Vegan gingerbread cookies – these perfect vegan gingerbread cookies are easy to make and ideal for decorating at Christmas. They make lovely gifts or edible decorations and can be made soft or crunchy to suit your preference. Use this recipe to make gingerbread men, tree decorations or any cut-outs you like.
There’s something special about Christmas baking, and gingerbread sits near the top of my list. These vegan gingerbread cookies are straightforward to make, hold their shape well and are wonderfully spiced. They fill the kitchen with a warm aroma as they bake and keep long enough to give as gifts or use as edible decorations.
You can enjoy them plain or decorate with royal icing. Decorating is a lovely activity with children and a great way to personalize cookies for gifting.
How To Make Vegan Gingerbread Cookies:
(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)
Tip: For consistent results weigh ingredients with a digital scale. Cup measures can be inaccurate for baking.
Start by melting the solid fats and syrups. In a medium saucepan over low heat combine the vegan block butter, light brown soft sugar, golden syrup and black treacle (or molasses). Stir until everything has melted, then remove from the heat.
(You can substitute some butter with coconut oil if needed, but using block vegan butter gives the best texture.)
Whisk in the spices and bicarbonate of soda until smooth. The mixture may foam slightly. Adjust the spice amounts to taste if you prefer a milder gingerbread.
Stir in the plain flour with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together and no dry patches remain. Wrap the dough in clingfilm or an eco alternative (for example a silicone bag) and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours until firm enough to roll out.
The dough can be stored in the fridge for up to a couple of days; allow it to warm slightly at room temperature if it becomes too firm to roll.
When ready, roll the dough on a lightly floured surface or between two sheets of baking parchment to about 3–5 mm thick, depending on the thickness you prefer.
Cut out shapes with cookie cutters, gather scraps and re-roll to cut additional shapes.
Place the cut cookies on baking sheets lined with parchment, spacing them apart so they don’t touch as they spread slightly while baking.
Freeze the trays for 15 minutes to firm the dough and help the cookies keep their shape. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
Bake for 8–12 minutes depending on size and whether you prefer soft or crunchy cookies. Smaller shapes will take less time. The cookies will be soft when removed but will firm as they cool; I aim for a slight browning around the edges.
Let the cookies cool on the trays for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make vegan royal icing, sift icing sugar into a bowl and stir in lemon juice and aquafaba (or extra lemon juice/water if preferred). Aim for a thick but pourable consistency — a drizzled line should disappear after about 10 seconds. Adjust with more lemon juice if too thick or more sifted sugar if too thin.
Transfer the icing to a piping bag with a small round nozzle and decorate the cooled cookies as you like. Leave decorated cookies to dry flat for a couple of hours before storing.
Top Tips:
Use metric measurements and a digital scale for the best and most consistent results. The dough needs at least a couple of hours chilling time, so plan ahead. You must use block vegan butter or margarine (not the spreadable tub version) because spreadable products contain more water and affect the bake.
Coconut oil can be used in place of some or all of the butter, but it may make the dough feel greasier. Accurately weigh golden syrup and treacle — small differences can change how much the cookies spread. In the US, light molasses can be used if golden syrup is unavailable (avoid blackstrap molasses).
Freezing cut cookies before baking helps them retain their shape. Soft or crunchy results depend only on bake time: shorter for soft, longer for crisp. Because oven temperatures and cutter sizes vary, bake a couple of test cookies first to find your ideal time.
If you prefer not to use aquafaba in the icing, substitute extra lemon juice or water. Colour icing with gel food colours rather than liquid; some gel brands are vegan-friendly.
What Is A Substitute For Golden Syrup?
Golden syrup has a buttery, caramel-like flavour and a honey-like texture (store-bought brands may be vegan). If you can’t source it, try light molasses or corn syrup as substitutes. Some online tutorials also explain how to make a homemade version.
How To Store Vegan Gingerbread Cookies:
Store cookies in an airtight container for 2–3 weeks. Separate layers with greaseproof paper and ensure decorations are fully dry before packing.
Can I Freeze The Dough?
Yes. Well-wrapped dough can be frozen for up to a month. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before rolling.
How Long Will The Dough Keep In The Fridge?
Prepared dough will keep in the fridge for up to three days when wrapped or stored in a silicone bag. Allow it to warm a little before rolling if it’s very firm.
More Vegan Christmas Recipes:
- Vegan mince pies
- Vegan Christmas cake
- Vegan Christmas pudding
- Vegan mincemeat cake
- Vegan biscotti
- Vegan mulled wine brownies
- Vegan steamed chocolate pudding
- Vegan Stollen with marzipan
- Starry mince pie tart
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Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
Vegan Gingerbread Cookies:
- 150 g vegan block butter (½ cup + 2 Tbsp)
- 120 g light brown soft sugar (⅔ cup)
- 100 g golden syrup (5 Tbsp) or light molasses
- 50 g black treacle (2½ Tbsp) or molasses
- 1 Tbsp non-dairy milk
- 3½ tsp ground ginger
- 3½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 380 g plain (all-purpose) flour (3 cups + 2 Tbsp), plus extra for dusting
Vegan Royal Icing:
- 300 g icing (powdered) sugar, sifted
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice (plus more if needed)
- 2 Tbsp aquafaba (or extra lemon juice/water)
Instructions
- Place butter, sugar, golden syrup, treacle and milk in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted. Remove from heat.
- Add ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and bicarbonate of soda and whisk until smooth; the mix may foam slightly.
- Stir in the flour until combined with no dry patches. Wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours until firm enough to roll.
- Roll the dough out to about 3–5 mm thick. If too firm, let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Cut shapes with cutters, re-roll scraps to cut more.
- Place shapes on lined baking sheets, leaving room to spread.
- Freeze trays for 15 minutes, then preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
- Bake for 8–15 minutes depending on size and desired texture. Remove when edges begin to brown for a firmer cookie as it cools.
- Cool on trays for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the icing, mix sifted icing sugar with lemon juice and aquafaba until thick but pourable. Adjust consistency as needed.
- Pipe decorations with a small round nozzle and allow to dry flat for a couple of hours before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
- Use metric measurements for best consistency.
- Chill the dough for at least two hours before rolling.
- Use block vegan butter or margarine (not spreadable tub versions).
- Accurate weighing of syrups helps control spreading.
- If golden syrup is unavailable, light molasses is a suitable substitute (avoid blackstrap).
- Freezing the cut cookies before baking keeps their shape.
- Bake time determines softness or crunch — test with a couple of cookies to find your preference.
- Aquafaba in the icing can be replaced with lemon juice or water if preferred.
- Use gel colours for icing if you want tinted decorations.
