Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

When the holidays come around, there are two things that come to the forefront of our minds: presents and cookies. There are a variety of different cookie recipes that you can make for your guests and for Santa on Christmas Eve, but gingerbread cookies are some of the most popular. These cookies literally taste just like Christmas in your mouth, and they are wonderful for kids and adults alike. Better yet, this specific recipe is gluten-free, meaning that everyone can join in on the fun.

Recipe developer Catherine Brookes of Blue Sky Eating is the brains behind this wonderful recipe that will give you all of the holiday feels. "Gingerbread cookies are such a festive classic, but this recipe is so good, you'll be making them all year round! They're soft and chewy and packed with ginger flavor, and you'd never guess they were gluten-free," Brookes raves. "These are perfect for those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease, but they taste exactly like the 'normal' version." 

Keep reading to find out how to make these amazing cookies.

Once you are ready to start the cooking party, make a list of items you will need to grab at the grocery store. Start with some gluten-free all-purpose flour, followed by xanthan gum. You will also need to add baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg to your shopping list. Then, add some butter, brown sugar, and golden syrup. As a reminder, be sure to check for items that you may have at home already.

There are only a few more things you need to add to your cart, including an egg, powdered sugar, and some milk. Once you have all of those items, you can begin.

Now that you have the ingredients, it's time to get baking. Start by grabbing the bowl of your stand mixer. Take it off the mixer since you won't need that part just yet. Then, add in your dry ingredients. This includes the flour, xanthan gum, and baking powder. Next, you can add your spices for flavor, including ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk everything to combine.

The next item you need to add is the cubed butter. Rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingers. Once it starts to resemble breadcrumbs, you can then stir in the brown sugar.

Now, take out a separate bowl to mix some of the wet ingredients. First, crack your egg on the side and discard the shell while placing the egg and yolk into the bowl. Next, pour in the golden syrup, and then whisk them together.

Now, add the bowl with the dry mixture onto the stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Set the speed to low, and let everything mix together. Then, gradually pour in the egg/syrup mixture so everything combines and forms a dough. Once it does, use your hands to shape it into a ball.

Now, take the dough and place it in the fridge. Let it chill for about an hour. Once the dough is close to being fully chilled, preheat your oven to 350 F so it has time to get nice and hot. Then, line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

It's time to roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (make sure it's gluten-free), to a five mm thickness. Using a cookie cutter, cut out gingerbread shapes and place them on the cookie sheets. Go ahead and pop them in the oven, and set your timer for 12 minutes. Then, take them out of the oven and leave them on the baking sheets for 15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Grab a small bowl and mix together the powdered sugar and the milk. Once the cookies have cooled, decorate as you wish, and feel free to get creative. Then, you can finally enjoy the fruits of your labor. These go great with a glass of coffee or some milk — just ask Santa! If you have any cookies left over, don't worry about it. "They should last up to five days at room temp," Brookes shares. "You could freeze the unbaked dough for up to three months." 

We hope you love this festive recipe as much as we do!