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Home » Holiday Cookies » Vegan Gluten Free Gingerbread Men.

Vegan Gluten Free Gingerbread Men.

Nov 13, 2018 · Modified: Dec 7, 2022 by Kelly Roenicke · 34 Comments

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vegan gluten free gingerbread man cookies

These vegan gluten free gingerbread men are the perfect fun and festive cookie to make this holiday season. Sweet, spicy, and tender, these cookies are sure to be a favorite!

gluten free vegan gingerbread cookies

Are you in a festive mood? Have you baked any holiday cookies yet?

We start our holiday baking pretty early over here. Since my boys aren’t crazy about Thanksgiving desserts, I like to make these gluten free gingerbread men for them the morning after Thanksgiving as a special treat.

Gingerbread cookies are fairly easy to make gluten free, vegan, and allergen free. Vegan buttery spread, a good gluten free flour blend, molasses, sugar, and spices are really all you need.

Of course, you can customize these gingerbread men if you like – you can frost them, you can add chocolate chips for eyes, you can give them a dusting of powdered sugar if you wish.

They are just delicious plain, and so fun when pressed with these funny cookie cutters from Tovolo. My boys thought these were extra fun and silly. No matter what cookie cutters you use, these will be absolutely delicious!

Jump to:
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Working with Gluten Free Dough
  • Step by Step Instructions
  • Storage
  • Freezing
  • More Vegan Holiday Desserts
  • Recipe
vegan gingebread men cookies in a striped dish

Ingredient Notes

  • Gluten Free Flour Blend – My go-to gluten free flour blend is Namaste Perfect Flour Blend. It’s easy to get at most grocery and health food stores, and it works very well for baking cookies.
  • Molasses – Molasses is a key ingredient for rich tasting gingerbread cookies. Molasses is gluten free and vegan. It’s made from refining sugar cane or sugar beets until they become a dark, sticky syrup.
  • Spices – Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg give these cookies their classic spicy flavor.
  • Applesauce – Applesauce works as an egg replacer in this recipe. If you can’t have apples, try pumpkin puree or pear puree instead.

Working with Gluten Free Dough

This cookie dough is easy to work with, so don’t be afraid. Sometimes gluten free dough can be difficult – it might be very delicate or rip. That’s not the case here.

It might seem a little wet after you mix it, but once it’s chilled, the texture is just perfect for rolling. You’ll need to dust your rolling pin with some gluten free flour, but this dough is very forgiving. Don’t roll it too thin – about a quarter-inch thickness will be about right.

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Mix the wet ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients, and mix on medium low speed until combined.
gingerbread cookie dough in mixing bowl
  1. Pat the dough into two discs, and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for two hours. Roll the dough out to a thickness of ¼ inch.
cutting out gingerbread
  1. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes, then place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper
gingerbread before baking
  1. Bake at 350 degrees F for 11 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet before moving them.
    allergy friendly gingerbread men cookies

    Storage

    I recommend storing gluten free cookies in an airtight container. You can put a piece of gluten free bread inside to help the cookies stay fresh.

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    Freezing

    You can freeze this cookie dough if you like. Just wrap the discs of dough in waxed paper and then store in a freezer bag. The dough should stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    More Vegan Holiday Desserts

    • Snowball Cookies
    • Dairy Free Fudge
    • Gluten Free Vegan Sugar Cookies

    Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

    Recipe

    gluten free vegan gingerbread men
    5 from 8 votes
    Print

    Vegan Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies.

    These vegan gluten free gingerbread cookies are a perfect treat to make this Christmas season. They’re top 8 allergen free, so everyone can enjoy these!

    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Dairy Free, gluten free, vegan.
    Keyword chewy, easy
    Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes
    Cook Time 11 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour 31 minutes
    Servings 20
    Calories 115 kcal
    Author Kelly Roenicke

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup vegan buttery spread I used Earth Balance Soy Free
    • ½ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
    • 5 Tablespoons unsulfured molasses
    • 3 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
    • 2 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend I used Namaste Perfect Flour Blend
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
    • 1 ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    1. Place the vegan buttery spread and the brown sugar in a mixing bowl and mix on medium speed until smooth and combined, about 30 seconds.

    2. Add the molasses and unsweetened applesauce and continue to mix. Reduce the speed to low and add half the gluten free flour blend. Mix until combined. 

    3. Add the other half of the gluten free flour blend, baking soda, salt, and the spices. Mix on low speed until smooth and combined. 

    4. Divide the dough into two portions and wrap in plastic wrap. Pat into discs, and chill in the freezer for one hour, or the refrigerator for two hours. 

    5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet or two with parchment paper. 

    6. Line a surface with waxed paper, and dust lightly with gluten free flour. Place a chilled disc of dough on the waxed paper. Dust a rolling pin with gluten free flour and roll the dough out until it reaches a thickness of about a quarter-inch (¼″).

    7. Cut out the cookies using a gingerbread man cookie cutter. (Or if you prefer, a gingerbread girl cutter).

    8. Place the cookies on the prepared cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 11 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet before removing. 

    9. Repeat with remaining dough. Makes about 20 gingerbread men cookies. 

    Recipe Notes

    You can freeze this cookie dough if you like. Just thaw it out before you attempt to roll it out.

    Store these cookies in an airtight container for up to a week.

    If you aren’t gluten free, feel free to use regular flour.

    If you aren’t dairy free, go ahead and use regular butter.

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies.
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    115
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    4
    g
    6
    %
    Sodium
     
    109
    mg
    5
    %
    Potassium
     
    80
    mg
    2
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    19
    g
    6
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    9
    g
    10
    %
    Protein
     
    1
    g
    2
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    215
    IU
    4
    %
    Calcium
     
    26
    mg
    3
    %
    Iron
     
    0.8
    mg
    4
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    This post was originally published in December 2017. It has been updated.

    Related

    « Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Pie.
    Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes (Dairy Free). »

    Filed Under: Christmas, Dairy Free, Desserts, food, Gluten Free, Holiday Cookies, Nut Free, Recipes, Sweets, Vegan Tagged With: Dairy Free, Egg Free, Fish Free, Garlic Free, Gluten Free, Mustard Free, Nightshade 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
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Heather Thongvong

      November 29, 2022 at 3:36 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for this amazing recipe!! My little guy has food allergies and LOVES these cookies! – and so does everyone else! Perfect gingerbread :)

      Reply
    2. Kristen

      November 10, 2021 at 4:07 pm

      Can I use coconut flour?

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        November 23, 2021 at 9:44 pm

        I have not tried that. The texture would probably not be great – coconut flour works best in recipes that contain egg.

        Reply
      • Tim

        November 03, 2022 at 3:40 pm

        Is this sturdy enough to try and make ginger bread houses with?

        Reply
        • Kelly Roenicke

          November 07, 2022 at 3:14 pm

          I have a gingerbread house recipe right here: https://theprettybee.com/vegan-gingerbread-house/

          Reply
        • Joy Van Boening

          December 18, 2022 at 9:42 pm

          Is it OK if the gingerbread dough feels pretty wet still?

          Reply
          • Kelly Roenicke

            December 21, 2022 at 12:59 pm

            Add a bit more gluten free flour – this dough should be thick and not too wet.

            Reply
    3. Poornima

      December 24, 2020 at 11:32 am

      5 stars
      I made these last evening for my 6 year old who has a gluten allergy and egg sensitivity. He is devouring them! I used butter and substituted half of the molasses with maple syrup (to adapt to his still developing palate). Thank you for this wonderful recipe, it’s a keeper! You just about saved Christmas for us!!! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        January 04, 2021 at 10:30 am

        I’m so happy to hear this! Thank you for letting me know! :) Happy New Year!

        Reply
    4. Maureen

      December 20, 2020 at 7:56 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, my daughter and I made these gingerbread cookies today and they turned out fantastic! Thank you so much for posting this recipe. I have been on an elimination diet (dairy, gluten and egg) for the past two months so scouring the internet for good recipes and this one is at the top of my list! Delicious!

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        January 04, 2021 at 10:24 am

        Yay! I’m so glad you liked them! Thank you for letting me know!

        Reply
        • Caitlin

          December 21, 2021 at 10:32 pm

          Hi, I couldn’t find any unsweetened apple sauce in my local shops. Was wondering if it will be too sweet and whether I could put less Brown sugar, or will that affect the texture? Otherwise is there a substitute for the apple sauce?

          Reply
    5. Nicole

      December 09, 2020 at 6:46 pm

      Can this dough be made into a gingerbread house instead?

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        December 17, 2020 at 2:21 pm

        Yes! I actually just published a gingerbread house recipe and it uses the exact same dough.

        Reply
    6. Jonathan

      November 28, 2020 at 10:21 pm

      I made this recipe last year for a Christmas party. My girlfriend is gluten and dairy free and figured I’d give this a shot. Turned out to be not only the best thing I’ve ever baked, but the best gingerbread cookie I’ve ever had. Amazing recipe! Making a batch this weekend!

      Reply
    7. Melissa

      July 24, 2020 at 10:48 pm

      Can this same dough be pressed into a ginger bread house silicone template? To make an allergen free gingerbread house?

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        August 02, 2020 at 9:32 am

        I have not tried that yet. I am going to try to do a gingerbread house this year – I don’t know if the recipe will need to be modified or not. Stay tuned!

        Reply
        • Emily

          December 03, 2020 at 4:58 pm

          5 stars
          We have used this recipe to make gingerbread houses twice with no issues!! And it I actually tastes delicious, unlike the store bought ones! We are not gluten free so we do use all purpose flour. I have found it is better to bake them the day before we assemble the houses. Thank you for such an amazing recipe!! We bake these all year round.

          Reply
    8. Jane Metcalfe

      December 14, 2019 at 10:22 am

      Can i substitute coconut oil for the vegan butter spread?

      Reply
    9. Maureen Albee

      December 09, 2019 at 1:09 pm

      Can’t wait to try this

      Reply
    10. Anne

      January 20, 2019 at 10:05 am

      5 stars
      I am on my fourth batch since Xmas 2018
      Easy ..foolproof..delicious.

      Reply
    11. violingirl

      December 12, 2018 at 9:25 am

      Hi–my GF flour blend contains no xantham gum as yours do. Suggestions as to how much xantham to add please?

      Reply
      • violingirl

        December 13, 2018 at 10:53 pm

        5 stars
        I added 1/2 tsp xantham gum, and used butter–cookies were fabulous and easily worked with the right sparkling of flour!
        Thank you for the great recipe!

        Reply
        • Kelly Roenicke

          December 15, 2018 at 2:36 pm

          Yay! I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know!

          Reply
    12. Susan Karr

      November 29, 2018 at 3:50 pm

      I want the same cookie cutters you have! Where did you get them?

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        December 15, 2018 at 5:29 pm

        They are made by Tovolo. I have seen them on ebay recently!

        Reply
    13. Gerry Gee

      October 31, 2018 at 12:30 pm

      5 stars
      Lovely recipe! I substituted apple sauce for flax egg and molasses for a good maple syrup. Are these biscuits good for freezing?

      Reply
    14. Melissa

      December 06, 2017 at 12:14 am

      Do these cookies turn out crunchy or soft?

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        December 06, 2017 at 9:17 am

        They are not crunchy, but not super soft…somewhere in between. If you want to keep them softer, shorten the baking time by a minute.

        Reply
    15. Kortney

      December 05, 2017 at 6:24 pm

      Your cookie cutters are so cute!!! Good tip about chilling the dough – I find it helps with most doughs that will be cut out.

      Reply
    16. Kay

      December 05, 2017 at 12:06 pm

      Can you use regular molasses?
      I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your site! I have enjoyed making many of your recipes for my 4 year old grandson who has many food allergies. You are a true blessing to our family!

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        December 06, 2017 at 9:33 am

        I’m not sure what the difference is…this is the brand I use: http://www.grandmasmolasses.com/ (of course you should use the brand that works for your allergies and dietary needs). Thank you so much for reading, I am so happy that I can help! :)

        Reply
    17. Tracy

      December 05, 2017 at 11:26 am

      5 stars
      Do you mind sharing what brand of spices you use? I have a hard time finding some that seem to be safe from cross contamination. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Kelly Roenicke

        December 06, 2017 at 9:37 am

        I use McCormick with the red lids (not the organic). But you should contact them to find out about your specific allergies: https://www.mccormick.com/contact

        Reply

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