Easy Vegan Gingerbread Cookies with Simple Icing: The Coziest Plant-Based Holiday Treat
If you’re searching for a holiday cookie recipe that’s easy, festive, completely vegan, and guaranteed to make your kitchen smell like pure Christmas joy—welcome to your new December tradition. These Easy Vegan Gingerbread Cookies with Simple Icing deliver everything you love about classic gingerbread: warm spices, deep molasses flavor, crisp edges with soft centers, and that timeless, cozy aroma that brings family members wandering into the kitchen before the cookies have even cooled.
Best of all, these cookies require no special ingredients, no chill time, and come together with just a mixing bowl, a rolling pin, and a baking sheet. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a holiday newbie, this recipe produces beautifully shaped gingerbread cookies that hold their edges and decorate like a dream.
In this long-form, SEO-optimized recipe article, you’ll find everything you need to make perfect vegan gingerbread cookies plus pro tips, variations, storage instructions, icing techniques, and fun cultural context about gingerbread’s deliciously long history.
Why These Vegan Gingerbread Cookies Are the Best
There are hundreds of gingerbread recipes floating around the internet—but this one stands out for several reasons:
1. Completely Dairy-Free & Egg-Free
Many traditional gingerbread cookies rely on butter and eggs for structure. This recipe uses:
- Vegan butter for richness
- Plant milk to bind
- Molasses to add moisture and deep flavor
The result? Cookies that bake up beautifully without any animal products.
2. Holds Its Shape Perfectly
Whether you’re making gingerbread men, trees, stars, snowflakes, or intricate shapes, these cookies do not spread. They retain crisp, clean edges even with detailed cutters.
3. Soft-Center or Crisp—Your Choice
Adjust your bake time and cooling method:
- Shorter bake = softer, chewy centers
- Longer bake = crisp, crunchy, dunk-friendly cookies
4. Uses Simple Pantry Ingredients
You probably already have:
- Flour
- Spices
- Sugar
- Molasses
- Vegan butter
Nothing complicated, nothing expensive.
5. Fast to Make
With no chill time required, this is a truly weeknight baking holiday cookie.
The Flavor Profile: What Makes Gingerbread So Iconic
Gingerbread has been enjoyed across the globe for centuries, with variations appearing in ancient Greece, medieval Europe, and eventually North America. What makes gingerbread universally loved is its balance of:
- Warmth from ginger
- Sweetness from molasses
- Fragrance from cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves
- Depth from brown sugar
Veganizing the cookie doesn’t change its beloved flavor—it simply makes it more accessible for plant-based eaters, dairy-free families, and anyone who wants a slightly lighter cookie with bigger spice payoff.
Ingredients for Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Below is the exact ingredient list, but here’s what makes each element essential:
- Molasses — the star of the show, gives gingerbread its color and signature taste
- Ginger + cinnamon + nutmeg + cloves — warm, holiday-perfect spice combination
- Vegan butter — provides richness and structure
- Brown sugar — adds caramel notes and chewiness
- Plant milk — binds the dough
- All-purpose flour — keeps the cookies tender but sturdy
The icing is deliberately simple: powdered sugar + plant milk + a splash of vanilla.
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegan butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons plant milk (almond, oat, soy, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Simple Vegan Icing
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 teaspoons plant milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: natural food coloring
Instructions
1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This keeps the cookies from sticking and prevents over-browning.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together:
- Flour
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Cloves
- Baking soda
- Salt
Set aside.
3. Cream Vegan Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat:
- Vegan butter
- Brown sugar
Mix until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes.
4. Add Molasses, Plant Milk, and Vanilla
Beat until fully combined. The mixture may look slightly grainy—this is normal.
5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet, mixing on low speed. The dough should be soft but not sticky. If needed, add 1 more tablespoon of flour.
6. Roll Out the Dough
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness. For crisp cookies, roll slightly thinner.
7. Cut Out Shapes
Use any cookie cutters you like—classic gingerbread men, snowflakes, stars, candy canes, or simple circles.
8. Bake
Place cookies on baking sheets and bake 8–10 minutes.
- For softer cookies: bake 8 minutes
- For crisp cookies: bake 10–11 minutes
The edges should be set, but the centers may still look soft.
9. Cool Completely
Transfer cookies to a wire rack. Let cool fully before icing, or the icing will melt.
10. Make the Simple Vegan Icing
Whisk powdered sugar, plant milk, and vanilla until smooth.
Adjust:
- More sugar = thicker icing
- More milk = thinner glaze
11. Decorate and Serve
Pipe designs using a small piping bag or drizzle with a spoon. Allow icing to set before stacking or storing.
Tips for Perfect Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
1. Softer cookies?
Add 1 extra tablespoon of plant milk and bake on the shorter side.
2. Crisp cookies?
Roll thinner and bake 1–2 additional minutes.
3. No-molasses alternative
Use dark brown sugar + 1 tablespoon maple syrup.
4. Want them gluten-free?
Replace flour with a 1-to-1 GF baking blend.
5. Prevent sticking
Dip cookie cutters in flour between cuts.
Variations
Chocolate Gingerbread
Replace 2 tablespoons of flour with cocoa powder.
Spiced Orange Gingerbread
Add 1 tablespoon orange zest to the dough.
Maple Icing
Replace plant milk with maple syrup for the icing.
Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies
Spread vegan buttercream between two soft cookies.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with hot cocoa or chai tea
- Wrap in treat bags for holiday gifting
- Decorate with white icing for a classy Scandinavian look
- Add festive sprinkles for kids’ parties
- Use as edible ornaments (poke small holes before baking)
Storage Instructions
Room Temperature:
Up to 7 days in an airtight container.
Freezer:
- Unbaked dough: 3 months
- Baked cookies (uniced): 2 months
- Iced cookies: 1 month
Easy Vegan Gingerbread Cookies with Simple Icing
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- In another bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add molasses, plant milk, and vanilla extract, mixing well.
- Gradually mix in dry ingredients until a soft dough forms.
- Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.
- Bake 8–10 minutes until set around the edges. Cool completely on wire racks.
- Mix powdered sugar, plant milk, and vanilla until smooth to make icing.
- Pipe or drizzle icing over cooled cookies.
