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If you’ve made these before, you might remember they were originally made with quinoa flour.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.
These cookies are in my regular rotation – everyone loves them. – they keep well in my cookie jar while they last – do not hesitate to try them, they are rally fantastic – sort of an old fashioned spicy cookie with such a great texture and chew
Woo!! So glad these cookies are a hit! Thanks for the review, Karen. I so appreciate it!
YUM! I just made these on a cozy Xmas eve and they are fantastic! I have to admit I was skeptical about them having a great flavor with the quinoa flour, but it is undetectable to me. The only change I made to the recipe was to use a regular egg in place of the flax egg. They are perfectly crispy on the outside and deliciously chewy in the middle. Will definitely be making these again!
Ahh, this makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for giving them a try and for the review, Luna. I so appreciate it!
I love ginger , but not crystalized ginger. Can I omit it? What would change about the cookie? I would love to make these for Christmas. Thank you!!
Yes, you can totally make them without the crystalized ginger. It just adds more ginger flavor and a little chewiness, but they will still be good without it. Hope you get to try them for Christmas.
These are fantastic. I toasted my quinoa flour before baking with it, removing the bitter and grassy flavour. Wonderful depth of flavors. I’m really excited about baking with quinoa flour after this.
So glad you enjoyed these cookies!! Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review, I so appreciate. 🙂
I used 1 part coconut flour and 3 parts almond flour— they turned out delicious! Also cooked less than 10 mins for a nice dense but somehow still pillowy texture. YUM!
Ahh yay, I’m so glad these cookies turned out with the coconut and almond flour. That’s super helpful for other readers who are looking for a sub, so I appreciate you coming back to leave a comment.
Could I use coconut sugar in place of brown sugar?
Hey Theresa – I haven’t tried coconut sugar, but I would imagine it would work just fine. Let me know if you try it and how these cookies turn out!
I made these cookies with coconut sugar and they turned out delicious!! I ate all of them in 3 days!! I love your recipes, thank you!
Ahh yay, that makes me so happy to hear! I’m so glad you loved these cookies. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Could I make my own quinoa flour by blitzing quinoa in the blender?
Hey Carey – Yes, you can make your own quinoa flour. Here’s a recipe.
Just made these, fresh out of the oven and soooo soooo good! The quinoa flour is genius!!! Used avocado oil instead of coconut, as I’m allergic and half the sugar, added extra ginger powder because I am obsessed! Definitely will make again …. and again!
Ahh yay! This makes me so happy to hear, Kayla. I’m so glad these cookies turned out for you. Thanks for sharing the subs you made and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. It’s super helpful for other readers, so I really appreciate it. <3
Just finished making a batch of these. They don’t disappoint. My mom ate 3 right out of the oven. My bird even enjoyed a piece. The husband has eaten quite a few, except for the one the dog snatched from his plate. As for me, well I love them. They will be one of my Christmas cookies for sure. I followed the recipe exactly, and they were perfect. Can’t wait to try your other recipes.
Ahh yay, that makes me so happy to hear!! I’m so glad these were a hit with your family. 🙂
The most wonderful recipe! Absolutely delish.. ginger flavour shines through! Just a few things though, dry roast the Quinoa flour beforehand to avoid bitterness and sprinkle sugar on top of cookies AFTER they come out of the oven, (whilst they’re still warm) otherwise the sugar just melts! Also, it would be nice if you mentioned how much this recipe yields.. I halved this recipe and it made 12 yummy cookies 🙂
Hi there, love your recipes and share them with my friends! Can I use almond flour instead of quinoa flour? I have two bags I need to use. thank you.
Hey Lynn – I’m so glad you love the recipes and thanks so much for sharing them!! I haven’t tried these cookies with almond flour, but you can certainly try it! Let me know how they turn out if you try them.
Hello Brittany, i Love all your recipes. Thank you so much.
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Catherine. 🙂 You are so welcome!
I’m not vegan, and I prefer to cook with real eggs. Has anyone tried this recipe using a real egg instead of a flaxseed egg? If so, would you use 1 egg or 2 for this recipe? I’m thinking of adding these cookies to my Christmas gift baskets this year.
Hey Maurita! You can definitely use 1 real egg instead of the flax egg. 🙂 Let me know how they turn out for you!
Hi Brittany, Love all your recipes lined up with the photos!
Thanks Holly! I’m glad to hear that you’re loving the recipes. 🙂
you’re amazing! thank you so much for developing these recipes!!!
Aww, that makes me so happy to hear. 🙂 I’m so glad that you’re enjoying the recipes, Zoe!
Could I sub melted butter for coconut oil?
I think that should work just fine, but I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure how it will affect the result. Let me know how they turn out if you decide to experiment and try it.
Hi – any chance of having the recipe in grams as UK cups are different – thanks
Hi Helen. I don’t currently provide grams for my recipes, but I will certainly make note of the request. In the meantime, there are online converters that you can use. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Just made these.They are very tasty.
I made these yesterday for a cookie swap. They are so delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
I am a ginger lover– and especially ginger cookies. I just made these and they’re amazing! Great texture, and I LOVE the crystalized ginger in them. A keeper recipe for sure!
Will blackstrap molasses work for this?
Indeed! That’s what I use. 🙂
My apologies Brittany, you learn something new every day. Thanks for being such a good sport about it! I will try them!
I made them once and they are absolutely great. As for the pictures I think they look exactly like they are supposed to and very enticing, ha.
in case some or all of you readers think i’m being unkind, I have cooked for many years. Sharing recipes is a great responsibility since food isn’t cheap. I have lost a lot of money with tacky recipes. Admittedly I haven’t tried this one but the picture doesn’t evoke confidence in trying it.
And so have I cooked for many years and I also cater and never have I seen a gingerbread or molasses cookie that doesn’t crackle on top. It’s what makes it look nice. ????
you can’t seriously post a picture of these broken looking cookies as a major triumph
Hey Caroline. The cookies aren’t broken — gingersnap cookies are known for crackling like this. I should also note that everyone who has tried these cookies LOVES them. 🙂
These are amazing! I had never baked with quinoa flour before, and I’m glad that I tried it. I have been eating gluten free for a few years, and this is one of the first cookie recipes that I’ve tried that I doesn’t make me miss real flour. Thanks for the recipe!
That truly looks and sounds amazing. I started eating glutenfree accidently through a fat loss program. I wanted to drop body fat, and my way to doing that was by cutting calories in general. It worked nicely – I will be publishing my transformation through 6 months on my blog within a couple of days – but in my diet there just wasnt space for gluten since pasta and similar products took up too many calories. So after eating gluten free for a couple of months I gave myself a carb cheat day where I made a nice pot of pasta carbonara. After eating it I felt really bad, and noticed similar symptoms after eating something containing gluten. I have to eat large quantities to really feel bad, but it really shows me that gluten just isnt for us. It should not be ingested.
Thank you for this recipe!
These are FANTASTIC!!! My whole family loves them and they are in the regular snack baking rotation. I could not find quinoa flour in the store so I subbed white whole wheat flour. Very well put together recipe and one I feel good about feeding my family. Will try the quinoa flour next time I place a specialty flour order.
These look DELICIOUS. Where would I find crystalized ginger in the grocery store? Or can I make my own?
These look amazing! I love ginger in baked goods, I will definitely have to try them! Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks Jess. Everyone LOVES these cookies. Let me know if you try them.
I just made these and they turned out AWESOME! Thanks for the great recipe 🙂
Could coconut sugar replace the brown sugar?
Hi Lori. I haven’t tried it, but I think it should work! Let me know if you try it.
I replaced both the brown sugar and cane sugar for coconut sugar and it worked really well 🙂
great idea using quinoa flour! yum!
I have so much quinoa flour in my pantry that is now begging to be made into these cookies. They look phenomenal! Pinning for now.
These are so creative, Brittany!! Love it 🙂
Brittany, These look ahmazing!! Seriously, they look so chewy and crackly I can’t even deal. 🙂
I love love love quinoa flour! It’s so much fun to work with and great for muffins, cookies and cakes. These cookies look amazing – I can’t wait to make them!
quinoa flour exists?!?! dang, they are always coming out with creative flours these days, haha!! These look gorgeous!
I made them with about 2/3 buckwheat and 1/3 whole rice flour and they are very tasty, if not a little crunchy (probably over baked a minute or so). I’ll be making them again with regular whole wheat flour.
totally making these! question… can’t do coconut (sad i know) can I sub avocado oil?
I’ve never used avocado oil, but you can certainly try it. I also think regular butter would work well if you’re okay using that. 🙂
These look and sound amazing Brittany. I’m always on the hunt for new and different recipes to try. Especially those with Quinoa. Thanks! 🙂
One of the best kinds of cookies this time of year! I was just thinking about how much I wanted a ginger snap cookie. Gotta make these!
Good luck on the cookoff! These look great.
So creative! I love Ancient Harvest, but I’ve never tried their flour! Will have to do that 🙂
These look wonderful! Perfect for the holidays.
Love that these are gluten free, nut free, and vegan!!! Plus I love ginger everything, good luck with the competition, voting now! (And I also hate rinsing quinoa- I don’t know why I hate it so much but I do.)
I will definitely be making these once I pick up some quinoa flour and molasses! Love the idea.
Ohh my husband would love these! Thanks for sharing!
These look so delicious, and I love that there aren’t hard-to-find ingredients in them 🙂 I’ve never baked with quinoa flour, but now I’m interested!
I’d like to make these right now but don’t have any quinoa flour. Can I replace it with teff, brown rice or buckwheat flour.
You could certainly try it with those flours but I’m not sure how they would turn out because I haven’t tried it. Let me know how they turn out if you do try it. 🙂
I found it in the bulk bins at my health food store!