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These vegan ginger cookies are full of spices, chewy on the inside but have that perfect crispy "snap" on the edges that gives them their gingersnap name. No chill time and ready in under 30 minutes, these cookies will put anyone in the holiday spirit!
These vegan ginger cookies are such a great cookie to whip up for a cookie exchange, a thoughtful gift, or just to fill up your own holiday cookie jar! They are delicious, easy, and ready in a snap! See what I did there? 😉
I know that gingerbread cookies get all the love because of their fun shapes and colourful decorations. Don't get me wrong, I love decorating gingerbread cookies, but when it comes to actually eating them, I'll take vegan gingersnaps any day.
Why These Vegan Ginger Cookies Work
- They are super easy to make - all you need is one bowl and 10 simple ingredients
- The brown sugar and molasses make these cookies perfectly chewy in the middles, while the granulated sugar gives them “snappy” crisp edges
- These molasses cookies are perfect for taking to a cookie exchange or gifting to friends and family - but no one will even know they’re vegan!
Ingredients Needed
- Brown Sugar: brown sugar brings out the molasses flavour of the cookies and makes them perfectly chewy.
- Granulated Sugar: this gingersnap cookie dough is made with white sugar too, which helps give them those crispy outer edges. We also roll the cookies in white sugar before baking them for added sweetness and the gorgeous signature sparkle of gingersnaps.
- Flour: this recipe uses all-purpose flour, which is what I recommend for best results.
- Molasses: You can use light or dark molasses in this recipe, depending on how bold of a molasses flavor you like.
- Vegan Milk: I like to use unsweetened oat milk, but you can use any kind of vegan milk you have on hand.
Step By Step Instructions
Note: Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine flour, spices, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.
STEP TWO: In the bowl of a handheld mixer or standing mixer,beat together the butter and both sugars. Then add in the molasses and mix until fully incorporated and any molasses streaks are gone.
STEP THREE: Add the dry ingredients in two parts. Add the vegan milk in between each addition and mix until just combined. The dough will be a little bit soft.
STEP FOUR: Form the dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls and roll each one in granulated sugar, generously coating each one. Place the dough on a lined baking sheet. Place the cookies 3-4 inches apart to give them room to spread.
STEP FIVE: Bake the cookies for 10-13 minutes or until they have a slight crack on top and the edges look set. If they look too puffy when you take them out of the oven, gently bang the baking sheet on a flat surface once to deflate them.
FAQS
FAQs and Expert Tips
Sure! For crispier cookies, roll the dough into 1.5 tablespoon sized balls (instead of 2 tablespoon) and bake for closer to 12-13 minutes. The middles won’t be as soft and chewy if you bake them this way, and they’ll be a snappier cookie.
Nope! Chilling cookie dough often helps cookies to not spread too much when they're baked, but these vegan ginger snap cookies are meant to spread and be fairly thin, so there's no chilling required!
Here are a few ways you can take these simple cookies to the next level!
- Dip in vegan white chocolate: Once the gingersnaps have cooled completely, add ¼-½ cup of vegan white chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between each time until melted. Dip half of a cookie into the bowl and place on a parchment lined baking sheet or drizzle the chocolate over the cookies.
-Ice cream sandwiches: Add a couple scoops of vegan ice cream in between the cookies for an easy but impressive holiday treat!
Expert Tips
- Properly measure your flour: Please, please don’t over-measure your flour! I strongly recommend investing in a $10 kitchen scale, but you can also use the scoop and level method.
- Don’t over-mix the dough!
- Bake one cookie sheet at a time! The cookies bake more evenly this way.
- If the cookies look too puffy, gently tap the pan against the kitchen counter to flatten them right away when they come out of the oven.
- For perfectly circular cookies, use a large cup to re-shape them! If the cookies aren’t as perfectly round as you’d like, you can use a large cup or bowl to cover the warm cookies and gently re-shape them. You can also use a spoon to fix any uneven edges. This must be done as soon as the cookies come out of the oven.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
The cookies should be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
You can also freeze them for up to 3 months in a freezer ziploc bag, then thaw at room temperature. You can also freeze the dough in individual balls and bake them later!
More Vegan Recipes You'll Love
If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Vegan Gingersnaps
Equipment
- Mixer
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment or a using a handheld mixer, beat together butter, brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar.
- Add in the molasses and continue mixing until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl frequently.
- Pour in dry ingredients in two additions. Add in the milk in between each addition and mix until just combined, then add in the milk. The dough will be quite soft.
- Pour remaining granulated sugar into a small bowl. Form the cookie dough into 1½ sized balls and roll each ball in the sugar to coat completely.
- Place the cookie dough on the prepared baking sheets. Leave about 3-4 inches between each to give them room to spread! Bake one sheet at a time for 8-12 minutes. The edges will look set and the top should have a little bit of crinkle.
- Remove the cookies from the oven. If they look too puffy, gently but firmly tap the baking sheet on the countertop to deflate them. Let cool on baking sheet for 5-10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Bee
Very tasty combo of spices. I hate to adjust recipes and then comment, but I used GF flour and they came out just fine. Will save this recipe for sure.
Gabby
Hi Bee! I'm so happy that the GF swap worked and that you liked the cookies! Thanks so much for the review 🙂
Callan
I loved these cookies!! Made a half batch with my niece and nephew since we were looking for a quick batch of cookies and this was perfect. I loved how ultra chewy they were. We added about 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger for an extra spicy cookie. Will definitely make these again.
Gabby
Hi Callan! YAY! I am so happy that you all loved the cookies so much! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Riley Lindberg
These are to die for! Can’t wait to have them again!
Thanks for the recipe Gabby!
Gabby
Hi Riley! Yay! I am so happy to hear that you loved the cookies! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review 🙂
Addy
Delicious!
Gabby
Hi Addy! I'm so happy to hear that you loved them 🙂
Melanie
These are amazing
Gabby
Hi Melanie! I'm so glad you loved them!!
Riley
OMG THEYRE SO GOOD!!!! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!!
Gabby
Hi Riley! Yay, I am so happy to hear how much you loved the gingersnaps! Thank you so much for trying them out and for taking the time to come back and leave a review! 😀
Taylor
The perfect snap and flavour! Delish! Will make again
Gabby
Hi Taylor! Yay I'm so happy that you loved them! Thanks for trying out the recipe 🙂