These are the most perfect gluten free gingerbread cookies ever. They're wonderfully soft, but still hold their shape when baked, and have the right amount of spice and molasses flavor.
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I always thought gingerbread cookies were kinda stale and dry at best. I never really knew they could be as good as these! They're so soft and wonderfully spicy, what the heck was I thinking not making them all this time????
Ingredients You'll Need to Make Gingerbread Cookies
- Kim's All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour Blend -- a store bought blend may be substituted, but hasn't been tested.
- Butter -- nothin' but butta cuz it's the best!
- Molasses -- always found in gingerbread, it helps the cookies stay moist and chewy longer than regular sugar.
- Baking soda -- helps the cookies puff slightly.
- Orange zest -- if desired, but I urge you to try it at least once. You’ll never make them any other way.
Making Gluten Free Gingerbread Men
Cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Slowly pour in the molasses and mix until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients in increments, pulsing so you don't end up with a cloud of flour and spices.
Divide the dough in half. Wrap one in plastic wrap and let sit on the counter while rolling out the other half.
Roll out the dough to about ⅜-inch thick. Keeping the cookies thick means when they bake, they'll stay soft. If you want a crisper cookie, roll the dough thinner.
Cut out the cookies with cookie cutters (I made mine all gingerbread men using this cutter) and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 10 minutes and remove from the oven to cool on a wire rack.
Substitutions
- Dairy free - use a dairy-free alternative, such as dairy-free butter sticks or solid vegetable shortening.
- Molasses substitute – I know molasses isn’t always available in different countries, so you can try dark corn syrup or treacle. You may not get quite as strong of a flavor, but the consistency should remain the same.
What's the Best Type of Icing to Use on These Cookies?
My personal preference is a thin white glaze that I’ve included the recipe for below, but I also like to use classic royal icing. But you can't go wrong with any icing in my opinion! You can also use a simple American buttercream. Just note that buttercream will crust over, but it won't dry hard.
Gingerbread Cookies FAQs
This gingerbread cookie recipe produces a very soft cookie. For crisper cookies, roll the dough thinner.
This dough does NOT need to be refrigerated before rolling out. It is a breeze to work with and can be easily rolled out with just a light dusting of flour.
These are some of the BEST cookies to make in advance. The dough can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen, the cookies can be baked and frozen, and the baked cookies dipped in a glaze can be made a few weeks beforehand. The glaze helps keep them fresh and moist.
More Christmas Cookies to Enjoy
- Gluten Free Fudge Ribbon Cookies
- https://www.letthemeatgfcake.com/gluten-free-gingerbread-biscotti/Gluten Free Gingerbread Biscotti
- Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Gluten Free Mexican Wedding Cookies
- Perfect Gluten Free Snickerdoodles
- Gluten Free Biscoff Style Cookies
- Gluten Free M&M Cookies
What are your favorite cookies to make at Christmastime? I'll bet these perfect gluten free gingerbread cookies might just make your top five list, even if you don't think you like gingerbread!
Perfect Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups (2½ sticks or 283 g) butter, at cool room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at cool room temperature
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (210 g) molasses
- 5¾ cups (805 g) Kim's gluten free all purpose flour blend (a store bought blend may be substituted, but hasn't been tested)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ tablespoon ground ginger
- 4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- zest of one orange
Thin Icing
- 6 cups (750g) powdered sugar
- ⅔ cup (160g) milk
- 4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add orange zest, vanilla, and molasses and beat until smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl.
- Turn mixer down to low and add flour mixture, a little at a time, pulsing to combine, until all the flour mixture is incorporated.
- Divide mixture into two and place one half on plastic wrap. Wrap it tightly and let it sit on counter while you roll out the other one.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Roll out half of the dough on lightly floured surface to about ⅜ inch thick. Cut out cookies with cutters and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Repeat with the other half of dough.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking, until slightly puffed. Remove from the oven and leave on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring cookies to cooling rack to cool completely before decorating as desired.
To Make Thin Icing:
- Whisk all icing ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth. Dip cookies in icing to fully coat. Let dry on wire rack. Icing will set hard.
Judi Forman says
Hi Kim. I’ve made these twice and really like the recipe. I thought I’d mention, though, that the instructions don’t seem to specify when to add the vanilla (with the molasses, I assumed) and when to add the orange rind - here, I assumed it should be included with the flour, salt, baking soda and spices. I think the orange rind is what makes this cookie so special!
Kim says
I apologize, Judy. I just corrected that in the recipe coard.
Maggie says
Silly question. What is the trick to dipping cookies in the thin icing? I'm trying to think of the best tool to use plus not use my fingers if possible. Thank you!!
Kim says
You can drop the entire cookie in the icing and pull it out with a fork or candy dipping fork, and tap the excess off on the side of the bowl. Place it on a wire rack to drain and dry.
Ginger Schillinger says
Can this dough be used to make a gingerbread house or is it to soft?
Thanks
Kim says
Good question! I haven't tried it so I don't know for sure, but I bet if you rolled it thinner it would be strong enough.
Lynice says
My husband and son were just diagnosed with celiac disease, so I am looking for gluten free recipes for our existing recipes. Wondering if you ever tried this recipe for gingerbread houses? Thanks in advance!
Kim says
I haven't, but I'm unsure if it would work for that particular application as this is a pretty soft cookie. However, you might be able to bake it longer for it to be more sturdy.
Linda Wilkins says
Could you substitute coconut butter or Nutiva shortening for the butter in this recipe to make them dairy free?
Kim says
I don't see why not, Linda. I would give it a go 🙂