Gingersnap Cookies
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These gluten free gingersnap cookies are crisp on the outside, soft and chewy in the center and filled with warm holiday spices. They come together with simple ingredients, are naturally dairy free and bake up beautifully every time.
Gingersnaps are one of my absolute favorite holiday cookies. I love the sugary crackle on the outside, the cozy spices and that soft chewy middle. They just feel like December to me.
I’ve been in full holiday baking mode lately and have been revisiting some of my older cookie recipes like my peanut butter blossoms and healthy no bake cookies, so it felt like the perfect time to give these gingersnaps a little refresh too.
If you’ve made these before, you might remember they were originally made with quinoa flour. I still love that version, but I wanted to make them a little easier for everyone, so I retested the recipe with a gluten free 1:1 flour blend. The results are so good and the ingredients are much more pantry friendly.
The texture is amazing and these cookies always get such a big reaction from anyone who tries them. They never last long here!
Table of Contents
“Chewy Deliciousness! I Made a bunch of these for Christmas gifts. They were a big hit! Recipe was easy to follow too.”
Why I Love These Gingersnap Cookies
- Spot on texture: These cookies bake up with crisp sugary edges and a soft chewy center. I almost always grab one while they are still warm because they are that good.
- Cozy spice flavor: The mix of cinnamon, ginger and cloves fills your whole kitchen with the best holiday smell and gives each cookie so much nostalgic warmth.
- Gluten free win: These taste just like the classic gingersnaps I grew up with. No one ever guesses they are gluten free which is always the best compliment.
- Holiday favorite: These cookies disappear fast and always get people asking for the recipe. They are perfect for cookie trays, gifting or just enjoying with a cup of tea.
Ingredients Needed
- gluten free all purpose flour – I like using a gluten free 1:1 flour blend because it keeps the cookies soft and chewy while holding their shape really well.
- baking soda – helps the cookies rise and gives them that classic crinkly gingersnap top.
- spices and seasonings – cinnamon, cloves, ginger and sea salt bring all the warm cozy flavor that makes gingersnaps so nostalgic.
- crystalized ginger – little chewy pops of ginger in each bite. It adds the best texture and so much extra flavor.
- coconut oil – keeps the cookies tender and dairy free. Make sure it is melted before mixing.
- light brown sugar – adds sweetness and moisture and helps create that soft chewy middle.
- flax egg – keeps the cookies egg free and vegan while giving the dough enough structure to bake up nicely. To make a flaxseed egg just combine ground flaxseed + 3 Tablespoons water, mix and let sit for a few minutes to gel up.
- molasses – the ingredient that makes a gingersnap a gingersnap. It gives the cookies their deep color and rich holiday flavor.
- cane sugar – you can skip this step if you want, but it gives the cookies that pretty, freshly fallen snow look that’s perfect for the holidays!
How to Make Gingersnap Cookies
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Make your flax egg and let it sit. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, spices and salt.
Step 2: In a separate bowl with an electric mixer or stand mixer, cream the brown sugar and coconut oil for about 2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Mix in the molasses and flax egg until just combined.
Step 3: With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stop mixing as soon as everything comes together so the cookies stay soft.
Step 4: Add the chopped crystalized ginger and give the dough one quick mix to distribute it evenly.
Step 5: Scoop and roll the dough into 3/4–1 inch balls. Place the cane sugar in a small bowl and roll each dough ball in the sugar until coated.
Step 6: Place the dough balls on a baking sheet and bake, rotating the pan halfway through. When ready, press the tops gently with the back of a fork, then let them cool briefly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for the Best Gingersnap Cookies
- Chill the dough if it feels soft: If your kitchen is warm or the dough seems sticky, pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes. It makes rolling much easier.
- Check the cookies early: Take a peek at the 12 minute mark so they do not overbake. Gingersnaps can go from chewy to dry quickly.
- Keep the sugar coating light: roll the dough gently so you get that pretty crackly finish without weighing the cookies down.
- Let them cool on the tray: They firm up as they sit and the spice flavor becomes even better once they cool a bit.
How to Store
These gingersnaps keep their chewy-crisp magic surprisingly well. Once they’re completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you like a slightly firmer cookie, the fridge works too.
They also freeze beautifully. Place baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, let them thaw on the counter until soft and chewy again. Perfect for stocking the freezer before the holidays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. If you’re not a fan of crystallized ginger or don’t have it on hand, you can skip it entirely. The cookies will still have plenty of flavor from the cinnamon, cloves and ground ginger. For a similar little “pop,” you can fold in chopped pecans or leave them plain for a classic gluten-free gingersnap.
If your cookies are spreading, the dough was likely too warm or your coconut oil was overly melted. Pop the dough in the fridge for 10–20 minutes before rolling, and make sure your baking sheet is completely cool between batches. This helps the cookies hold their shape and keeps that perfect chewy center.
Rolling the dough in cane sugar helps create those pretty crackles, but so does baking at the correct temperature. If your oven runs cool, the tops won’t set and crack. A quick oven thermometer check makes a huge difference for cookies like these.
Definitely. Scoop the dough into balls, roll in sugar, then freeze on a baking sheet until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 extra minutes. This is perfect for holiday prep.
More Festive Cookies to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Gluten-Free Gingersnap Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour, I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅓ cup crystalized ginger, chopped into small pieces
- ½ cup coconut oil, in a liquid state
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon flax egg
- ¼ cup molasses
- ¼ cup cane sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Whisk flaxseed with water in a small bowl to make flaxseed egg. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and sea salt). Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream brown sugar and coconut oil until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in molasses and flaxseed egg until combined.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until incorporated. Add in crystalized ginger pieces and give it one last mix.
- Using hands, roll dough into 3/4-1 inch balls. Place sugar in a shallow bowl and roll each ball of dough in the sugar to coat. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until dark golden brown and puffy, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Remove from oven and use the back of a fork to press gently in the center of each cookie to make more of a flattened cookie shape.
- Let them cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Storage: Once the cookies are completely cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months. Let frozen cookies thaw at room temp before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
I got bad results from this recipe, maybe because I used a brown sugar substitute. The cookies spread out to one solid sheet. I rolled up the flat sheet and cut slices from the roll. No crunchy outside, just chewy soft. They taste good, but I used Besti brown sugar replacement (monk fruit allulose blend) instead of the brown sugar. Do you think that substitution caused my issue.
Hi Penny – I am sorry the cookies did not turn out how you hoped! The brown sugar substitute was probably the cause because allulose blends behave very differently in the oven and usually make cookies spread and stay soft. If you decide to try them again I would recommend using coconut sugar as a brown sugar replacement.
Thank you! I will give coconut sugar a try.
these are amazing! I can’t say enough good things about the receipt! I even had to make modification to the flour and ginger crystals bc I couldn’t get them at the store. I used a tube of ginger paste and I used 1 to 1 gf flour with the added 2 tablespoons that I read was adjusted in the comments when changing the flour and they were nice a puffy, just like id hoped and like the picture. The taste is also amazing. I baked for 12 min and they were perfect for me, a little crisp on the bottom and all soft everywhere else.
There is a coffee shop down the road who makes a cookie just like this and I wanted to make them at home and this recipe was spot on what I was looking for and what I expected. Thanks so much for sharing!
I’ve also tried to make ginger cookies before and never had success, so this recipe really is a good one.
WOO! This is amazing, Tiffany. I am SO excited to hear that you are loving these cookies and they turned out for you with your substitutions. Thanks so much for coming back and sharing your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!
These are so amazing and the most delicious cookies ever! I’m probably one of the pickiest people on earth (haha) so I was definitely reluctant with changing from regular flour but you seriously can’t tell. I mean there’s a hint of something that tells you something is different but it’s not a bad hint. I did cut back on the brown sugar though…..I do 1/2 cup lightly packed and 1/2 cup loosely scooped, we try to cut as much out as possible so we can indulge ourselves.
And yes you can definitely freeze them. I put mine in a plastic jar put plastic wrap over the top and screwed the lid down and 3 months later we pulled a few out and they were still amazing!
Thank you for the recipe I’ve made them several times and I’m I’m taking a bag full with your link to my cardiologist tomorrow.
Amazing! This is so great to hear, Shirley. I am so glad you loved these cookies! Thanks so much for sharing your review + star rating, I truly appreciate it!
WE LOVE THESE COOKIES! I found the recipe because I had some quinoa flour to use up. Two batches later and we are using teff flour because it’s what we have that we can all eat. I do use a regular egg and have tried them with coconut sugar and it doesn’t matter…. they’re delicious. I’ve been told they must always be in the cookie jar!
Yay! I’m so glad you’re loving these cookies, Cindy! Thank you for sharing your swaps and review, it means so much to me!
excellent post thank you for sharing
Made it. These tastes like quinoa for sure, but a good alternative to traditional APF cookies.
I added Crystallized ginger and dark chocolate chips, 1.5 tsp clove, 0.25tsp nutmeg (based on my original ginger cookie recipe from InaGarten). I’ll enjoy these without feeling guilty
Happy to hear you enjoyed these cookies! Thanks for the review :).
Hi! Can I substitute oat flour for the quinoa flour. I don’t have any quinoa flour:/
I would like to know if oat flour would work as well.
Hi, Julie! I haven’t tried this recipe with oat flour so I’m not sure, but you could try it. Another commenter mentioned she used 1 part coconut flour and 3 parts almond flour and they turned out well for her, you could try that. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out for you!
Chewy Deliciousness! I Made a bunch of these for Christmas gifts. They were a big hit! Recipe was easy to follow too.
Yay!! So happy to hear, Lee Ann. Thanks for the review. I really appreciate it!
Can we sub coconut sugar for brown sugar? Use back strap molasses?
Yes, that should be totally fine!
What is molasses? From where I can get it?
Molasses is a sweet syrup that is often used in baking. You can find it in the baking section at your grocery store or on Amazon.