Gluten Free Ginger Molasses Cookies are soft and chewy, festive, and full of warming spices. Perfect for the holidays and cookie lovers!
We’re in the thick of holiday baking season, and I’ve got a magical, classic Christmas cookie recipe with a signature crackle that you’ve just got to try.
Gluten Free Ginger Molasses Cookies are packed with sugar, spice, and everything nice – I cannot TELL you how delicious these will make your house smell!
Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
Whether you’re baking cookies for Santa, or a Christmas cookie tray, you’re going to love these heavily-spiced cookies that are sugary and crisp on the outside, and chewy and moist on the inside. I know we’re not supposed to talk about eating raw cookie dough on the Internet but my goodness — this cookie dough!
One word of warning, or rather a heads up – the Gluten Free Ginger Molasses Cookie dough needs to chill for at least 4 hours, best if chilled overnight, so make your baking plans accordingly. Also, DO NOT OVER BAKE these cookies! I find 8 minutes to be the perfect amount of time to achieve a crisp, crackly exterior, and doughy, dense interior.
Alright friends, slap on your (gluten free) flour-covered aprons and let’s bake!
Bake Gluten Free Sugar Cookies
How to Make Gluten Free Ginger Molasses Cookies
Start by beating butter that’s been softened to room temperature and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add an egg, molasses, and vanilla then beat until combined.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together gluten free baking flour blend, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt. Mix into the wet ingredients in two batches.
Cover the dough then chill for at least 4 hours or, even better, overnight.
When it’s time to bake, scoop the cookie dough into ~1-1/2 Tablespoon portions then roll into balls and roll through a small dish with sugar. Place the dough balls on a parchment paper-lined half sheet pan then bake until the edges are light golden brown, 8-9 minutes, at 375 degrees.
The last step is to “rap” the baking sheet on the counter. Just hold it a few inches above the counter then drop it flat on the counter. This will help the cookies spread out a touch, and give them a better crackle!
Let the cookies rest on the cookie sheet for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. I hope you adore these fabulously spiced and special cookies! Enjoy!
More Gluten Free Christmas Cookies
- Gluten Free Shortbread
- Soft & Chewy Gluten Free Sugar Cookies
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Peppermint Covered Pretzels
- Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
- Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free baking flour blend WITH binder, see notes
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter, 1-1/2 sticks, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
Directions
- Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt to a medium-sized bowl then whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Add softened butter and brown sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer, or a large glass bowl if using a handheld mixer, then beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add egg, molasses, and vanilla and then beat until smooth.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add dry ingredients in two batches, mixing until just combined before adding the second batch. Cover then refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours or even better — overnight.
- When you’re ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature while the oven preheats to 375 degrees – this lets the dough soften just enough to roll. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper, then add granulated sugar to a bowl.
- Scoop dough in ~1-1/2 Tablespoon portions, roll into a ball, then roll in the sugar. Place dough balls onto prepared baking sheet 2" apart (I bake one dozen cookies at a time) then bake for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are light golden brown around the edges and crackly on top. DO NOT OVERBAKE! I find 8 minutes to be my perfect bake time. Rap the cookie sheet on the counter then let cookies sit for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- I like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour for these cookies.
- As with most gluten free baked goods, these cookies have the best texture starting on the second day when they become more chewy and more sturdy.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
You nailed the timing on the bake! So chewy and perfect. I added an extra teaspoon of ginger (from a frozen cube) to spice things up. Thank you for putting this out there for us GF folk who otherwise have to keep an arms length from holiday party tables.
I’m SO glad you enjoyed these, Tim! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Can i add chocolate chips?
Sure!
excellent cookies, easy to put together!
Wohoo! I’m so happy to hear that, Tina! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I made these for my office holiday spread, they are very well received. Soft, light, chewy, sweet, ginger bite all excellent. I went all vegan using flax egg. I did add 1 Tbsp of Gilroy Farms ginger mince in the wet side. The tip of rapping the tray on the counter was helpful.
I’m so glad to hear it, Mya!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Nutritional information would greatly help my diabetic granddaughter
You can look for estimated nutritional information to come in 2024, Chris! :)
Tried it and didn’t realise I used salted butter. Its a bit salty for a ginger cookie. Next time I will
use unsalted butter and add a little bit more ginger.
I am wondering if these cookies freeze well?
Yes, they do! Very well!
I just made them and they turned out as puff balls. I feel like I was supposed to flatten the dough balls before baking. The flavor is good, but they feel more like ginger cake pops. I think I will put a few in the air fryer and see what happens. I used King Arthur GF blend. Not sure what I did wrong.
Hey Lark! You could try rapping the baking sheet on the counter right when they come out of the oven (hold the baking sheet a few inches above the counter then drop it onto the counter to help deflate the cookies).
I just made these cookies, following the recipe exactly. I’m disappointed that all but 2 are flat and unevenly dark/lighter brown. 2 are beautiful! What happened?
Hi Kirsten! That’s very strange! Do you have any hot/cold spots in your oven? I can’t think of any recipe-related reason why some would come out fine and others not.
I made these and they came out flat too.
I followed the directions exactly letting the dough rest in fridge over night.
Next time I may try lower temp???
My non GF recipe bakes at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. The ingredients are identical except for the flour. I have never baked anything GF before so I welcome
suggestions.
Thank you!
Hi Pat! Baking the cookies at a lower temperature would make them flatter since the butter would have a longer time to melt. Unfortunately since I’m not there I can’t pinpoint exactly why the cookies flattened, I’m so sorry!