming
The Best Easy Vegan, Gluten-free and Oil-free Gingerbread Men Cut-Out Cookies! Made with wholesome ingredients like almond butter, oat flour, molasses, maple syrup and all the holiday spices. Made with just 8 ingredients and 1 bowl!
5 from 17 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Gluten-free, Vegan
Yields 20 -24 cookies using 3 inch gingerbread man cookie cutter

Ingredients

  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (144g) superfine oat flour (I use Bob's Red Mill. Superfine is very important here so the dough comes together)
  • 6 tablespoons (48g) tapioca starch* (this is what acts as eggs and gluten and gives them structure so they don't fall apart)
  • 2 tablespoons (24g) coconut sugar, ground into a fine powder (this will make for a smoother appearance but is certainly optional)
  • 2 teaspoons Gingerbread spice + an extra 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (Use store-bought or my blend OR SEE NOTES below for sub)
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup (160g) pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup (80g) unsulphured regular molasses (not blackstrap, see NOTES)
  • 1 cup (256g) roasted really creamy/runny almond butter
  • Optional: Cookie cutters, chocolate chips, sprinkles for decorating

NOTE

  • I recommend highly to use a scale to prevent room for error. You don't need cups or to compare the weights to cups, just simply follow the weights listed, as this is exactly how the recipes are tested and made. Make sure to zero out before adding each ingredient.
  • I use this scale.

Instructions
 

  • PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. If you have time, chill the dough in the FREEZER for 30 minutes. This will make working with the dough a bit easier, but it is not necessary if you are pressed for time. The dough is very easy to work with.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
  • To a large bowl, add the oat flour, tapioca starch, coconut sugar, spices, baking soda and salt and whisk very well making sure it's thoroughly mixed.
  • Make a well at the bottom of the bowl and add the syrup, molasses and almond butter. Give the liquids a quick stir and then mix it in with the flour, stirring and pressing the mixture together until it is very thick, sticky and no more visible flour remains (see video). You will want to mix and press it for a couple of minutes so it gets really thick.
  • Place a large piece of parchment paper on the counter and drop about half the dough onto it and form and pat it into a smooth ball shape (see video). If you have time to chill it, fold the paper over the dough to secure it and place in the freezer for just 30 minutes. You don't want to over-freeze it or the dough will be hard to work with. If not freezing the dough, use immediately. It is still fairly easy to work with. It is best to do half the dough at a time so you can roll it out to a consistent thickness and so the dough doesn't get too warm. Place the other half of dough in the fridge while doing the first batch.
  • Place another piece of parchment paper over the dough and use a rolling pin on top of the paper to roll it out to 1/4 inch thick, NO LESS or the cookies will be too thin and get too dry.
  • If using cookie cutters, place the cutter all the way down into the dough and slightly jiggle it side to side. Repeat this with as much of the dough you can use and gently peel away the edges around and in between the shapes. (see video) Gently pick up the cookies by slightly rolling it towards you starting with the head. If wanting to just make round cookies, simply take about 2 tablespoons worth of dough, roll into balls and flatten on the lined pan no less than 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle decorative sugar on top before baking if desired. With the scraps, form back into a ball and repeat the process. Fill as many as you can on the sheet with them spaced about 2 inches apart, as they will spread.
  • Bake for 9-10 minutes. They should be slightly puffed up and starting to look golden brown on the edges. Please note that the size of your cookies will vary a minute or so in cooking time. Small gingerbread men can cook faster 8-9 minutes and burn quicker, so keep an eye on them. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes and transfer to cool completely on a rack before decorating. They will crisp up considerably as they cool.
  • If wanting to decorate like I have in the photos, just simply melt some chocolate chips, add it to a baggie and cut off a tiny corner. Drizzle onto the cookies for eyes and decorations. Use the chocolate as "glue" for buttons. Allow to cool completely before serving.
  • These are best the day of, texture-wise, but are still yummy the next day. They are very fast and easy to make, so I recommend making them the day of a party or event, if possible.

Notes

  • GINGERBREAD SPICE: If you can't find the Gingerbread Spice at the store or don't want to make my whole blend, then you can sub with 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.
  • MOLASSES: You can find regular molasses at Kroger, Walmart, Target and online on Amazon. In some countries, people have trouble finding regular molasses, so if you cannot find it, then sub the molasses with 2 tablespoons of blackstrap and 2 tablespoons maple syrup. This will change the flavor and texture somewhat and I have not tested this personally, but think it should work. I believe the cookies will be more delicate with less molasses though.
  • STARCH: If you cannot find tapioca starch, cornstarch will work as well, they will just be slightly less crispy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 88kcalCarbohydrates: 17.3gProtein: 1.4gFat: 1.7gSodium: 50mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8.4g
Tried this recipe?Tag @thevegan8brandi on Instagram and use tag #thevegan8!
Keyword best vegan gingerbread cookies, vegan gingerbread cookies, vegan gingerbread cut out cookies, vegan gingerbread men, vegan gluten free gingerbread cookies

The Vegan 8 is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my full disclosure policy here.

Filed Under: Christmas, Cookies/Bars, Dessert, Gluten-free, Holiday Tagged With: Almond butter, cinnamon, Cookies, dessert, Ginger, gingerbread, Gluten-free, Oat flour

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Comments

  1. Shirley

    December 18, 2019 at 12:28 am

    Is it possible to freeze the men after baking?

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 18, 2019 at 4:24 am

      I’ve never tried freezing them, so I’m not sure if they’d freeze well or dry out.

      Reply
  2. Kristina

    December 23, 2019 at 3:52 pm

    5 stars
    So delicious cookies! I made them the other day, the batter was very yummy, like the others said, it was so hard to resist and not eat all of it, before even making the cookies in the oven 😂👌🏻 Even though I obviously made something wrong, they turned out so yummy! I used homemade oat flour and half molasses as I have only blackstrap and the cookies turned out too soft, so you definately should have store bought oat flour like Brandi recommends! Also probably I should have baked them longer as I used only half of the molasses, but that’s my bad. Brandi was so kind to give me some advices for my next batch. Thank you 😘 Can’t wait to make them again 🤗

    Reply
  3. Jessica

    November 21, 2020 at 7:08 pm

    What is the difference between ‘regular’ and blackstrap molasses that means blackstrap won’t work for the full dose?

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      November 21, 2020 at 7:32 pm

      Regular is more mild snd sweet in flavor. Blackstrap is extremely dark and very bitter. It would not taste good. You can find regular molasses at Walmart, target, many grocery stores or online.

      Reply
  4. Emily

    December 5, 2020 at 2:12 am

    5 stars
    So delicious 🤤!!!!!!The almond butter adds an amazing touch.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 5, 2020 at 11:49 pm

      So happy you loved these Emily!

      Reply
  5. mary

    December 13, 2020 at 11:42 pm

    These look so delightful! lovely recipe – looking forward to giving them a go!

    Reply
  6. Chely Hill

    December 15, 2020 at 3:21 am

    5 stars
    These cookies were excellent! I had made gingerbread cookies many years ago but this is the first time I make them from scratch. I was very excited because they are wheat free, vegan and have no oil or refine sugar. 🤩
    My husband cannot have wheat so he was so excited to have gingerbread cookies again. Thanks for such great recipe! I also used her gingerbread spice recipe and it was delicious.

    Reply
  7. Jessica

    December 16, 2020 at 3:05 am

    I’ve had these in the freezer for a few hours now, I just haven’t been able to get them rolled out yet! Will the dough be fine overnight like most doughs? Thanks for all your recipes Brandi 🙂

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 16, 2020 at 4:27 am

      Hi jessica! What do you mean? It’s too stiff? I wouldn’t have frozen it for hours. I only recommend 30 minutes. (Step 5) But just leave it out at room temperature to soften and as long as everything is measured correctly. It should be fine. I’ve made this dough 4 times in the last week, haha, and it’s the easiest dough ever to work with. I only ever chill it for about 30 minutes just to firm it up a bit so it’s less sticky on the cookie cutters. That’s really all you need.

      Reply
  8. Danni

    December 19, 2020 at 12:41 am

    5 stars
    Lovely! Followed exactly except I couldn’t find a good almond butter so I used peanut butter. You definitely taste the peanut butter but they are still so good and the texture is devine. It was a super easy dough to work with. I was scared because it seemed a little crumbly but they stuck together perfectly. I can’t wait to make these again!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 19, 2020 at 2:15 am

      So glad you loved them! Yes, peanut butter is much drier, so that will make the dough drier. Glad it worked out!

      Reply
  9. Marie

    December 20, 2020 at 5:29 am

    Hi, Miss Brandi! I love visiting your site! You have a lot of tasty recipes. 🙂
    I was wondering if the almond butter could be replaced with the same amount of sunflower butter in the Gingerbread cookie recipe?
    Thanks!
    Have a Merry Christmas!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 20, 2020 at 9:01 pm

      Hi Marie, thank you! Yes, if you don’t mind them having a sunbutter taste, it should technically still work. I do find sunbutter to be a bit thicker and not as smooth/runny as almond butter, so it may take another minute for the dough to come together. Just keep working and kneading/mixing it with your hands until smooth, like in the photos.

      Reply
  10. Amy Brooke

    December 24, 2020 at 7:33 am

    5 stars
    Just made these cookies today and we are all so pleased to finalllllllyyyyyyy have an actual cookie again. This recipe is so good and very sturdy I’m so happy. Thank you for all your hard work and I can’t wait to try more and more of your recipes. I appreciate all your hard work and testing to bring us all amazing really authentic easy vegan foods we love.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 24, 2020 at 8:07 am

      That is so wonderful to hear Amy! Cookies are actually my passion to create, so you will find LOADS of amazing cookie recipes on here, haha! So glad you loved them!

      Reply
  11. Nina

    December 25, 2020 at 9:12 pm

    5 stars
    This cookie dough is so easy to roll out and cut! Perfect consistency and I love that they are made with oat flour ❤. My cookie Christmas tree turned out perfect with them!

    Reply
  12. Julie

    December 27, 2020 at 11:45 pm

    5 stars
    The cookies turned out really well! My whole family enjoyed them and no one noticed they were vegan and gluten free. Thanks for the yummy recipe!

    Reply
  13. Anne

    December 19, 2021 at 10:02 pm

    5 stars
    These are really good. I made an icing from powdered coconut sugar and almond milk. Very flavorful and chewy

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 20, 2021 at 6:34 am

      So glad you loved these, thank you Anne!

      Reply
  14. Carolyn

    December 22, 2021 at 6:09 am

    Brandi, thank you for another wonderful recipe! I made two batches of these cookies this weekend and they were so easy to roll out. They are absolutely delicious! I used melted chocolate as you suggested to make faces and that worked perfectly!

    Reply
  15. Caroline

    December 5, 2022 at 3:05 am

    Perfection! Seriously, this cookie has everything. Crispy edges, chewy center, sweet and spicy. I’ll never need another gingerbread cookie recipe.
    Note: skipped the chocolate decorating and still perfect, used half tapioca and half corn starch since I ran out.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 7, 2022 at 10:37 pm

      Thank you so much Caroline!!

      Reply
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I'm Brandi, creator of this vegan blog and cookbook author of The Vegan 8 Cookbook. The majority of my recipes focus on 8 ingredients or less, not counting salt, pepper or water. I love to create health-focused recipes, using whole foods to improve fitness and muscle-building, with the occasional comfort meal thrown in there! I'm an expert on oil-free cooking and baking! read more →

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The Vegan 8 is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my full disclosure policy here.

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