Gingerbread Cookies - Top 8 Allergy Free - Gluten Free

Classic gingerbread cookies for all to enjoy with my top 8 allergy free, gluten free recipe. Gingerbread flavouring can be found in cakes, cookies, muffins, cupcakes, and even whoopie pies during the Christmas season because the flavour is so prominent and delicious. The combination of warm spices and molasses create a cosy and welcoming aroma in your kitchen, and a delight for your taste buds.

For many people this is the only time of year that they crack the jar of ground cloves open!

Recipe notes for Gingerbread Cookies - Top 8 Allergy Free - Gluten Free

• If baking Gingerbread Cookies - Top 8 Allergy Free - Gluten Free with vegan butter, the dough can be chilled in the fridge for a half hour before rolling if desired. Firmer dough is a bit easier to roll out as it will be less sticky.

• If baking Gingerbread Cookies - Top 8 Allergy Free - Gluten Free with solid coconut oil, avoid chilling the dough in the fridge as it will seize up too much and become far too hard to work with, even within a short span of 30 minutes. If your dough feels too soft, roll it out on parchment and then chill it flat, then cut it once cooled.

• Chia seeds - You can use black or white chia seeds for this recipe. If you don’t want the chia seeds to be visible in the finished cookies, measure out two tbsp of chia seeds and then grind them with a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder before mixing with the liquid.

• Flax Seeds - You can use flax seeds or flax meal (ground flax seeds) instead of chia seeds if you prefer. If using flax seeds, use 3 tbsp of seed to 1/2 cup water or plant milk, and let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Blackstrap molasses - Yes, there is a difference between blackstrap molasses and regular molasses! And it will impact the taste of your cookies. Blackstrap molasses, while made of sugar, has a salty profile (hence there being no salt added to this recipe!) and is rich in calcium, iron, and other nutrients.

• Water or plant milk for the chia “egg”? I have tested this recipe with both gluten free oat milk and water. Both come out wonderfully! You really can’t tell the difference, even though there is a whopping half cup of liquid in this recipe. So if you don’t have plant milk at home, no need to run to the store. Water will work just fine.

Working with the dough - Gingerbread Cookies - Top 8 Allergy Free - Gluten Free

Gluten free and egg free baking is often thought to be crumbly and difficult to work with, but not this dough! This gingerbread dough is light and fluffy and holds together well. It won’t crumble and break apart on you and it feels soft and malleable. I find it is easy enough to press out with your hands, so no rolling pin is required unless you prefer to use one.

Looking for more holiday baking recipes? Check out my recipe for Gluten Free and Top 8 Free Jam Thumbprint Cookies!

Gingerbread Cookies - Top 8 Allergy Free - Gluten Free

Do you worry about your kids (or yourself!) missing out on the tradition of baking gingerbread cookies with grandma during the holidays? A lot of families with celiac disease or food allergy worry too. But as always, we find ways around it. And this recipe is no exception. Get all the flavour and fun of baking gingerbread without the gluten or top allergens.

The trick to making a well rounded gingerbread cookie is to strike a balance between blackstrap molasses and spices. In my recipe you will use ground ginger, cinnamon (ceylon if you have it), cardamom, and cloves. You will not find nutmeg in this recipe (or any recipe on my blog) because I despise the taste of it. Each spice contributes a unique flavour to the dough and comes together to create the perfect blend. I’m a big fan of cardamom so you will find it in much of my holiday baking. It has a fresh and peppery flavour that pairs very well with the spices above, but also goes well with fruits such as pears and apples.

Is your dough too sticky? Read my post about why your gluten free gingerbread dough may be too sticky, and how you can fix it.

Looking for more allergy free recipes? Check out my list of peanut free, nut free, and dairy free cookie and brownie recipes! Many of them are also egg, soy, or gluten free.

Ingredients for Gingerbread Cookies - Top 8 Allergy Free - Gluten Free

• 2 tbsp chia seeds (black or white are fine, as are milled/ground chia seeds)

• ½ cup rice milk, gluten free oat milk, or water

• 1 cup allergy safe vegan butter or coconut oil

• 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses

• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

• 1 cup brown rice flour

• 1 cup white rice flour

• 3/4 cup tapioca starch, plus extra for dusting

• 1 ¼ tsp baking soda

• 1 ½ tsp xanthan gum

• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 3 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp ground decorticated cardamom (ground cardamom that has been removed from the pod)

• 1 tsp ground clove

2 Ingredient Icing

• 3 cups powdered sugar

• 6 tbsp water

How to make Gingerbread Cookies - Top 8 Allergy Free - Gluten Free

1. Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Mix the chia seeds and water or plant milk together in a small bowl and let rest for 5 minutes. The seeds will become slimy like egg whites.

3. In a large mixing bowl beat together the allergy safe vegan butter, blackstrap molasses, brown sugar, and powdered sugar, until smooth.

4. Add the puffed up chia seeds and beat well. 

5. Next, beat in the brown rice flour until just combined. Then add the remaining flours, baking soda, xanthan gum, and spices, and beat until just combined.

6. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface dusted with tapioca starch. You can roll it out onto a sheet of parchment paper dusted with tapioca starch if you prefer. Press the dough out, or roll it out, to 1/4 inch thickness and cut it into shapes of your choosing.

7. Place the cookies on the lined baking sheet, making sure to not overcrowd the pan. For soft cookies, bake for 8 - 10 minutes. For crunchy cookies, bake for 10 - 12 minutes.

8. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.

9. Make the 2 ingredient icing and frost the cookies however you like!

Makes 24 large cookies or 36 medium cookies, depending on the size of your cookie cutter.