Easy Vegan Gingerbread Cookies and Christmas Cookie Box
These Easy Vegan Gingerbread Cookies and Christmas Cookie Box are quick to make, naturally vegan, made with wholesome ingredients and are so effective. They are great for festive baking and for a showstopper dessert to share.
These are my favourite gingerbread cookies I’ve made to date and I have been baking them all season long. They are much quicker, easier and more wholesome than other gingerbread cookies and they are just as tasty. They have the classic gingerbread snap and crunch outside with a softer, chewier middle and the rich caramel-like colour and flavour (without the need for molasses). The base dough recipe is really adaptable and for this cookie box I have shown off a few ways you can bake these cookies.
Why will I love these cookies?
These gingerbread are my favourite for a few reasons:
- Crunchy, crispy, chewy and golden
- Packed with rich and cosy warming spices
- Made with a handful of wholefood ingredients
- Naturally vegan, egg-free and dairy-free
- Gluten-free and easily nut-free
- Quick to make and bake
- Lower in sugar and higher in goodness
- Can be made with a few different flour types
- Great to decorate, fill and enjoy
- A perfect activity to do with little ones
- Makes for an impressive cookie box
If you already love the sound of these gingerbread then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s dicuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the full ingredients in the recipe card and see my favourites in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the cookies:
- Almond butter: this is amazing and makes these cookies free-from butter. Make sure the almond butter is smooth and runny, or try peanut or cashew butter although peanut butter has a stronger flavour. To make these nut-free, try sunflower seed butter or tahini.
- Coconut sugar: for the caramel-like rich flavour. I love using coconut sugar but light brown, golden caster or regular caster sugar will also work.
- Maple syrup: for sticky sweetness and it also allows the cookies to crisp up. You can also use agave syrup or other sticky syrups.
- Plant-based milk: for thin out the dough. You can use any dairy-free milk like oat, almond, soya or coconut (from the carton).
- Ground chia or flaxseed: this helps to bind the egg-free dough.
- Flour: I have tried these with plain white flour, spelt flour and buckwheat flour (which is naturally gluten-free) and all are amazing. You can also try a gluten-free flour alternative, if you prefer, although the dough may be slightly more delicate.
- Spices: cinnamon, ground ginger and nutmeg make these cookies delicious.
- Baking powder and salt: for a slight rise and flavour.
For the icing glaze:
- Icing sugar: or your favourite sugar-free alternative.
- Aquafaba: this replaces the egg-white in royal icing. You can use water, but the icing will not set as firm as royal icing or last for as long.
To decorate:
- Sprinkles: make sure they are vegan and gluten-free where needed. I like the Baking Time Club ones which are fully vegan.
Are these gluten-free and nut-free?
These are easily gluten-free if using buckwheat flour or try a gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. To make these nut-free, use sunflower seed butter instead of the almond butter.
How do I make them?
These are so easy to make in a few steps:
- Whisk together all of the wet ingredients: until smooth.
- Add in the dry ingredients: and stir to a sticky dough.
- Wrap the dough and chill in the fridge: for 15 minutes.
- Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface: to about ½-cm thick.
- Cut out any shapes you like: and re-roll any scraps to use all of the dough.
- Carefully transfer to a baking tray: and bake until golden and crisping at the edges.
- Allow the cookies to cool fully: on a wire rack.
- Ice with your favourite designs: or fill and add some sprinkles.
What shapes can I try?
For this cookie box I made:
- Candy Cane Gingerbread: gingerbread people holding candy canes (you could swap this for mini chocolates).
- Chestnut Butter Filled Sandwich Cookies: using my Christmas Chestnut Almond Butter recipe or you can fill them with any spread like a Linzer cookie with jam or chocolate spread.
- Gingerbread People
- Stars and Flowers
- Christmas Trees
The possibilities are needless, so use whatever cutters you have and remember that larger cookies will take longer to bake and smaller ones will take less time, so keep an eye on the trays in the oven.
How long will they last?
These cookies will keep for 1-2 weeks (or longer) in a sealed container, but the filled cookies will only last 3-5 days and should be kept in the fridge overnight. You can freeze the cookies for 1-2 months, wrapped well, and allow to defrost before eating. You can also make the dough up to 1 week in advanced, wrapped really well before rolling and shaping.
What other recipes can I bake?
If you’re looking for more Christmassy recipes, how about my:
- Gingerbread Fudge Brownies
- Mince Pie Cinnamon Rolls
- Best Vegan Swiss Roll
- Chocolate Christmas Cupcakes
- Chocolate Gingerbread Chestnut Caramel Cheesecake
Easy Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
These Easy Vegan Gingerbread Cookies and Christmas Cookie Box are quick to make, naturally vegan, made with wholesome ingredients and are so effective. They are great for festive baking and for a showstopper dessert to share.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 30g (2 tbsp) runny, smooth almond butter
- 50g coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp plant-based milk
- 1 tsp ground chia or flaxseed
- 160g plain, spelt or buckwheat flour, plus extra
- Spices: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- A pinch of salt
For the Icing:
- 60g icing sugar
- 1-2 tbsp aquafaba
- Sprinkles, candy canes
For Filled Cookies:
- 1 tbsp spread, per cookie*
Instructions
- For the cookie dough: whisk together the almond butter, sugar, syrup, milk and chia/flaxseed into a mixing bowl until smooth. Now add in all the other ingredients and stir – it may seem dry at first but start to use your hands and bring to a ball of dough. Shape into an oval, cover and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 160Fan/180ºC and line 2-3 baking trays with parchment paper.
- Roll and shape the cookies: dust a surface with flour and roll out the gingerbread dough until about ½-cm thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes, like gingerbread people, stars, trees, flowers or cookie rounds. Lift off with a palette knife and place on the trays, with a little room around each one. Re-roll any scraps of dough and continue to cut out more shapes.
- For candy cane gingerbread: using the larger gingerbread shapes, place a roll of tinfoil diagonally across their bodies and gently fold their arms onto the foil.
- To bake: place the trays in the middle of the oven for 8-10 minutes (depending on the size and thickness of the cookies), turning the trays around halfway through.
- Allow the cookies to cool fully on wire racks. Remove the foil off the larger gingerbread shapes, if needed.
- Make the icing: stir together the icing sugar and enough aquafaba to make a thick icing – it will be much thicker than usual but you’ll still be able to pipe it. Place the icing in a piping bag with a small nozzle.
- For candy cane gingerbread: place a candy cane where the foil was and pipe on the faces.
- For filled sandwiches: spread one cookie with the spread and sandwich together with a second cookie.
- For sprinkles and regular gingerbread: pipe on faces and shapes and add sprinkles, if desired.
- Enjoy straight away or allow the frosting to set for 2 hours before storing in a sealed container for 1-2 weeks. You can make the cookies ahead of time and freeze them for 1 month, covered well, and allow defrost before decorating.
Notes
*like Christmas Chestnut Almond Butter, other nut butter, jam, chocolate spread.
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Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of these Easy Vegan Gingerbread Cookies so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make these, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With gingerbread love x
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