• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Pretty Bee
  • About
  • Start Here
  • Recipes
    • Sort By Allergen
    • View all recipes
  • cookbooks
    • Quick Start Bundle.
  • contact
  • subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Start Here
  • View All Recipes
  • Sort By Allergen
  • Cookbooks
  • Contact
×

Home » Desserts » Frosted Molasses Cookies (Gluten Free, Vegan).

Frosted Molasses Cookies (Gluten Free, Vegan).

Oct 1, 2019 · Modified: Oct 1, 2019 by Kelly Roenicke · 12 Comments

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
molasses cookie recipe

Soft and chewy frosted molasses cookies are the perfect holiday treat. These deliciously spiced cookies are vegan, gluten free, and nut free! A swirl of dairy free buttercream is the finishing touch.

frosted molasses cookies on a blue plate

How soon is too soon to think about holiday baking?

Not that frosted molasses cookies have to be just for the holidays. I think anything with molasses or ginger or spice goes pretty well with fall, too!

Once there is any hint of chill in the air, my youngest son starts asking for gingerbread men. Which I’m happy to make at any time of year. But if you don’t have time to roll out and cut cookies, these frosted molasses cookies might be a good substitution.

They are perfectly spiced, soft, chewy, and so yummy with some frosting on time.

molasses cookies on a wire cooling rack

What type of gluten free flour works best for frosted molasses cookies?

I used Namaste Perfect Flour Blend, and it worked really well in this recipe. The cookies are so chewy and tender. If that brand of flour doesn’t work for you, you could try Enjoy Life or Now Foods Gluten Free Flour.

Can this molasses cookie dough be frozen?

Yes, I think this cookie dough would work well for freezing. Just roll the dough into balls and flatten slightly with your hand. Freeze the dough balls on a cookie sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag once frozen. They should stay fresh in the freezer for 3 months.

gluten free molasses cookies

To make sure these cookies stay fresh, store them in an airtight container. You can also place a piece of gluten free bread inside to keep some moisture in there.

If you don’t love frosting, these are wonderful plain, too! You could also press some pumpkin seeds into the top of the cookies before baking for a little crunch.

What milk should I use for dairy free frosting?

Try to use a neutral tasting milk that works for your dietary needs. I used unsweetened coconut milk, but rice milk, soy milk, or even flax milk would probably all work just fine. You could even use a little water if you prefer.

cookies on cookie sheet

How do I keep gluten free cookies from spreading during baking?

If you chill the cookie dough, that can keep cookies from flattening out during baking.

This cookie dough doesn’t spread, due to the consistency, and the chilling time in the fridge. Don’t make the cookie dough balls too big, and flatten slightly with your hand. They should hold their shape during baking.

stack of molasses cookies on plate

Can I use oil in place of the vegan buttery spread?

I don’t recommend that. If you use oil, the texture will be very different. You could use palm shortening if you can’t find or can’t use vegan buttery spread.

These frosted molasses cookies are:

  • chewy and tender
  • perfect for a holiday cookie exchange
  • suitable for gluten free, dairy free, nut free, and vegan diets

If you make these cookies, please share on Instagram and tag me @prettybeeblog. I love to see what you’re baking!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

frosted molasses cookies on a blue plate
5 from 3 votes
Print

Frosted Molasses Cookies (Gluten Free, Vegan).

Chewy molasses cookies are topped with a sweet and creamy frosting for a delicious treat!
Course Dessert
Cuisine Dairy Free, gluten free, vegan.
Keyword allergy friendly holiday cookies, gluten free frosted molasses cookies
Prep Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 19 minutes
Servings 24 cookies
Calories 162 kcal
Author Kelly Roenicke

Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 2 cups gluten free flour blend I used Namaste Perfect Flour Blend, you could use all-purpose flour if you are not gluten free
  • 1¾ teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • pinch ground cloves
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup vegan buttery spread
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
  • ¼ cup organic cane sugar
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting:

  • 3 Tablespoons vegan buttery spread
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1-2 Tablespoons non-dairy milk I used SO Delicious unsweetened coconut milk
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour blend, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
  2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the vegan buttery spread and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the molasses, maple syrup, applesauce, and vanilla extract and continue to mix until smooth.
  3. Add the dry ingredients a little at a time while continuing to mix on low speed.
  4. Once dough is mixed, place in the refrigerator to chill for about an hour. If you're in a hurry, you can stick the dough in the freezer for about 20 minutes.

  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

  6. Roll chilled dough into balls that are about one inch wide. Place on the cookie sheet and flatten slightly. You should be able to fit 12 cookies on each sheet.

  7. Bake at 350 degrees for about 9-10 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet, then move to a rack to finish cooling.

Make the frosting:

  1. Cream the vegan buttery spread and vanilla extract. Sift in the powdered sugar a little at a time, alternating with adding a little non-dairy milk until the frosting is the consistency you want.

  2. Frost cooled cookies.

  3. Dust each frosted cookie with a little cinnamon sugar or sprinkles if you wish.

Recipe Notes

Nutrition facts are for one cookie with frosting.

Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

To make them last longer, you can leave them unfrosted and store the frosting in the refrigerator and the cookies at room temperature if you wish for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Facts
Frosted Molasses Cookies (Gluten Free, Vegan).
Amount Per Serving
Calories 162 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 103mg4%
Potassium 61mg2%
Carbohydrates 30g10%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 23g26%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 249IU5%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 22mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe was originally published in December 2015. It has been updated.

Related

« Easy Lentil Potato Curry (Vegan, Gluten Free).
Scrumptious Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Bread with Icing. »

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, food, Gluten Free, Holiday Cookies, Nut Free, Recipes, Sweets, Vegan Tagged With: christmas cookies, cookies, Dairy Free, easy recipe, Egg Free, Fish Free, Garlic Free, Gluten Free, Mustard Free, Nut Free, Onion Free, Peanut Free, Sesame Free, Shellfish Free, Soy Free, top 8 allergy free recipe, Tree Nut Free

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Kelly Roenicke
Kelly Roenicke
Mom to two boys with food allergies and sensitivities, Kelly is passionate about allergy friendly cooking and baking. She believes that you can enjoy amazing, easy recipes even when cooking for multiple food allergies.
Kelly Roenicke
Latest posts by Kelly Roenicke (see all)
  • Homemade Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. - June 29, 2022
  • Gluten Free Wild Rice and Orzo Salad. - June 22, 2022
  • Yummy No Bake Granola Bars (Gluten Free, Nut Free). - June 20, 2022

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Donna

    December 09, 2020 at 2:14 pm

    5 stars
    I just finished eating some of these cookies warm from the oven…absolutely delightful! I added some diced chrystallized ginger for an extra ginger kick. I did not frost them, as I think they are sweet enough as is. This is a recipe I definitely want to make again! Thank you for providing recipes that are allergen friendly.

    Reply
  2. Katie

    October 01, 2019 at 9:30 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious recipe!

    Reply
  3. Trinity Brill

    November 25, 2016 at 4:29 pm

    5 stars
    These cookies are delicious! I was craving them and hadn’t had them in years, and so i just made these. These will now be a Christmas staple :)

    Reply
  4. Julia

    December 07, 2015 at 9:14 am

    My gosh, these cookies look absolutely perfect! I’m all about a good gingerbready-molasses cookie and that frosting on top is making my mouth water. Can I pretty please eat the whole batch for breakfast? Please and thank you!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      December 08, 2015 at 9:25 am

      Thanks, Julia! :)

      Reply
  5. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice

    December 07, 2015 at 8:42 am

    What a pretty cookie! I love how thick these bake up. SO perfect!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      December 08, 2015 at 9:26 am

      Thanks, Gayle!

      Reply
  6. Rachel @ Bakerita

    December 06, 2015 at 3:27 pm

    These cookies are absolutely adorable, and look amazingly delicious!! Love that they’re gluten-free.

    Reply
    • Kelly

      December 08, 2015 at 9:28 am

      Thank you, Rachel!

      Reply
  7. whiskandshout

    December 04, 2015 at 1:15 pm

    These molasses cookies look fabulous! Would also love to try these with a vegan cream cheese frosting :)

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Vegan Eggnog Pudding Recipe (Dairy-Free Holidays) says:
    December 2, 2016 at 11:35 pm

    […] Frosted Molasses Cookies from prettybeeblog […]

    Reply
  2. Vegan Eggnog Pudding + 20 Sweet Ways to Enjoy the Dairy-Free Holidays • Freebie City | Freebie City says:
    December 21, 2015 at 7:37 pm

    […] Frosted Molasses Cookies from prettybeeblog […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

kelly roenicke portrait

Hi! I'm Kelly, and I believe that you can enjoy amazing, easy recipes even when cooking for multiple food allergies.

Learn more →

Find the perfect recipe

Filter all recipes by allergen

Search & Sort Recipes by Allergen

Footer

↑ back to top

Browse my allergy friendly cookbooks.

Why, yes, I DO have a print cookbook!

Allergy Friendly Chocolate Cake Your Family Will Love

best dairy free gluten free chocolate cake recipe

Copyright © 2022 The Pretty Bee | Disclosure | Privacy Policy