1-Bowl Gluten-Free Gingersnaps – Minimalist Baker Recipes

Overflowing small bowl of molasses on a cooling rack next to a stack of gingersnaps

Gluten-free gingersnaps packed with holiday flavor and just like the real deal with that quintessential crunch? Here they are! Bonus? These cookies are EASY to make, vegan, naturally sweetened, and perfect for holiday parties or gifting to friends and neighbors.

Don’t worry — no hassle here! The dough comes together in just a few simple steps. Let’s get festive and make some cookies, friends!

Salt, spices, baking soda, molasses, coconut oil, arrowroot flour, almond flour, oat flour, coconut sugar, and maple syrup

What is a gingersnap?

Gingersnaps, also called ginger nuts or ginger biscuits, are thin, crunchy cookies flavored with molasses and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

The origin of gingersnaps is generally attributed to Northern Europe, where the name could be related to the German or Middle Dutch word snappen, meaning “to seize quickly.” The following is our vegan and gluten-free version of these spicy, sweet treats enjoyed around the world.

How to make vegan gluten-free gingersnaps

These cookies get their sweetness from a combination of coconut sugar, maple syrup, and molasses. And their spiciness comes from ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Melted coconut oil creates the best cookie texture, with a neutral flavor! It’s getting spicy in here!

Stirring maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut oil, molasses, and spices in a bowl

Next, for dry ingredients, oat flour, almond flour, and arrowroot starch combine to create a snappy cookie that really lets the flavors of the molasses and spices shine!

Bowl of vegan gluten-free gingersnap dough

After adding the dry ingredients, it’s time to roll! Rolling and cutting out the cookies creates the thinnest, snappiest, and most uniform treats. We like a 2-inch round cookie cutter for the ultimate two-bite cookie!

Mini rolling pin next to gingersnap dough cut into small circles with a cookie cutter

Finally, it’s time to bake, and in minutes, the gingersnaps of your dreams are ready to enjoy. Grab a glass of (vegan) eggnog or (dairy-free) milk and dunk them in!

Picking up half of a snapped gingersnap cookie from a plate of more cookies

We hope you LOVE these vegan gluten-free gingersnaps! They’re:

Crispy
Warming
Gingery
Perfectly sweet
Super snap-able
& Feel like the holidays!

Make a batch to celebrate the season, bring to a holiday cookie party, or gift to friends and neighbors.

More cookies to share with friends

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Holding two halves of a gingersnap cookie to show the crispy inner texture

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 35 (Cookies)

Course Dessert

Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan

Freezer Friendly 1 month

Does it keep? 2-3 Days

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 3 Tbsp coconut sugar
  • 3 Tbsp melted coconut oil
  • 2 Tbsp molasses
  • 1 ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup oat flour* (certified gluten-free as needed)
  • 1/2 cup almond flour (we like Wellbee’s)
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot flour (also called arrowroot starch)
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, coconut sugar, melted coconut oil, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and sea salt until well combined and smooth.

  • Add in the oat flour, almond flour, and arrowroot starch and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until the flours are completely incorporated. Your dough should feel sticky but not too tacky (sticking to your hands) or too dry (crumbly) and should hold its form. If the dough appears too dry, it likely just needs more mixing.

  • Form the dough into a disc and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to solidify.

  • Once the dough has rested, place a sheet of parchment paper on a large cutting board or countertop. Dust it lightly with arrowroot starch then place the dough in the center, dust with more arrowroot starch, and place another sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough. Working from the center out, roll the dough into a large circle about 1/16-inch thick. Rolling to this thickness makes these cookies crisp (our preferred texture) rather than soft. If you have any difficulty rolling the dough, place it in the refrigerator to chill for 10-20 minutes and then try again.

  • Use a cookie cutter (we used a 2-inch circle) to cut out as many cookies as you can. Use a metal spatula lightly dusted with arrowroot starch to transfer them onto your parchment-lined baking sheets. Place the cookies about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Combine the rest of the dough scraps and repeat steps 5-6 until all of the dough is stamped out into cookies.

  • Bake the cookies for 9-12 minutes until they are dry to the touch. Let cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

  • Once completely cooled, the gingersnaps can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days at room temperature, 7-10 days in the refrigerator, or 1-2 months in the freezer. Dough can also be frozen for up to 1 month and rolled/baked after defrosting in the refrigerator overnight.

*If oat-free, we suggest trying sorghum flour, which usually works as a 1:1 sub for oat flour. Since we haven’t tested it in this recipe yet, we can’t guarantee the result. Let us know in the comments if you try it!
*Loosely adapted from our Crispy Gluten-Free Graham Crackers (Vegan).
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Serving: 1 cookie Calories: 45 Carbohydrates: 6 g Protein: 0.7 g Fat: 2.1 g Saturated Fat: 1.1 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3 g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.6 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 37 mg Potassium: 52 mg Fiber: 0.5 g Sugar: 3 g Vitamin A: 0 IU Vitamin C: 0 mg Calcium: 20 mg Iron: 0.2 mg

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