There is one scent that defines the holidays.
It isn’t pine trees or peppermint. It is the warm, spicy aroma of gluten free gingerbread cookies baking in the oven.
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For a long time, I avoided making gingerbread. The gluten-free versions I tried were either rock-hard discs or spread into unrecognizable puddles.
But after years of testing, I finally cracked the code. These cookies hold their shape perfectly, have crisp edges, and stay soft and chewy in the center.
A Little Story About This Dish
My grandmother used to hang gingerbread men on the tree. As a kid, I would sneak them off the branches one by one.
When I went gluten-free, I missed that tradition. I missed the decorating, the spices, and that specific snap when you bite off a cookie’s leg (we all do it!).
This recipe is my love letter to those memories. It uses a specific mixing method—cutting the butter into the flour—to ensure a sturdy dough that is a dream to roll out.
Get Ready to Cook!
What to Expect:
This is a classic “roll and cut” recipe. It requires a bit of patience because the dough needs to chill twice. Trust the process. The chilling is what keeps the shapes sharp.
Before You Begin:
Make sure your butter and egg are at room temperature. If the butter is too cold, it won’t mix into the “sandy” texture we need. If it’s melted, the cookies will spread.
The Heart of the Dish: Ingredients You’ll Need
The secret to the flavor here is the combination of molasses and honey. Molasses gives depth; honey keeps them soft.
| Quantity | Ingredient | Note |
| 2 cups | GF All Purpose Flour | 280g (See notes on blends) |
| 3/4 tsp | Xanthan Gum | Omit if blend contains it |
| 3/4 tsp | Baking Soda | |
| 2 tsp | Ground Cinnamon | |
| 1 1/4 tsp | Ground Ginger | |
| 1/2 tsp | Kosher Salt | |
| 3/4 cup | Light Brown Sugar | Packed (164g) |
| 6 tbsp | Unsalted Butter | Room temp (84g) |
| 4 tbsp | Molasses | Unsulphured (84g) |
| 1 tbsp | Honey | (21g) |
| 1 large | Egg | Room temp, beaten |
| 1 tsp | Vanilla Extract | Pure |
Let’s Get Cooking! Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these steps for gluten free gingerbread cookies that look professional and taste amazing.
Phase 1: The “Sand” Method
1. Prep the dry base
Grab your largest mixing bowl. Dump in the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, spices (cinnamon and ginger), salt, and brown sugar. Give it a good whisk to break up any sugar clumps.
2. Cut in the butter
Add your room temperature butter chunks to the bowl. Instead of creaming it with a mixer, I want you to use the back of a spoon (or your clean hands) to rub the butter into the flour.
Expert Texture Check: Keep mixing until the flour looks like coarse, wet sand. You shouldn’t see any large lumps of butter left.
3. Add the wet ingredients
Make a little well in the center of your sandy mixture. Pour in the molasses, honey, beaten egg, and vanilla.
4. Form the dough
Mix everything together. It will feel thick and sticky at first. Keep working it until it clumps together into a solid ball of dough.
Phase 2: Chill and Roll
5. The first chill
Split your dough ball in half (about 350g each). Wrap each half tightly in plastic wrap. Flatten them into discs or rectangles. Pop them in the fridge for 10 minutes. This short rest makes rolling much easier.
6. Roll it out
Remove one dough disc. Place it on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper. Dust the top with more flour. Roll it out until it is about 1/4-inch thick.
Pro Tip: Move the dough often! Lift the parchment, flip the dough, and add flour if it sticks. If it sticks to the pin, it will tear.
7. Cut shapes
Use your favorite gingerbread cutters to punch out shapes. Get them as close together as possible to minimize waste. Gather the scraps and re-roll them later.
Phase 3: The Second Chill & Bake
8. The second chill (Crucial!)
Slide the parchment paper with the cut-out shapes onto a baking sheet or cutting board. Put the whole thing back in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Why? Chilling the cut shapes guarantees they won’t spread in the oven.
9. Bake
While they chill, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Once chilled, transfer the shapes to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them 1.5 inches apart. Bake for 9 minutes.
10. Cool and decorate
They will look puffed and golden. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet. They firm up as they cool. Once cold, decorate with royal icing!
Mastering the Dish: Pointers for Perfection & How to Store
Flour Choice is Everything
I recommend “Better Batter” or “Cup4Cup” for this recipe. If you use a blend that is heavy on rice flour without enough starch, the cookies might be gritty. If your blend doesn’t have xanthan gum, you must add it, or the cookies will crumble into dust.
Don’t Skip the Molasses
Some people ask if they can use maple syrup instead. You can, but you will lose that classic dark color and smoky flavor. Molasses is acidic, which also reacts with the baking soda to help the cookies puff.
Storage
These cookies are sturdy. Store them in a tin at room temperature for up to a week. In fact, they often get softer and better after sitting for a day.
Freezing
You can freeze the baked (undecorated) cookies for 3 months. Or, freeze the raw dough discs and thaw them in the fridge when you are ready to bake.
Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies (Soft & Spiced)
- Total Time: 43
- Yield: 30 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies are soft, chewy, and hold their shape perfectly. Spiced with ginger, cinnamon, and molasses, they are the ultimate holiday treat.
Ingredients
2 cups (280 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (plus extra for dusting)
¾ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend contains it)
¾ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 ¼ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup (164 g) packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (84 g) unsulphured molasses
1 tablespoon (21 g) honey
1 large egg (50 g), at room temperature, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Royal Icing, for decorating (optional)
Instructions
1. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and brown sugar.
3. Add the roughly chopped room temperature butter. Using the back of a spoon or your hands, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse, wet sand. No large butter clumps should remain.
4. Create a well in the center. Add the molasses, honey, beaten egg, and vanilla.
5. Mix until a thick, sticky dough forms that holds together in a clump.
6. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts (approx 350g each). Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, flatten into discs, and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
7. Working with one disc at a time, roll the dough out on lightly floured parchment paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Move the dough often to ensure it doesn’t stick.
8. Cut out shapes using a gingerbread cutter. Gather scraps to re-roll later.
9. Transfer the parchment paper with the cut shapes onto a flat surface (like a cutting board) and refrigerate again for 10 minutes. (This prevents spreading).
10. While chilling, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
11. Transfer the chilled shapes to the prepared baking sheets, spaced 1.5 inches apart.
12. Bake for 9 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet to firm up.
13. Decorate with royal icing if desired.
Notes
**Flour Blends:** I recommend Better Batter or a similar high-quality blend. If using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, add an extra 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum to help them hold shape.
**The Double Chill:** Do not skip the chilling steps. The second chill (after cutting shapes) is the secret to sharp edges.
**Yield:** Makes about 30 cookies using a standard 3-inch cutter.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 9
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 67
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 78
- Fat: 0.1
- Saturated Fat: 0.05
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.1
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 16
- Fiber: 0.5
- Protein: 1
- Cholesterol: 5
If you are looking to add some variety to your gluten-free cooking, give these recipes a try:
- Chewy Gluten Free Oatmeal Cream Pies (Better Than Store-Bought)
- Gluten Free Cheese Cracker Recipe (Cheez-It Copycat!)
- 5-Ingredient Gluten-Free Almond Joy Cookies
Your Burning Questions Answered!
Can I make these without molasses?
Technically yes, but they won’t be traditional gingerbread. You can swap molasses for dark corn syrup or maple syrup, but the texture will be lighter and crispier, and the flavor will be much milder.
Why did my cookies spread and lose their shape?
Three reasons: 1) The butter was melted, not room temp. 2) You skipped the second chill before baking. 3) Your oven was too cool. Make sure those shapes are cold when they hit the hot oven!
Can I use almond flour?
No, not for this specific recipe. This recipe relies on a starch-based gluten-free blend to mimic the structure of wheat flour. Almond flour has too much fat and no structure, so the cookies would melt into puddles.
Dig In & Enjoy!
There is nothing quite like biting into the arm of a gluten free gingerbread cookie.
It’s spicy, sweet, and comforting. Whether you decorate them with elaborate icing or eat them plain right off the tray, they are pure holiday magic.
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