Learn how to make gluten free gingerbread cookies with minimal ingredients and a simple gluten free flour swap. These easy gingerbread cookies are perfectly spiced and ready for the holidays!
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Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread Cookies are a Christmas staple and are excellent in holiday cookie boxes.
I’ve been experimenting with gingerbread recipes for years and I’ve never been satisfied with the results. They were either too soft, too hard, spread too much, or didn’t have enough flavor.
After many, many, many batches of gingerbread, this is the ultimate recipe for the best gingerbread cookies. They’ve got plenty of gingerbread flavor thanks to the same spice combination I used in my gluten free gingerbread cake.
They’re also incredibly easy to make, especially when you use a good gluten free flour blend like King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour. Xanthan gum is already included and the blend of flours works exceptionally well in gluten free cookies.
If you’re new to gluten free baking, flour blends like this are a great place to start since it takes some of the guesswork out learning how to bake gluten free!
What You Need To Know About This Gingerbread Recipe
I kept the decoration very simple. While iced gingerbread men and decorated gingerbread cookies are fun, I prefer the taste of the plain gingerbread or gingerbread with a dusting of powdered sugar.
If you prefer decorating gingerbread cookies with royal icing, you can use the icing recipe that I used in my Mummy Sugar Cookies or Conversation Heart Cookies.
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Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookie Ingredients
- Gluten Free Flour – I use King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour which includes xanthan gum, making it a great 1:1 flour swap for cookies.
- Spices – cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg.
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Fine Sea Salt
- Butter, unsalted
- Brown Sugar – I used light but dark could also be used. Dark Brown Sugar will yield a slightly darker cookie.
- Egg
- Molasses – use Unsulphured Molasses, not blackstrap molasses.
Gluten Free and Dairy Free Gingerbread Cookies
To make these gingerbread cookies dairy free, sub palm shortening for the butter. You could also try vegan butter but the cookies may spread a bit more during baking.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a star rating and let me know in the comments! You can also leave a photo/comment on this pin for others to see.
Equipment Needed to Make Gingerbread Cookies
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Basic Baking Tools – mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, spatula
- Half Sheet Pans – these are my favorite
- Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat
- Cookie Cutters – I used Snowflake, Gingerbread, and Christmas Tree cookie cutters found here
- Plastic Wrap – Gluten Free Cookie Dough rolls out best in between layers of plastic wrap dusted with gluten free flour.
How to Make Gingerbread Cookies
Step 1. Add the gluten free flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
Step 2. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, and molasses to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat together until well combined.
Step 3. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix until mostly combined. Then add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until completely incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Step 4. Divide the dough in half, form each section of dough into a rectangle, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough overnight, at least 8 hours.
Step 5. Once the dough has chilled, roll the dough out between sheets of plastic wrap that has been dusted with gluten free flour. Roll the dough to about 1/8 – 1/4 inch thick.
Step 6. Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired shapes. Place the cut out cookies on a parchment lined baking tray and refrigerate or freeze until solid. Re-roll the dough scraps, dusting with additional flour only as needed. Repeat until all the cookie dough is used.
Step 7. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line half sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Step 8. Bake the chilled cookies for 10-12 minutes. Bake the cookies in batches as necessary. Cool the baked cookies on the pan for 10 minutes before removing them to cool on a wire rack.
Tips for Making Gingerbread Cookies
- For crispier cookies, bake on the longer side. You can also make thinner gingerbread cookies to help them crisp up but if you’re making a gingerbread house with this dough, do not roll it any thinner than 1/8 inch. Bake for 10-12 minutes for crisp edges and a chewier center.
- Keeping the dough on the thicker side (about 1/4) will yield soft gingerbread cookies. Don’t bake the cookies longer than 8-10 minutes.
- This gingerbread cookie dough is on the soft side. Don’t be tempted to add more flour. The dough will firm up once it’s refrigerated.
- Chilling the cut-out cookies will help prevent them from spreading too much when baking. I prefer freezing the cut-out cookie dough for about 20 minutes and baking them from frozen.
- If your cookies spread too much, use can re-cut them with the cookie cutter when they’re hot out of the oven to get clean edges.
- This works especially well if you’re planning on making a gingerbread house. Clean lines will be easier to construct.
- The amount of ginger can be adjusted to taste – I love a gingery gingerbread cookie but my youngest prefers less ginger.
Other Gluten Free Christmas Cookie Recipes To Try
- Shortbread Cookies
- Triple Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Millionaire Shortbread Bars
- Frosted Sugar Cookies
- Candy Cane Cookies
- Grinch Heart Macarons
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Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 3/4 cups King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed (light or dark)
- 3/4 cup unsulphered molasses not blackstrap
- 1 large egg room temperature
Instructions
- Add the gluten free flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
- Add the melted butter, brown sugar, and molasses to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat together until well combined. Then, scrape down the bowl and add the egg. Beat until fully incorporated.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and mix until mostly combined. Then add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until completely incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Divide the dough in half and transfer each piece of dough to a large piece of plastic wrap. Form each section of dough into a rectangle and wrap well. Refrigerate the dough overnight, at least 8 hours.
- Once the dough has chilled, roll the dough out between sheets of plastic wrap that has been dusted with gluten free flour. Dust the top of the dough with gluten free flour as necessary.
- Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick (1/8 inch if you want crispy cookies). Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired shapes. Place the cut out cookies on a parchment lined baking tray and refrigerate or freeze until solid.
- Re-roll the dough scraps, dusting with additional flour only as needed. Repeat until all the cookie dough is used.
- When the cookie dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line half sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Bake the chilled cookies for 10-12 mintues. 10 minutes will yield a cookie with firm edges and a softer center while 12 minutes will yield a cookie with crisp edges and a chewier center.
- Bake the cookies in batches as necessary. Cool the baked cookies on the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool on a wire rack.
- Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 1 week and can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Read the post for helpful tips to make these cookies.
- Freezing/refrigerating the cutout cookies helps prevent them from spreading too much while baking.
- Baking time and yield is based on 3-inch cookies.
- Recipe adapted from King Arthur Baking Company.
Recommended Products
Nutrition Information
Disclaimers
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Facts are estimated and aren't always accurate. Please consult a doctor or nutritionist if you have special dietary needs.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a star rating and let me know in the comments! You can also leave a photo/comment on this pin for others to see.
Where does the egg go? I’ve read this a few times and cannot find where it is added in the instructions.
Sorry about that! I’ve added it in, it gets mixed in with the “wet” ingredients.
Why can blackstrap molasses not be used in this recipe?
Blackstrap molasses is much more bitter than regular molasses that you use for baking. The sugar content in this recipe was written with the use or regular molasses (Grandma’s Molasses to be exact).
I really wanted to do gingerbread cookies again. Do you know if this will work with your flour blend? I am allergic to tapioca but have always had good results with swapping arrowroot into your blend with your recipes, but obviously I can’t do that swap with the King Arthur.
Thanks,
Regan