This vegan gingerbread cookie recipe can be made into vegan gingerbread men or just regular cookies. They have the classic gingerbread taste you're looking for this Christmas season.
These are our favorite vegan gingerbread cookies. If you love all things gingerbread, you should check out this vegan gingerbread loaf.
However, they take a little patience if you use cookie cutters with them because the dough is so soft.
Don't be tempted to add too much flour to the recipe because that will take away from these perfect vegan gingerbread cookies.
If you flour the work surface well, you won't have a problem. And you will end up with soft gingerbread cookies.
The first time I rolled these out, I needed to flour the surface better, and I couldn't get the men to hold their shape; once I floured it properly (but not too much), they came up fine.
You want to watch the baking time because you don't want hard gingerbread unless you're trying to make a gingerbread house, then, in that case, you want it to be hard in order to stand up well.
Vegan Gingerbread Cookie Recipe Q&A
Can I use coconut oil instead of vegan butter?
I've only ever used vegan butter in this gingerbread recipe, but I think it would work if you used softened, not melted, coconut oil.
What ingredients do you need for the best vegan gingerbread cookies?
Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
- softened vegan butter
- soft brown sugar
- white sugar
- non dairy milk (almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, whichever you like)
- white vinegar (you can use apple cider vinegar if that's all you have)
- regular molasses (***NOT blackstrap molasses)
- all purpose flour
- salt
- baking soda
- baking powder
- ground cinnamon
- ground cloves
- ground ginger
- ground nutmeg
How to make this vegan gingerbread cookie recipe?
Start by grabbing your stand mixer or hand mixer.
Take a large bowl or the mixing bowl that comes with the stand mixer and combine the vegan butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.
Mix until mixed well and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed.
Add your non-dairy milk, molasses, vinegar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg, and mix until well combined. Last, add your flour and mix until combined.
Take a large piece of plastic wrap and place the dough in the plastic wrap, covering it completely and place it in the fridge to chill.
Let it chill for at least 2 hours. This is a sticky dough but work with it; it will be tasty!
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper and set it aside.
You can either roll them into balls and bake them, or you can turn them into gingerbread men.
If you're rolling them out, only work with half the dough at a time and place the other half back in the fridge until you're ready to work with it.
If you want to make them gingerbread men, then get out a Silpat and sprinkle with a decent amount of flour, then place a large piece of plastic wrap on top of the ball you're going to roll.
Then take a rolling pin and roll them out to your desired thickness, I like them a little thicker than what I have pictured, but it all depends on what you like.
Take a gingerbread man cutter or whatever your favorite cookie cutters are, dip it in flour, and then cut your shape.
Depending on how sticky your gingerbread dough is, you may need to dip the cutter in flour every few cuts.
Carefully spatula off your gingerbread men onto a Silpat or parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes; they will only look partially done, but they will continue to bake on the cookie sheet, so don't overbake them.
Let them rest for 5 minutes before carefully moving them with a spatula on a cooling rack (wire rack)
Here is a vegan royal icing recipe if you want to decorate them.
How do you serve these homemade gingerbread cookies?
These are best served after they have had time to cool. You can either cover them with icing or eat them as is. I actually like these even better the next day.
How do you store these delicious vegan gingerbread cookies?
Let the cookies come to room temperature before placing them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
Can you freeze gingerbread?
Yes, these freeze great. Let them come to room temperature before placing them in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Let them defrost on the counter before serving.
Want some more vegan Christmas cookies?
Vegan Gingerbread Cookie
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 2 TB non dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- ½ cup molasses
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¾ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Start by grabbing your stand mixer or hand mixer. Take a large bowl or the mixing bowl that comes with the stand mixer and combine the vegan butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Mix until mixed well and fluffy, scraping down as needed.
- Add your non-dairy milk, molasses, vinegar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg, and mix until well combined. Last, add your flour and mix until combined.
- Take a large piece of plastic wrap and place the dough in the plastic wrap, covering it completely and place it in the fridge to chill.
- Let it chill for at least 2 hours. This is a sticky dough but work with it; it will be tasty!
- You can either roll them into balls and bake them or turn them into gingerbread men.
- If you're rolling them out, only work with half the dough at a time and place the other half back in the fridge until you're ready to work with it.
- If you want to make them gingerbread men, then get out a Silpat and sprinkle with a decent amount of flour, then place a large piece of plastic wrap on top of the ball you're going to roll. Then take a rolling pin and roll them out to your desired thickness, I like them a little thicker than what I have pictured, but it all depends on what you like. Take a gingerbread man cutter, dip it in flour, and then cut your shape. Depending on how sticky your dough is, you may need to dip the cutter in flour every few cuts. Carefully spatula off your gingerbread men onto a Silpat or parchment paper lined cookie sheet. and bake for 8-10 minutes; they won't look totally done, but they will continue to bake on the cookie sheet, so don't overbake them. Let them rest for 5 minutes before carefully moving them with a spatula on a cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
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