These Gluten-Free Vegan Gingerbread Cookies are crispy yet chewy, fragrantly spiced and have a rich, molasses-like flavour whilst being refined sugar free! They're super easy to make as they come together in one bowl and there's no need to chill the dough beforehand. The perfect sweet treat for Christmas and they make excellent edible gifts.

The ground almonds help to bind the dough together without the need for any eggs, and create a light and crispy yet slightly chewy texture reminiscent of real butter- and sugar-laden gingerbread cookies. The almonds also add extra protein and fibre.
Instead of sweetening them with sugar, I went for date syrup - if youāve never tried date syrup, itās thick, dark and nectar-like and looks and tastes a little like molasses. It adds an amazingly rich flavour, whilst keeping these gingerbread cookies refined sugar free.
They're seriously easy to make as thereās no need to bother with all the clean-up required because of a floured surface: you can use a sheet of greaseproof baking paper instead, which is much easier to work with.
How to make this recipe
Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.
- Mix together the ingredients for the cookie dough in a glass mixing bowl.
- Lay out a sheet of greaseproof baking paper on a counter. Sprinkle the surface of the paper and a rolling pin with a generous amount of flour and roll out the remaining pastry dough until about 5mm/1/4 inch thick.
- Use a medium-sized cookie cutter to cut shapes out of the dough - you will probably have to roll the dough a few times until you use it all up.
- Transfer the cookies onto two rectangular baking tray.
Tip: Line the baking trays with greased baking paper to make sure the cookies don't stick.
- Bake in oven for around 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.
- If you're not absolutely set on keeping these cookies completely refined sugar free, you can also have fun decorating them with icing!
How long do these Gingerbread Cookies keep for?
These Gingerbread Cookies can be kept in an airtight container for up to a few days.
Substitutions you can make
- You can replace the date syrup with any other liquid sweetener: maple syrup, agave syrup or brown rice syrup.
- You can use any type of plant-based milk: almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, soy milk, rice milk etc.
- You can replace the gluten-free flour with rice flour.
- You can use plain flour instead of gluten-free flour if you don't need them to be gluten-free.
More delicious vegan festive treats
- Pecan Pie
- Apple Cake
- Chocolate Cherry Trifle
- Pumpkin Cake
- Apple Pie
- Matcha Shortbread
- Pumpkin Pie
- Gingerbread Cookie Bars
If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, Iād really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.
Watch how to make this recipe
Gluten-Free Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 30 g (ā cup) coconut oilĀ (or sub coconut butter)
- 12 tablespoons date syrupĀ (or sub maple syrup or any other similar sweetener)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) ground almonds (almond meal) *
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) gluten-free flour blend plus more for rolling (or sub rice flour, or plain flour if not gluten-free)
- 3 teaspoons ground ginger **
- 1.5 teaspoons mixed spice (or a mixture of ground nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave.
- Add the date syrup and vanilla and mix well.
- Measure out the dry ingredients (ground almonds, gluten-free flour, ginger, mixed spice) and mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well - add a splash of any type of plant-based milk if it's too dry to combine at this stage.
- Lay out a sheet of greaseproof baking paper on a counter. Sprinkle the surface of the paper and a rolling pin with a generous amount of flour and roll out the remaining pastry dough until about 5mm/1/4 inch thick.
- Use a medium-sized cookie cutter to cut shapes out of the dough - you will probably have to roll the dough a few times until you use it all up.
- Transfer the cookies onto two baking trays/baking sheets lined with greased baking paper.
- Bake in oven for around 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.
- They will be slightly soft when you remove them from the oven - leave to cool completely to let them harden.
- If you're not absolutely set on keeping these cookies completely refined sugar free, you can also have fun decorating them with icing!
- Keep in an airtight container for up to a few days.
Video
Notes
Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog ā thank you.
JOana
Hi, i am just wondering... you have many ads on your blog. How does it work? Do you get a view cents if someone clicks on the ads or already by placing them on your page? I am thinking about to do the same, but I am not sure if it really helps to make a little bit profit. For your readers it can be quite annoying, but if it worth it - I need to try it myself too.
And your recipe sounds delicious š
Greetings from Joana of http://www.foodreich.com
Rhian Williams
Thank you! I'm with an ad company called Mediavine - they're great!
KULWANT BASI
This looks lovely and will try it
Rhian Williams
Great, thank you so much!
Rocio Joya Carrasquilla
Gorgeous..thanks for the recipe..its delicious..my boys have loved them!
Rhian Williams
Aw great thank you so much, so happy to hear that!
Debbie
I havenāt baked mine yet, but as written, the recipe gave me a fine batter. I ended up adding a 1/2 to 1 cup more of gf Flour plus 2 Tbs powdered sugar (to aid in thickening and maintaining sweetness with all the added flour). I also added a tsp of baking soda. The dough is resting in the fridge awaiting cookie cut outs with my children later.
Rhian Williams
Hi, thank you for sharing! I hope they turn out well!
Alexia Zaia
These look so lovely! Looking forward to making them for Christmas!! Also I will be trying out your GF & Vegan carrot cake for Thanksgiving so I'm looking forward to making that as well! š Will report back with reviews on each after I've made them!
Rhian Williams
Aw great, thank you so much! I hope they turn out well!
Alexia Zaia
Youāre very welcome! And thank you for posting these great recipes! Iām sure they will turn out great š
Rhian Williams
Thank you!