Gluten-free gingerbread cookies, made with a GF flour blend, are just as good as the traditional version. With plenty of warming spices, brown sugar, and molasses, this is a classic gingerbread cookie made without gluten. Cut into any shape you like!
Decorate the cookies with an easy royal icing (without meringue powder) and top with sprinkles for a cute, festive bake. For some more cute gluten-free seasonal treats, try our Swedish chocolate balls and chocolate mint truffles.
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Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Flour: choose a good quality gluten-free flour blend, like the one from or Bob's or Cup4Cup. The cookies pictured were made with Anita's and they spread a little more than usual.
- Brown sugar: you can use either light or dark brown sugar for this recipe. Dark brown will make for a slightly deeper flavour.
- Spices: all of the spices have been included individually here. If you prefer to use a gingerbread spice mix, use 2 tablespoons. This recipe includes pepper, so it is more like a commercial Lebkuchengewürz if you can get that.
- Make it dairy-free: use a very good vegan butter in stick or block form. Note that the dough will likely be even softer this way and slightly harder to cut.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the printable recipe card with full ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
How to Make Gluten-free Gingerbread
Step 1: mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices in a bowl.
Step 2: in a large bowl, beat the butter for a minute, until fluffy.
Step 3: add the sugar and molasses.
Step 4: beat until creamed, 2-3 minutes.
Step 5: add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
Step 6: divide the dough in two, wrap well, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Step 7: roll the dough out on a well-floured work surface and cut into shapes.
Step 8: place onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 8-13 minutes.
Top Tips
- Re-roll as needed: since you're using gluten-free flour, the dough scraps can be re-rolled multiple times without needing to worry about tough cookies. Use up all that dough!
- Be sure to use fancy molasses: fancy is for baking. Blackstrap molasses isn't sweet.
- Adjust the spices to taste: if you don't like cloves, leave it out, use cardamom in place of allspice, and so on. It does all blend together so if you're not particularly fond of one of the spices, you probably won't notice it in the final result anyway – it'll just taste like gingerbread.
Recipe Notes
This is a fairly soft dough and a bit more prone to tearing since it's gluten-free. We recommend rolling the dough out in small batches to account for this, and chilling before lifting the cookie cut-outs if needed.
The baking time varies widely here because cookie cutters come in all different sizes. Check for a little bit of browning around the very edges and a slightly firm edge to know when the cookies are baked.
This makes a large batch of cookies, about 40 with standard gingerbread people cut-outs. If it's too much for you, halve the recipe (there's a handy slider option in the recipe card that will automatically change the amounts for you).
Since gluten-free gingerbread is more prone to spreading than that made with white flour, it's good to use simple shapes for the cookie cut-outs. If you make the recipe once and find that your GF blend works fantastically and is spreading minimally, you can do more intricate shapes.
To use a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar with the whisk attachment, then switch to the paddle attachment to add the flour mixture. There's less concern with over-mixing for gluten-free cookies so you don't need to worry too much about that.
How to Store
Storage: let the icing dry fully, or store without icing. Keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to a week, with paper between layers of cookies to prevent the icing from sticking.
Freezing: again make sure any icing is dried fully. Transfer the cookies to an airtight container with sheets of parchment paper between layers, and freeze for up to a month.
FAQ
Can I use a single flour?
We haven't tested this recipe with anything but a gluten-free blend, and don't recommend subbing something like buckwheat flour in its place.
Why is my gingerbread cracking?
If your cookie dough is cracking, it probably hasn't been chilled for long enough. Gingerbread is a recipe that can't be rushed as it is such a soft dough.
Is it OK for gingerbread cookie dough to chill overnight?
Definitely. If you have time to refrigerate your dough overnight, the cookies will only taste better for it, and be easier to roll out and cut into shapes.
If you make this Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookie recipe or any other cookie recipes on the Baked Collective, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more baking, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Gluten-free Gingerbread Cookies
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
- 2 Mixing bowls
- Electric hand or standing mixer
- Parchment paper
- Cookie cutters
- baking sheet
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cups gluten-free flour blend plus more for work surface
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoons ground cloves optional
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon finely ground pepper optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- â…” cup salted butter room temperature
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup fancy molasses not blackstrap
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices to a large bowl. Whisk to combine.3 ¼ cups gluten-free flour blend, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoons ground cloves, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon finely ground pepper, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter for about a minute, until fluffy. Add the brown sugar and molasses and beat again to cream, 2-3 minutes, until lighter in colour and fluffy.⅔ cup salted butter, ½ cup packed light brown sugar, ½ cup fancy molasses
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until combined. The dough will be sticky. Divide into 2 pieces and wrap well, then chill overnight or for at least 4 hours.
- Generously flour a piece of parchment paper on a work surface (this makes it easier to lift the cookies without tearing). Roll one piece of the dough out into a disc about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut out shapes with your cookie cutters. If the dough is tearing when lifted, transfer it to the fridge or freezer for 15-30 minutes to harden enough to lift without breaking. Transfer the shapes to the prepared baking sheet.
- Re-roll the dough scraps and cut out more shapes, using as much of the dough as possible. Chill the cookies on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake the chilled cookies for 8-13 minutes, depending on the size. The cookies will be lightly golden and just firm to the touch around the edges when they're ready. Repeat for the remaining dough.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully. Ice with royal icing and decorated as you'd like before serving. Gingerbread cookies can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to a week.