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Home » Recipes » Vegan Holidays » Christmas » Classic Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

Classic Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

by Sarah McMinn / Posted: December 16, 2020 / Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins

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It's the perfect Vegan Gingerbread Cookie! They are sweet, spicy, and with the perfect crunch. Make them a little healthier by using coconut sugar. You won't even be able to taste the difference!
It's the perfect Vegan Gingerbread Cookie! They are sweet, spicy, and with the perfect crunch. Make them a little healthier by using coconut sugar. You won't even be able to taste the difference!
It's the perfect Vegan Gingerbread Cookie! They are sweet, spicy, and with the perfect crunch. Make them a little healthier by using coconut sugar. You won't even be able to taste the difference!

It's the perfect Vegan Gingerbread Cookie! They are sweet, spicy, and with a delightful crunch. If you want, you can make them a little healthier by using coconut sugar. You won't even be able to taste the difference!

Finished gingerbread cookies on a wooden platter

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

It's that time of year again!

Yep, it's time to get out your wire whisks and paper piping bags, stock up on spices and sweeteners, and put on your stretchy pants...we are gonna start baking. And we are starting with these vegan gingerbread cookies.

These vegan gingerbread men are just as you imagine they would be. Sweet, spicy, and with that perfect crunch. Start your baking tradition by whipping up a batch of these easy cookies and sharing them with your friends and family.


Table of Contents show
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
Step-by-Step Instructions
Serving and Storing
Tips and Tricks
Frequently Asked Questions
More Vegan Christmas Cookie Recipes
Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread Cookies
Royal Icing

Recommended Ingredients & Equipment

You don't need much to make these vegan cookies. And best of all, they are likely ingredients you already have on hand!

Here is everything you need.

Ingredients for gingerbread cookies measured out and placed on a marble countertop

Ingredient Notes

  • Vegan Butter – Look for a high-quality non-hydrogenated vegan butter. I recommend either Earth Balance or Miyoko’s.
  • Brown Sugar – Check out my guide to vegan sugars and healthy sugar alternatives. I recommend trying these cookies with coconut sugar.
  • Applesauce – The applesauce acts as the binder for these cookies. You can’t taste the applesauce but if you would prefer a different kind of egg replacer, check out my complete guide on replacing eggs to get a few more ideas.
  • All-Purpose Flour – For gluten-free options, you can use a 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Baking Blend (<<affiliate link). You could also use up to 50% whole wheat flour without negatively affecting the taste and texture.
  • Spices – You will need a combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.

Recommended Equipment

For all my cookie recipes, I recommend a stand-up mixer. These make whipping, beating, and blending so much easier. However, they are pricy and if they are not in your budget, you can make cookies with by hand or with a handheld mixer.

In addition, you will need basic cooking equipment including baking sheets, silicone baking mats, a rolling pin, cookie cutters, and a wire cooling rack. (<<affiliate links)


Step-by-Step Instructions

Step One - Make the Dough

To begin, mix together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. That’s the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Next, using a stand-up mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and airy. Add the molasses and applesauce and combine.

Cookie dough batter in a stand up mixer

The dough may look a little curdled at this point. That’s okay! It will sort itself out once the rest of the ingredients are added.

Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Do not over mix that dough. Once you add the flour, mix it until it just starts coming together. At that point, turn it out onto a floured work surface and bring it together with your hands. Otherwise your cookies will be tough and brittle.

Cookie dough rolled out onto a piece of parchment paper

Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper, top with another paper and roll out to about ¼ inch thick. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step Two - Bake the Cookies

Gingerbread men cut out and placed on a parchment lined baking sheet

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Once your dough is chilled, cut out shapes with your cookie cutters.

Pro Tip: Avoid rolling out the dough many times. Each time the dough is rolled, it will get more cracked and dense. Keep the shapes as close together as possible.

Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes, until browned on the edges and cooked all the way through. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step Three - Decorate with Icing

Baked gingerbread men cooling on a wire cooling rack

While cookies are cooling, whisk together sugar and milk until it is completely smooth. You may need to adjust the wet and dry ingredients. Make sure the frosting is pipeable but no so thin that it will lose its shape once on the cookie.

Once cookies are completely cool, decorate with royal icing.

Finished gingerbread cookies on a wooden platter

Serving and Storing

Store Cookies: Once cookies are completely cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Raw dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Freeze Cookie Dough: If you only want to make only a few at a time, you can store the remaining dough in the freezer. To do this, shape the cookies into their shapes and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Set them in the freezer to freeze all the way through. Once frozen, transfer the unbaked cookies to a large ziplock bag and return to the freezer. You can store the cookies this way for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to bake, remove from freezer and bake!

Tips and Tricks

  1. Do not over mix that dough. Once you add the flour, mix it until it just starts coming together. At that point, turn it out onto a floured work surface and bring it together with your hands.
  2. Chill your dough. Make sure to chill your dough for at least one hour before baking it. This allows the dough to firm up and hold its shape in the oven.
  3. Bake at a higher temperature. For that crispy texture bake your gingerbread cookies at 400F.
  4. Do not overbake. Once those edges have just begun browning pull them out. The cookie will continue to harden as it cools.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I decorate my cookies?

If you need some ideas on how to decorate your vegan gingerbread men, check out this video tutorial. You will need a piping bag to finished these cookies.

How can I tell when my cookies are done?

The edges of the cookies will become lightly brown. You can also check for doneness by lightly pressing your finger in the center of the cookie. The cookies should be soft but not so soft that your finger goes through easily. Don't let them get too hard. They will continue to harden as they cool.

Can I add other decorations to my cookies?

For sure! Feel free to add sprinkles, vegan candies, or more frosting to your gingerbread people.


More Vegan Christmas Cookie Recipes

  • Vegan Eggnog Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
  • Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
  • Hazelnut Sandies
  • Chocolate-Dipped Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

For more inspiration, make sure to grab a copy of my FREE Christmas Cookie Recipe eBook.

Finished gingerbread cookies on a wooden platter

Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

It's the perfect Vegan Gingerbread Cookie! They are sweet, spicy, and with the perfect crunch. Make them a little healthier by using coconut sugar. You won't even be able to taste the difference!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Freeze Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 18 cookies, depending on the cutter size
Calories: 197kcal
Author: Sarah McMinn

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cookies

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon allspice
  • ½ cup vegan butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup blackstrap molasses
  • ¼ cup applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Royal Icing

  • 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vegan butter, melted
  • 1-2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • To begin, mix together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. That’s the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Set aside.
  • In a stand-up mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and airy. Add the molasses and applesauce and combine. The dough may look a little curdled at this point. That’s okay! It will sort itself out once the rest of the ingredients are added.
  • Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Do not over mix that dough. Once you add the flour, mix it until it just starts coming together. At that point, turn it out onto a floured work surface and bring it together with your hands.
  • Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper, top with another paper and roll out to about ¼ inch thick. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Once your dough is chilled, cut out shapes with your cookie cutters. Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes, until browned on the edges and cooked all the way through. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • While cookies are cooling, whisk together sugar and milk until it is completely smooth. You may need to adjust the wet and dry ingredients. Make sure the frosting is pipeable but no so thin that it will lose its shape once on the cookie.

Notes

Serving and Storing - Once cookies are completely cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Raw dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Make in Advance - If you only want to make only a few at a time, you can store the remaining dough in the freezer. To do this, shape the cookies into their shapes and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Set them in the freezer to freeze all the way through. Once frozen, transfer the unbaked cookies to a large ziplock bag and return to the freezer. You can store the cookies this way for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to bake, remove from freezer and bake!
Recipe Tips
  1. Do not over mix that dough. Once you add the flour, mix it until it just starts coming together. At that point, turn it out onto a floured work surface and bring it together with your hands.
  2. Chill your dough. Make sure to chill your dough for at least one hour before baking it. This allows the dough to firm up and hold its shape in the oven.
  3. Do not overbake. Once those edges have just begun browning pull them out. The cookie will continue to harden as it cools.
Decorating Tips -If you need some ideas on how to decorate your vegan gingerbread men, check out this video tutorial. You will need a piping bag to finished these cookies.

Nutrition

Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 273IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
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Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the 4-Week Vegan Meal Plan.

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest and read more about me here.

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Hi! I’m Sarah McMinn, author and recipe developer here at My Darling Vegan. I am a classically trained chef and professional photographer. With 14 years of vegan experience, my goal is to make vegan eating easy, fun, and accessible for all.

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