Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Vegan gingerbread cookies are classic holiday treats that are sure to delight. They are soft, chewy and hand-decorated with vegan royal icing.
These vegan gingerbread cookies feature a heavily-spiced cookie dough and royal icing that will bring back holiday memories.
Molasses, ginger and other spices combine in a classic cookie that tastes just like Grandma’s! These eggless snacks make a perfect holiday gift!
Use cookie cutters of all types to create various shapes or make ones shaped like tiny people. Enjoy them with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate.
This recipe was adapted from Joy of Cooking, published in 1971.
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Key Ingredient Notes
- Mixed Spices – This includes cloves, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and gingerbread spice or allspice.
- Vegan butter – I used Earth Balance Buttery Stick. Do not use spreadable margarine as this could make the cookie dough too soft.
- Dark molasses – helps the cookies stay soft and adds a rich flavor.
- Confectioner’s sugar – sift to reduce lumps.
- Aquafaba – this is the liquid from canned chickpeas and can make an excellent egg white replacement for royal icing.
- Lemon juice – balances the sweetness in the icing.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cream the vegan butter and sugar together in a large bowl by hand or with a mixer until it is very light in color. Beat in the molasses and vanilla.
- Sift the dry ingredients into a smaller bowl, then gradually stir into the creamed mixture until combined. Slowly add enough water to form a dough, and gently knead until the cookie dough is smooth but firm.
- Optional: Refrigerate the cookie dough for 1 hour or overnight for more texture and flavor development.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.
- Divide the dough in half, and wrap one half in plastic wrap to keep it from drying out and set it aside.
- Roll out the other half of the cookie dough to ⅛ inch (3mm) thickness between two sheets of parchment paper dusted with flour. Using cookie cutters approximately 4 inches in diameter, make about eight cutouts from the rolled-out cookie dough.
- Place the cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, keeping them about 2 inches (5cm) apart.
- Bake for 8 minutes or until they have risen slightly, and cool the tray for 2 minutes before transferring the cookies to cooling racks.
- Repeat the rolling out and cutting process with the remaining dough.
Make the vegan royal icing
- In a small bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, aquafaba, and vanilla.
- Gradually stir in the lemon juice a little at a time until the icing reaches a thick, soft peak consistency. When the spoon is lifted from the bowl, the peaks that form should fold over, barely holding their shape. Adjust the consistency with more confectioners’ sugar if needed.
(For a more visual demonstration of soft peak consistency, check out this video by The Graceful Baker)
- Fit a piping bag with a #2 writing tip, and add the icing to the bag. Make your desired designs on the completely cooled cookies, and allow the icing to dry before enjoying.
Notes & Substitutions
- Be sure to use dark molasses in this recipe for the richest flavor.
- Some of the granulated sugar can be substituted with brown sugar to further deepen the flavor. However, this can alter the moisture content of the cookie, so the water may need to be reduced.
- The icing can be dyed. Use vegan food coloring to create as many colors as desired.
Key Tips for Success
- Be sure the cookies have cooled for 2 minutes before moving off the baking sheets. They can crack or fall apart if moved before they have cooled enough.
- Using aquafaba in royal icing helps it dry smooth, matte and hold its shape.
- Do not decorate cookies until they have fully cooled, or the icing will melt.
Storage Suggestion
The cookies will store for up to a week in a tightly sealed container. Be sure to keep them as dry as possible, as humidity can cause the icing to soften.
More Holiday Cookie Recipes
- Vegan Linzer Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Vegan Brandy Snaps
- Vegan Sugar Cookies
- Vegan Snowball Cookies
- Vegan Black and White Cookies
Vegan Gingerbread Cookies (Soft, Chewy)
Calories:209
Servings: 16
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Gingerbread cookies are classic vegan holiday treats that are sure to delight. They are soft, chewy and hand-decorated with vegan royal icing.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Parchment paper
- 18-by-13 inch half sheet pan
- Rolling Pin
- Sifter
Recipes: For more accuracy, use Metric measurements & measuring spoons.
How To Measure Baking Ingredients Correctly
Ingredients
Cookies:
- ¼ cup (57 g) vegan butter, I used Earth Balance Buttery Sticks
- ½ cup (88 g) granulated cane sugar
- ½ cup (180 g) dark molasses
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups (420 g) all-purpose flour, unbleached or bleached, plus extra for dusting
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon mixed baking spice, or gingerbread spice, optional but adds extra flavour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water, or more if needed
Vegan Royal Icing:
- 1 cup (125 g) confectioner’s sugar, or more if needed
- 2 teaspoons aquafaba, liquid from a can of chickpeas
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice, or as needed
Instructions
Make the cookies:
- Cream the vegan butter and sugar in a large bowl with a large spoon or a mixer until light in colour. Mix in the molasses and vanilla.¼ cup (57 g) vegan butter ,½ cup (180 g) dark molasses ,½ teaspoon vanilla extract ,½ cup (88 g) granulated cane sugar
- Sift the remaining dry ingredients together into a smaller bowl, then gradually stir into the creamed mixture.3 ½ cups (420 g) all-purpose flour ,½ teaspoon baking powder ,¼ teaspoon baking soda ,½ teaspoon mixed baking spice ,½ teaspoon cloves ,1 teaspoon cinnamon ,2 teaspoons ginger ,¼ teaspoon nutmeg ,¼ teaspoon salt
- Gradually mix in enough of the water to form a dough. Gently knead for a few seconds until smooth but firm.¼ cup (60 ml) water
- For more flavour and colour development, refrigerate the dough for 1 hour or overnight before rolling out, but this step is optional.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.
- Divide the dough in half, wrap one half in cling film to keep it from drying out and set it aside.
- Roll out the other half of the dough to ⅛ inch (3mm) thick between 2 sheets of parchment paper dusted with flour.
- Make about eight cutouts with a 4-inch (10cm) cookie cutter. Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, 2-inches (5cm) apart.
- Bake for 8 minutes or until they have risen slightly. Cool 2 minutes on the tray before transferring them to cooling racks.
- Repeat the steps with the remaining half of the dough.
Make the icing and decorate the cookies:
- In a small bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, aquafaba and vanilla.1 cup (125 g) confectioner’s sugar ,2 teaspoons aquafaba ,¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gradually stir in enough lemon juice to make a thick, soft peak consistency. When the mixture is lifted with a spoon, the peaks formed should fold over and barely hold their shape.½ teaspoon lemon juice
- Adjust the consistency with more sugar if needed.
- Add the icing to a piping bag fitted with a #2 tip and make your desired designs on the cooled cookies.
- Allow the icing to dry before enjoying.
Notes
- Some of the granulated sugar can be substituted with brown sugar to further deepen the flavour. However, this can alter the moisture content of the cookie, so the water may need to be reduced.
- The icing can be dyed. Use vegan food colouring to create as many colours as desired.
- Be sure the cookies have cooled for 2 minutes before moving off the baking sheets. They can crack or fall apart if moved before they have cooled enough.
- Using aquafaba in royal icing helps it dry smooth, matte and hold its shape.
- Do not decorate cookies until they have fully cooled, or the icing will melt.
- Store for up to a week in a tightly sealed container. Be sure to keep them as dry as possible, as humidity can cause the icing to soften.
- This recipe was adapted from Joy of Cooking,1971.
Tried this recipe? Snap a photo & share it in the comments below!
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Gingerbread Cookies (Soft, Chewy)
Serving Size
1 cookie
Amount per Serving
Calories
209
% Daily Value*
Fat
3
g
5
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
1
g
Sodium
93
mg
4
%
Potassium
188
mg
5
%
Carbohydrates
43
g
14
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
22
g
24
%
Protein
3
g
6
%
Vitamin A
1
IU
0
%
Vitamin C
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
36
mg
4
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Can you make the dough a week ahead and freeze it? I’d like to do this with my Girl Scout troop, but we won’t have enough time in one meting to make the dough, cut, bake and decorate cookies.
Hi Stacey,
Yes, the dough freezes well. Just allow enough time to thaw if it’s a big batch.