1-Bowl Ginger Cookies (V/GF)
Tender, spicy, perfectly sweet ginger cookies made entirely in 1 bowl! The perfect vegan, gluten-free cookie for your holiday spread.
Servings 15 (cookies)
Ingredients
COOKIES
- 1/2 cup softened vegan butter* (1 stick = 1/2 cup // I like Earth Balance buttery sticks)
- 2/3 cup organic cane sugar* (plus more for rolling)
- 3 Tbsp aquafaba (chickpea brine - the liquid from a can of cooked chickpeas)*
- 3 Tbsp molasses
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (plus more for rolling)
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 ⅔ cups gluten-free flour blend*
- 2/3 cup almond flour*
- 1/3 cup cornstarch (I didn't test it with arrowroot but think it would work the same)
GLAZE optional
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp unsweetened dairy-free milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Prepare the topping for later by adding 2-3 Tbsp organic cane sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon to a small bowl and mixing. Set aside.
- Add softened vegan butter to a large mixing bowl and beat until creamy and smooth - about 1 minute.
- Add sugar and mix on medium speed until fluffy and light - about 1 minute. Then add chickpea brine (or other egg substitutes*) and molasses and mix again, scraping down sides as needed.
- Add baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and sea salt and blend to combine. Then add gluten-free flour blend, almond flour, and cornstarch and mix on low until the ingredients are combined.
- The dough should be thick and almost difficult to mix at this point. If too soft, continue adding 1 Tbsp each gluten-free flour blend, almond flour, and cornstarch until a thick, moldable dough is formed. Then transfer dough to the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes*.
- Use a cookie scooper (I like this one) or Tablespoon to measure out 1 ½ Tbsp amounts of dough and gently roll into balls – the dough will still be soft so be gentle. Then carefully roll in the cinnamon-sugar topping and arrange on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Press down gently with the palm of your hand or a drinking glass to smash until about the thickness you want to enjoy them at. They won’t spread or rise much so keep that in mind.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the cookies appear fluffy and the edges are slightly beginning to dry out. Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- If frosting, whisk together the powdered sugar and almond milk until a thick, pourable glaze is achieved. Then drizzle over the cookies. See notes if hoping to roll out and cut into shapes.
- Storage: Once cooled, store leftover cookies covered at room temperature for 3-4 days, or in the freezer up to 1 month.
Video
Notes
*I tried a similar recipe with softened coconut oil and didn't have the best results. But if looking to avoid vegan butter it's worth a shot!
*If you’d like to cut back on sugar, sub 1/3 cup of the sugar with 1 packet (~3/4 tsp) stevia extract- I like Trader Joe’s brand (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). This will make the cookies softer, so you may need to add more gluten-free flour, almond flour, and/or cornstarch to help thicken the dough.
*The chickpea brine substitutes an egg in this recipe. In its place, you can also try subbing 1/4 cup pumpkin purée, 1 egg replacer, or 1 small chicken egg if not vegan (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). I haven’t tested it with a flax egg or any of the other substitutes and can’t guarantee the results.
*You can substitute an equal amount of our NEW 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the DIY Blend in this recipe.
*If not gluten-free, sub the gluten-free flour blend with unbleached all-purpose flour. For best results, keep the almond flour. However, you could also try replacing it with a lesser amount of all-purpose flour. We haven't tested with all-purpose flour and can't guarantee the results. Let us know if you try it!
*If avoiding nuts, you can try subbing the almond flour with a blend of gluten-free flour blend and cornstarch (but use less as they will be more absorbent). I haven't tried this recipe with arrowroot starch, but I believe it can be subbed for cornstarch and work the same.
*You can make the cookie dough ahead of time and refrigerate up to 2-3 days in advance. Simply let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before scooping and baking. It should be soft and moldable.
*I did not test this recipe rolling the cookies out and making them into shapes. But I believe it's possible! Use my 1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies recipe as a guide.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without the glaze.
*If you’d like to cut back on sugar, sub 1/3 cup of the sugar with 1 packet (~3/4 tsp) stevia extract- I like Trader Joe’s brand (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). This will make the cookies softer, so you may need to add more gluten-free flour, almond flour, and/or cornstarch to help thicken the dough.
*The chickpea brine substitutes an egg in this recipe. In its place, you can also try subbing 1/4 cup pumpkin purée, 1 egg replacer, or 1 small chicken egg if not vegan (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). I haven’t tested it with a flax egg or any of the other substitutes and can’t guarantee the results.
*You can substitute an equal amount of our NEW 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the DIY Blend in this recipe.
*If not gluten-free, sub the gluten-free flour blend with unbleached all-purpose flour. For best results, keep the almond flour. However, you could also try replacing it with a lesser amount of all-purpose flour. We haven't tested with all-purpose flour and can't guarantee the results. Let us know if you try it!
*If avoiding nuts, you can try subbing the almond flour with a blend of gluten-free flour blend and cornstarch (but use less as they will be more absorbent). I haven't tried this recipe with arrowroot starch, but I believe it can be subbed for cornstarch and work the same.
*You can make the cookie dough ahead of time and refrigerate up to 2-3 days in advance. Simply let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before scooping and baking. It should be soft and moldable.
*I did not test this recipe rolling the cookies out and making them into shapes. But I believe it's possible! Use my 1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies recipe as a guide.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without the glaze.
Nutrition (1 of 15 servings)
Serving: 1 cookie Calories: 204 Carbohydrates: 29.8 g Protein: 2.3 g Fat: 8.8 g Saturated Fat: 2.2 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.8 g Monounsaturated Fat: 4.6 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 91 mg Potassium: 130 mg Fiber: 1.1 g Sugar: 11.6 g Vitamin A: 214 IU Vitamin C: 0.02 mg Calcium: 38 mg Iron: 0.6 mg