Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookie recipe

Originally posted December 23, 2014

Generally when I see pictures of gingerbread cookies, I know they are off limits. So, along with recipes for many of my other favorite holiday cookies, I have created one for a gluten-free gingerbread. These are really easy to make and can be made dairy-free and vegan. If you can tolerate dairy, simply use a stick of butter in place of the shortening or butter substitute.

You can also use this recipe to make your very own gluten-free gingerbread house as well as the standard gingerbread cookies for eating or decorating. Both are delicious.

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies with Dairy-Free and Egg-Free options

Yield: about 30 – 40 cookies depending upon size

• 3 cups Amy’s Gluten-Free flour blend or a rice-tapioca-potato starch based blend
• ½ cup sorghum flour
• 1 heaping teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend has gum in it)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea or kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves

• ½ cup shortening or butter substitute  (note: I have found 95 grams of shortening is the right amount if weighed)
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg (or egg replacer* for 1 egg, prepared)
• ½ cup mild or light molasses for lighter cookies or dark molasses for darker cookies
• 1 – 3 tablespoons water
• Potato or tapioca starch for rolling

Note: Use a stand mixer since the dough will be heavy.

*Try this egg replacer recipe: In a small bowl, mix 1 ½ teaspoons each of potato and tapioca starch, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum and 3 tablespoons of warm water. Let sit for 10 minutes.

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1. In a medium bowl, combine flour blend with sorghum flour, gum, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Whisk together thoroughly and set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream shortening or butter substitute with sugar until well-blended. Beat for 1 minute.
3. Add egg or egg substitute and beat until well mixed. Next add molasses and beat until well mixed. Beat for 30 seconds until fluffy.
4. Add dry ingredients gradually and mix briefly.
5. Add 1 tablespoon of water and mix gently until dough comes together. Add more water if necessary.
6. Divide dough into two discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before rolling out.
7. About 15 minutes before you take out the cookie dough, heat oven to 375ºF. Prepare 2 baking sheets lined either with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
8. Remove dough from fridge and save plastic wrap. Wait about 5 minutes until slightly warmed up.
9. Using a small amount of potato or tapioca starch on the counter and plastic wrap on top, roll out dough to ¼″ thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes and place on baking sheet leaving about ½” to 1″ between cookies.
10. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely before frosting.

I make a simple frosting for the cookies with confectioner’s sugar (about 1 cup) mixed with ½ teaspoon of vanilla and a non-dairy milk like coconut or almond. I add just enough milk to make a thick paste then use that to either spread a glaze over the cookies or drop bits to make eyes, mouths, etc. Another option is royal icing. See the post for rolled sugar cookies for that frosting recipe.

Have fun with it and enjoy!