Soft Vegan Gingerbread Cookies - Cozy, Chewy, and Perfectly Spiced
Enjoy soft vegan gingerbread cookies—warm, spiced, chewy holiday treats that are dairy-free, delicious, and perfect for festive snacking!
Equipment
- 2 baking sheets
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
- 2.25 Cups All-purpose flour or a 1:1 gluten-free blend if needed
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- ½ tsp Fine sea salt
- 1.5 tsp Ground ginger
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- ¼ Ground nutmeg
- ⅛ Ground cloves
- ½ cup Vegan butter stick-style for best results
- ¾ cups Dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup Unsulphured molasses not blackstrap
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp Plant milk almond, oat, or soy
- Granulated sugar for rolling, optional
- Optional add-ins: orange zest finely chopped crystallized ginger
Instructions
- Prep your tools: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set the oven to 350°F (175°C) so it’s ready to go.
- Whisk the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.2.25 Cups All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Baking soda, ½ tsp Fine sea salt, 1.5 tsp Ground ginger, 1 tsp Ground cinnamon, ¼ Ground nutmeg, ⅛ Ground cloves
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat vegan butter and dark brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. This traps air and helps the cookies bake evenly.½ cup Vegan butter, ¾ cups Dark brown sugar
- Add the wet ingredients: Mix in molasses, vanilla, and plant milk. The mixture may look slightly separated; that’s fine.1/3 cup Unsulphured molasses, 1 tsp Vanilla extract, 2 tbsp Plant milk
- Combine: Add the dry mixture to the wet in two additions, mixing just until no dry streaks remain.
- If using, fold in orange zest or finely chopped crystallized ginger.Optional add-ins: orange zest
- Chill the dough: Cover and refrigerate for 30–45 minutes. This makes rolling easier and prevents spreading.
- Shape: Scoop 1 1/2 tablespoon portions and roll into balls. If you like a sparkly finish, roll each ball in granulated sugar.Granulated sugar
- Place on the lined sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look slightly puffed and soft. They’ll firm up as they cool. For extra-soft cookies, err on the shorter bake time.
- Cool: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Optional glaze or dip: Drizzle with a simple icing (powdered sugar + plant milk) or dip half in melted dairy-free white chocolate once fully cooled.
