Description
These soft gluten-free gingerbread cookies are a delightful holiday treat made with a blend of warm spices, molasses, and a gluten-free flour mix. Perfect for shaping into gingerbread men, snowflakes, and festive ornaments, this recipe ensures a chewy texture and rich flavor without gluten.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter or vegan butter, softened (170 grams/1.5 sticks)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (100 grams)
- 1/2 cup molasses (120 grams)
- 1 large egg (at room temperature)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups gluten-free measure-for-measure flour, like King Arthur Flour (420 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Additional Ingredients
- A few tablespoons additional flour (for flouring the work surface and cookie cutters)
Frosting Ingredients
- 2 cups powdered sugar (240 grams)
- 3-4 Tablespoons milk (almond milk or preferred milk)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter or vegan butter with the brown sugar until fluffy. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth and well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, kosher salt, and baking soda until evenly distributed.
- Mix Wet and Dry Together: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until a smooth dough forms. If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle a few tablespoons of additional gluten-free flour to reach the right consistency for rolling.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight, to firm it up and enhance the flavors.
- Preheat and Prepare Workspace: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly flour your work surface and the cookie cutters with gluten-free flour to prevent sticking.
- Roll and Cut the Cookies: Roll the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until edges are set and the cookies are lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Prepare the Frosting: In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk (starting with 3 tablespoons), and vanilla extract. Add more milk as needed to create a smooth piping consistency.
- Decorate the Cookies: Once cookies are completely cool, pipe or spread the frosting over the cookies for decoration. Allow the frosting to set before serving or storing.
Notes
- Use gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blends to ensure the right texture.
- Chilling the dough prevents spreading and helps achieve a cleaner cut for cookie shapes.
- For vegan options, use vegan butter and plant-based milk like almond milk as indicated.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- Powdered sugar frosting can be customized with food coloring or added flavor extracts for variety.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 186 kcal
- Sugar: 16.7 g
- Sodium: 159.1 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32.2 g
- Fiber: 0.7 g
- Protein: 1.4 g
- Cholesterol: 23 mg
