Perfectly spiced with a soft and fluffy texture, these vegan gingersnaps are the nostalgic treat of my dreams! These are one of my favorite cookies for the holiday season given their chewy center and balance of sweet and spiced flavors. Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free and made without refined sugar.
I have a few more holiday cookies to share before this Christmas season is over. These vegan gingersnaps are soft baked with bold flavor thanks to the warm holiday spices of cloves, ginger, cinnamon and molasses.
While I do enjoy crunchy cookies with crispier edges such as in traditional gingersnaps, I find this sweet treat so much more comforting and satisfying when fresh baked with a chewy texture.
They're super easy to make and perfect for holiday gifting. Stack them in a cellophane bag with a ribbon tied around the top or pair them with my easy homemade hot chocolate bombs for the most perfect seasonal surprise!
Ingredients
- Flax egg - This is a vegan egg replacer made by mixing 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed in 2 tablespoons of warm water. Let it sit for a few minutes and it will obtain a gel-like consistency that actually binds like an egg.
- Oat flour - You can buy premade or make your own. Double check for certified gluten-free oats if that's important to you.
- Maple sugar (or coconut sugar) - I use maple as a natural sweetener in most of my recipes. It's made from just one ingredient: the pure sap from maple trees. Maple sugar is granulated where as maple syrup is a liquid.
- Pure maple syrup - I use pure maple so often that I buy it in bulk. It's my favorite way to keep recipes free of refined sugar!
- Spices - We're baking with ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. These work together to create the perfect gingersnap contrast to the sweetness of the maple.
- Baking soda - This is going to make the cookies rise and give them that fluffier, soft-baked texture.
- Vegan butter - I love the brand Miyokos for vegan butter. It softens, melts, bakes and tastes just like real butter. You can also use coconut oil at room temperature.
- Blackstrap molasses - This is where the robust, almost smoky gingersnap flavor comes from. Molasses also makes these cookies nice and thick with that gorgeous golden color!
- Vanilla extract - This is a must-have in holiday baking! It brings the warm flavor that pairs perfectly with the spices and sweetness in this recipe.
- Icing - this is an optional addition that makes these cookies feel extra special! Try my vegan cashew icing or vegan vanilla frosting drizzled overtop. You can even add a drop of peppermint extract to the icing or frosting for extra minty flavor.
Instructions
1. Make the flax egg. In a cup whisk together the ground flaxseed and warm water. Set aside for five minutes to thicken.
2. Preheat the oven and line the baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a half sheet baking sheet with parchment paper. These cookies spread out while baking so you want enough space to prevent them from merging together. If you don't have a half sheet baking sheet use two smaller cookie sheets.
3. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl whisk to combine the dry ingredients (oat flour, maple sugar [or coconut sugar], ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cloves).
4. Mix in the wet ingredients. To the dry ingredients add the wet ingredients (softened vegan butter [or coconut oil], flax egg, molasses, maple syrup, and vanilla). Use a hand mixer to combine well until smooth.
5. Form the cookies. Use a 1.5 tablespoon retractable cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough into 11 cookies. Place the dough on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Bake for 8 minutes.
7. Allow the cookies to cool. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 10-15 minutes before using a metal spatula to gently transfer them to a wire cooling rack to fully cool to room temperature.
8. Drizzle with icing or frosting (optional). Once fully cooled, you can ice them with vegan vanilla cashew icing or vegan vanilla frosting. I like to drizzle icing in a zig zag pattern. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Gluten-Free Ginger Snap Cookies
I used an oat flour base to create these gluten-free cookies. Many health food stores sell oat flour premade, but it's also really simple to make at home with oatmeal you may already have on hand. Pulse oats in a food processor or high-speed blender until a fine, flour-like consistency forms and your gluten-free flour is ready to go!
Vegan Gingerbread Cookie Icing
I used a drizzle of my super-simple vanilla cashew icing to really make these cookies pop! This is made in the blender with just several simple ingredients: soaked cashews, pure maple syrup, vegan butter, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. It's a refined sugar-free topping that makes your recipes feel so special! You could also use my vegan vanilla frosting if you like a thicker consistency.
These gingersnaps are vegan (no dairy or eggs!), gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free and refined sugar-free. I love having holiday treats during Christmas season that everyone can enjoy no matter the allergies or dietary needs. If you make these delicious cookies, please tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations. Don't forget to leave a review below as well!
More Holiday Cookies
All of these recipes are vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar-free.
- Vegan Snickerdoodles
- Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies ...or make them with Healthy Homemade Nutella recipe in place of the jam!
- Hanukkah Gelt Cookies
- Cranberry and Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies
- Midnight Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies and Milk for New Year’s Eve
- Best Fluffy Pumpkin Cookies
- No-Bake Bird Nest Cookies for Easter
- Classic Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Sugar Cut-Out Cookies
Soft Baked Vegan Gingersnap Cookies (Gluten-Free)
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 11 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Perfectly spiced with a soft and fluffy texture, these vegan gingersnaps are the nostalgic treat of my dreams! These are one of my favorite cookies for the holiday season given their chewy center and balance of sweet and spiced flavors. Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free and made without refined sugar.
Ingredients
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 2 tablespoons warm water)
- 1 ¼ cup oat flour
- ⅓ cup maple sugar (or coconut sugar)
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ cup vegan butter (or coconut oil), softened
- 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- optional: vegan cashew icing or vegan vanilla frosting for drizzling overtop (add a drop of peppermint extract to either for even more minty flavor)
Instructions
- Make the flax egg. In a cup whisk together the ground flaxseed and warm water. Set aside for five minutes to thicken.
- Preheat the oven and line the baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a half sheet baking sheet with parchment paper. These cookies spread out while baking so you want enough space to prevent them from merging together. If you don't have a half sheet baking sheet use two smaller cookie sheets.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl whisk to combine the dry ingredients (oat flour, maple sugar [or coconut sugar], ginger, cinnamon baking soda, salt and cloves).
- Mix in the wet ingredients. To the dry ingredients add the wet ingredients (softened vegan butter [or coconut oil], flax egg, molasses, maple syrup, and vanilla). Use a hand mixer to combine well until smooth.
- Form the cookies. Use a 1.5 tablespoon retractable cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough into 11 cookies. Place the dough on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 8 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 10-15 minutes before using a metal spatula to gently transfer them to a wire cooling rack to fully cool to room temperature.
- Drizzle with icing or frosting (optional). Once fully cooled, you can ice them with vegan vanilla cashew icing or vegan vanilla frosting. I like to drizzle icing in a zig zag pattern.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Speed up the cooling process and firm the cookies a bit by placing the cookie sheet in the freezer immediately after baking prior to handling.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 8
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
Keywords: vegan gingersnap cookies
Teens Stewart says
I made them with vegan butter and they are so loose. I cannot pick them up after cooling….
Elaine Gordon says
Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear this. This is one of my favorite cookie recipes on the blog. It could be not enough flour was used. Did you measure using the scoop method? I sometimes pop them in the freezer after they bake to allow them to cool and firm up a bit before handling. Also, what kind of baking sheet did you use and did you use parchment paper? That definitely makes a difference in this recipe. Please give me a little more info and I can help troubleshoot if you'd like. Best, Elaine