Vegan ginger cookies are the perfect holiday cookie. They have the perfect amount of warm spices, with notes of molasses and ginger reminiscent of gingerbread cookies with their own twist. These are must-haves during the holiday season.
These delicious vegan ginger molasses cookies only come out once a year; you guessed it, CHRISTMAS time!
I love all delicious cookies; there are SO many different varieties, it’s just amazing.
I am not sure why I never make vegan molasses cookies other times of the year, but I do know I enjoy them when I make them.
There is just something about the ginger, molasses, holiday spices combo that totally feels right this time of year.
They leave your house smelling amazing!
They should bottle that scent; well, heck, they probably already have it bottled somewhere. I am just not in the know, which is not surprising.
I make a TON of Christmas cookies, like probably way too many, but hey, a girl needs variety, and so do my people that receive these cookies.
These vegan ginger cookies make a big batch depending on the size you make them. I always make the cookies with my small cookie scoop, not the mini cookie scoop size, just small ( around 1 tablespoon scoop)
I make them small because of making so many cookies I like to eat them all.
And making them small makes it easier to do so and not get a gut ache.
This dough is best when it has a little time to chill in the fridge before baking them.
I like to leave them in the fridge for a few hours or overnight, but you can do a quick 30-minute chill, and that will work if you’re in a pinch.
I usually make all my Christmas cookies in a few days, so I will make a dough-like this up, wrap it in saran wrap and let it chill for whenever I have time to get to them.
Vegan Ginger Cookie Recipe Q&A-
What is the best molasses for vegan ginger molasses cookies?
The best molasses for cookies is unsulphured molasses in either light or dark. You don’t want to use blackstrap molasses; it’s not sweet and bitter and won’t taste good in these cookies.
Can you make these gluten-free?
You can use an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend to replace the regular flour in a 1:1 ratio.
Can I use other flours?
You can, but it won’t taste as good as regular flour.
You can use whole wheat pastry flour or whole wheat flour, but it will give you a different flavor profile.
Do I have to chill the dough for this vegan ginger cookie recipe?
For the best results, chill the dough. I actually prefer to cook the cookies after an overnight chill, but it can be as little as 30 minutes, but preferably a few hours is best.
Can I use coconut oil instead of non-dairy butter?
If you prefer, you can use coconut oil, but it will taste slightly different. Just use it in the same consistency the recipe calls for.
What do you need for these delicious vegan ginger molasses cookies?
For the ingredients, amounts check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- All-purpose flour
- baking soda
- white sugar or cane sugar
- brown sugar
- salt
- cinnamon, ground
- ground ginger
- ground cloves
- vegan butter
- flax egg or egg replacer
- molasses
How do you make vegan ginger cookies?
Make the dough-
Start by making your flax eggs.
Take Flax seeds and grind them with a coffee grinder until it’s flax meal. Get a small cup and mix 2 TB of the flax meal with 4 TB of water, stir and set aside.
Now take your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer.
You will add your wet ingredients and dry ingredients in different intervals; follow along below.
Add your vegan butter, oil, and sugars.
Let this mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. It will become nice and fluffy.
After two minutes, scrape the sides of the mixer down and add the molasses and flax eggs; mix this for another 2 minutes on medium speed.
After another two minutes, add the salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, mix into the whipped mixture just until blended.
Now add your 4 cups of all-purpose flour, turn the mixer on slowly, so the flour doesn’t fly everywhere, mix until just incorporated.
Chill time-
Now take the vegan cookie dough and place it either in a large bowl, covered or wrapped in saran wrap and let sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes or overnight, if you have time.
But 30 minutes will work as well ( you can cook these straight away, but they may become flatter).
Once the cookie dough has had time to rest and chill, it’s time to cook these vegan cookies.
Prepare the dough-
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Take two cookie sheets and place a Silpat on them or parchment paper.
Now take a small shallow bowl, put about a half cup of sugar, and set it aside.
Take a small cookie scoop or whatever size you wish, but I use a smaller one because I like smaller cookies.
Take your cookie ball, roll it into the sugar bowl, and place it on the lined baking sheet.
Continue with the rest of the cookie dough.
My cookie sheet fits 12 cookies at a time.
Bake-
Cook for 8 minutes; do not overbake.
They will be a little puffed up after baking but will come down to a crackly cookie.
If your cookie is larger, it might take a few more minutes, probably around the 10-minute mark, but mine were done at 8 minutes for smaller ones.
Let cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, and then remove to a cooling rack or wire rack.
How do you serve these chewy vegan molasses ginger cookies?
These are best served cooled to room temperature.
How do you store these vegan ginger cookies?
They are best stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
Can you freeze cookies?
Yes, cookies freeze great. These can be frozen for up to 3 months in either an airtight freezer container or a gallon freezer bag.
It’s best to flash freeze them for easy removal.
How do you flash freeze cookies?
Take a cookie sheet lined, place vegan ginger cookies in a single file, and freeze them; after they are frozen (an hour or so), put them in the freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Defrost– Place them on the counter out of their package until defrosted.
Want some other vegan Christmas cookie recipes?
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan butter room temperature
- 1/4 + 2 TB cup oil
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 flax eggs 2 TB flax meal, 4 TB water
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Extra sugar for rolling cookies in
Instructions
- Start by making your flax eggs. Take Flax seeds and grind them with a coffee grinder until it's flax meal. Take a small cup and mix 2 TB of the flax meal with 4 TB of water, stir and set aside.
- Take your stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a large with a hand mixer. Add your vegan butter, oil, and sugars. Let this mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. It will become nice and fluffy. After two minutes, scrape the sides of the mixer down and add the molasses and flax eggs; mix this for another 2 minutes on medium speed. After two minutes, add the salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, mix into the whipped mixture until blended. Now add your 4 cups of all-purpose flour, turn the mixer on slowly, so the flour doesn't fly everywhere, mix until just incorporated.
- Now take the dough and place it either in the mixing bowl or wrapped in saran wrap and let sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes or overnight if you have time, but 30 minutes will work as well ( you can cook these straight away, but they may become flatter).
- Once cooled, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Take two cookie sheets and place a Silpat on them. Now take a small bowl, put about a half cup of sugar, and set it aside. Take a small cookie scoop or whatever size you wish, but I use a smaller one because I like smaller cookies. Take your cookie ball, roll it into the small sugar bowl, and place it on the cookie sheet. Continue with the rest of the cookie dough. My cookie sheet fits 12 cookies at a time. Cook for 8 minutes; do not overbake. They will be a little puffed up after baking but will come down to a crackly cookie. If your cookie is larger, it might take a few more minutes, probably around the 10-minute mark, but mine were done at 8 minutes for smaller ones. Let cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, and then remove to a cooling rack.
- These freeze great!
Notes
Nutrition
If you loved this recipe then give it a 5 star rating and leave a comment! I love to chat with you all. Please feel free to share on social media and tag #courtneyshomestead. I would love to see you over on Instagram or Facebook.
General ginger cookie questions-
What does molasses do in cookies?
Molasses give cookies a bit of spice to them and adds sweetness and moisture to your baked goods. It also tends to make your cookies a bit chewier.
Is Grandma’s unsulphured molasses the same as backstrap?
No, they are too different things and should not be used in exchange with each other.
Blackstrap molasses has a much stronger flavor and is not sweet but more bitter. When recipes call for it, it’s typically in much smaller amounts.
Is Grandma’s molasses vegan?
Yes, their brand is vegan. Not all brands may be considered vegan because some use bone char to sift the sugar. If that is a concern to you, check with the brands specifically, but no animal products are in molasses directly.
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