These Gingerbread Cookies have options for everyone – there are 3 basic recipes – all of them are gluten, dairy and egg free, one is also free from coconut and one is free from coconut and grains (but contains nuts), and probably paleo.
These cookie recipes are 3 years in the making! I have been trying for years to come up with one that doesn’t fall apart, cuts well and bakes up crunchy on the outside and just a little soft to the bite, in the middle. Our dietary requirements have changed quite a bit over the years, hence my ability to come up with such a range of variations.
For the icing, we used icing sugar + water and naturally coloured sprinkles. For a low sugar option you can make a paste with tapioca and water to decorate with, if you wish.
when I cut the cookies out, I make sure to press down adequately so it cuts out with smooth lines, then I take the cutter away, and use a cake icing spatula (there’s probably a proper name for that!) and slice it under each cut out cookie, then carefully place it down on the baking tray. For gluten free cookies, these are fairly durable. Once you have removed all the shapes, re-ball and roll the dough out again and cut the next lot into shapes, until it’s all gone.
When I get down to the last scraps we roll the rest into balls and squash down with a fork.
if you make these cookies don’t forget to tag me on Facebook or Instagram! I love to see your creations, and if you have any questions or queries, I’m always happy to help, or see how I can accommodate your requirements.
Gingerbread Cookies – Top Allergen Free
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups Gluten Free Flour Blend (or buckwheat flour)
- ½ cup Coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3 teaspoons ground ginger
- ⅔ cup coconut oil, melted
- 4 Tablespoons molasses (or honey)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven 180°c fan bake.
- Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl and mix until it forms a dough. The dough should be soft, smooth and pliable.
- If it is too dry, add 1 Tablespoon water at a time, until it comes together
- If it is really hot (E.g. your coconut oil was liquid at room temp and you didn't have to melt it) then rest the dough in the fridge for 10 minutes before rolling.
- Split the dough into 2 balls. Roll the first ball of dough out between two pieces of baking paper to ¾ of a centimetre thick (½ an inch).
- Place a greased piece of oven paper on a large oven tray.
- Cut into shapes with your cookie dough cutter and place on the baking sheet.
- Repeat with the second ball of dough.
- Cook for 10 – 12 minutes.
- Leave to cool on baking tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Decorate as you wish. We used icing sugar + water and naturally coloured sprinkles. For a low sugar option you can make a paste with tapioca and water to decorate with.
Coconut Free Gingerbread Cookies – GF, DF, EF, NF, SF, RSF
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups Gluten Free Flour Blend (or buckwheat flour)
- ½ cup maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
- 3 Tablespoons molasses (or honey)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup oil (mild olive oil, almond or macadamia oil)
Instructions
- Preheat oven 180°c fan bake.
- Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl and mix until it forms a dough. The dough should be soft, smooth and pliable.
- Split the dough into 2 balls. Roll the first ball of dough out between two pieces of baking paper to ¾ of a centimetre thick (½ an inch).
- Place a greased piece of oven paper on a large oven tray.
- Cut rolled dough into shapes with your cookie dough cutter and place on the baking sheet. I use a cake icing spatula to lift the shapes up and on to the tray.
- Cook for 10 – 12 minutes.
- Leave to cool on baking tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Decorate as you wish. We used icing sugar + water and naturally coloured sprinkles. For a low sugar option you can make a paste with tapioca and water to decorate with.
Grain Free Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 200 g almond meal / flour (about 2 1/4 cups)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons ground ginger
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil (light olive oil, coconut, macadamia oil or almond oil)
- ⅓ cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons molasses (or honey)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°c.
- Put the sweetener and molasses / honey in a pot with the oil. Heat to a gentle simmer. While it’s heating, measure the flour, spices and salt into a bowl.
- Take the pot off the heat and add the baking soda to it. Stir and watch it puff up and bubble. After a few minutes of stirring add to the almond meal and mix together.
- Chill the dough in the fridge (two hours) or freezer (one hour).
- Roll out between two greased pieces of baking paper. Cut into shapes and transfer to greased baking paper on an oven tray. The cookies will spread a little so leave enough gaps between them!
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, but keep an eye on them as they will turn from browned to burned quickly!
