These vegan and gluten free ginger molasses cookies have a chewy texture and perfectly spiced flavor thanks to the addition of both fresh and ground ginger! The dough requires 2 hours of chilling time and yields 40 small cookies that are perfect for gifting and enjoying during the holidays.
If I had to pick just ONE cookie to eat for the rest of my life, it would be these ginger molasses cookies! Between the chewy texture, the subtle smoky sweetness from the molasses, and the punchy spices, they’re honestly my ideal cookie. For my version, I’ve kept them both gluten free and vegan and added two different kinds of ginger along with cinnamon and cloves to ensure a nice kick of flavor. These are perfect for the holidays, but honestly, they can be enjoyed any time of the year. I hope you enjoy these lovely little vegan and gluten free cookies!
Notes on Ingredients and Substitutions
I’ve made these vegan and gluten free cookies many different ways over the years! If you’re not vegan, feel free to use regular melted butter instead of vegan butter and 1 large room temperature egg in place of the applesauce. You can also make these with coconut sugar in place of brown sugar though the cookies won’t be as chewy. Not gluten free? You can absolutely make these will all-purpose flour! Through testing I’ve found that subbing in 2 to 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour in place of the buckwheat and oat flours yields delicious results. I usually start with two cups and then add in up to 1/4 cup more if the dough looks a bit too wet.
Tips for Achieving the Best Flavor and Texture
- USE FRESH GINGER AND GROUND GINGER. Using both types of ginger gives these a well-rounded and more complex ginger flavor. Fresh ginger is more mild with a complex flavor and subtle sweetness while ground ginger is more potent and spicy.
- CHILL THE DOUGH. Chilling the dough for at least 2 hours before baking is necessary to allow it to firm up and for the flours to properly absorb the wet ingredients. Without chilling, the dough is very soft and will spread considerably in the oven.
- PORTION THE DOUGH. Use either a tablespoon sized cookie scoop (0.5 ounce) or a tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop out the dough before rolling it into balls. This ensures all of the cookies are the same size and they bake evenly.
- COAT WITH SUGAR. The coating of sugar on the outside helps give these the perfect crunchy and chewy texture. It also gives them a beautiful sparkle!
Vegan and Gluten Free Ginger Molasses Cookies in 6 Easy Steps
Looking for more Holiday Baking Inspo?
Looking for another vegan and gluten free cookie for the holidays? Try these gluten free thumbprints with orange marmalade! There’s no chilling time involved and you have them baked and ready in just over 30 minutes. If you’re planning on whipping up a holiday breakfast or brunch, I really love these gluten free spiced cranberry orange scones or these vegan and gluten free lemon coconut macaroons.
Gluten Free Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 40 small cookies 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These vegan and gluten free ginger molasses cookies have a chewy texture and perfectly spiced flavor thanks to the addition of both fresh and ground ginger! The dough requires 2 hours of chilling time and yields 40 small cookies that are perfect for gifting and enjoying during the holidays.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, melted
- 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger root, grated on a microplane or very finely chopped
- 2 scant cups oat flour
- 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup turbinado sugar, for rolling
Instructions
Combine the melted butter, molasses, applesauce, brown sugar, and grated ginger in a medium sized bowl. Whisk until smooth. In a separate bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flours, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until the dough comes together and you no longer see pockets of dry flour. It will be a fairly soft dough. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and put the turbinado sugar in a shallow bowl. Using a 0.5-ounce cookie scoop or tablespoon measure, scoop up portions of the dough, roll them into a ball, then drop them into the sugar. Roll the ball of dough around until it is coated in the sugar. Place the cookies on your prepared baking sheet at least 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart as they will spread during baking. Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes or until just set. Keep in mind that they will set further as they cool.
Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to continue cooling. Cookies can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Leftovers store best in an airtight container at room temperature. Make sure to enjoy within 5 days.
- If you’re mailing these in a care package, these can be packaged up and mailed the same day they are baked. Just make sure to send them priority or express to make sure they get there within 2-3 days!
- Leftover cookies can also be frozen. Place cookies in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge.
- If you want to save some hand strength, go ahead and scoop/portion the dough once it is mixed and place it on a parchment lined platter or baking sheet. Cover the dough with plastic wrap, then chill for 2 hours. The dough can be quite hard to scoop straight out of the fridge so this is my go-to method lately!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 13-15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
My bestie is GF and he loves ginger molasses cookies – I am going to make him a batch! Thank you.
I hope he enjoys them!