Ring in the holiday season with these delicious and spirited Vegan Gingerbread Cookies, sure to delight young and old alike!
I have to admit right off the bat that I am, at my heart, a complete sucker for the holidays. There’s something about the glow of Christmas lights, the melody of bells ringing in the air, and the smell of fresh evergreen trees that fills my heart with warmth. Of course, there are plenty of downsides to Christmas where I live. Is it usually freezing and uncomfortable and grey? Yes, you bet. Do we ever get any beautiful snow cascading outside our windows? Nope, none at all.
But despite all the stress around shopping and preparing the meal and dealing with wacky family members from out of town, the holiday season still brings me back to those cherished memories as a child. No matter how tired or overworked I might be, I’m always drawn back to those moments in my mind — making cookies with my grandmother, sitting by the fire, reading Christmas stories and feeling at peace.
Now that I am a certified grown-up (which I have been for longer than I care to admit), I’ve been trying to replicate that holiday magic for my own kids and family. Sometimes it can feel downright impossible to make Christmas magical and I realize now how much effort my own mother put into every little detail. But here’s a simple trick that will bring in plenty of Christmas warmth and seasonal cheer – my recipe for Vegan Gingerbread Cookies.
Do I need a cookie cutter?
Nope! You can always get by without one, but I would honestly recommend picking one up, simply because it’s a cheap and easy addition to your kitchen stock that will make the holidays a lot more fun for years to come. Most grocery stores stock holiday-themed cookie cutters starting around October or November — from trees, to stockings, to bells, to gingerbread men — and they usually won’t run you more than a couple bucks at most.
Of course, if you can’t find a gingerbread-shaped cookie cutter, this recipe will still work fine. Take it from me, though: if you don’t have a cookie cutter, don’t try to shape the cookies yourself. That will turn into a whole lot more trouble than it’s worth, and all you’ll end up with are a bunch of mutant cookie monsters that will probably scare your kids more than delight them. I say keep it simple and make regular-shaped circle cookies, and your kids will still be pleased at how tasty they are.
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Gingerbread cookies are incredibly easy to store. Simply put them in an airtight container and leave at room temperature for up to three weeks.
Serving Suggestions
The best way to serve gingerbread cookies is to simply place them on a tray and let folks grab them as they please. You can also chop them up over ice cream or enjoy them with a rich and creamy homemade hot chocolate. During the holidays, they also make a great and cheap gift, as do these Christmas dove cookies and these snowman sugar cookies.
Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan butter softened
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk or as needed
Instructions
- Allow vegan butter to reach room temperature for smooth mixing.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
- Cream vegan butter, molasses, and brown sugar until fluffy, then blend in vanilla.
- Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet until a dough forms. Knead slightly and chill for 1 hour.
- Roll dough on a floured surface, cut into shapes, and chill cutouts for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies for 11-13 minutes and cool on a wire rack.
- For icing, mix powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and almond milk until smooth. Decorate cookies and let icing set.
- Store cookies in an airtight container.
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