T-minus less than one week before Christmas! Do you have a little bit of holiday baking left inside you? If so, 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!
We’ve checked nearly all the “getting ready for Christmas” crafts and activities off our list:
- Cutting out Easy Cinnamon Ornaments: check
- Decorating Gluten Free Sugar Cookies: check
- Making glue + cotton ball snowman on construction paper: check (and omg, so adorable)
- Mixing and eating an obnoxious amount of Chocolate Peppermint Puppy Chow: check and check!
All that’s left to do is make a Fruit Christmas Tree (I’m taking one for the team and “letting” my Mom do this with all the kids on Christmas Day. ;) ) then we’re ready for Santa! He is going to love these heavily spiced cookies that are sugary and crisp on the outside, and nice and moist (I said it) on the inside. I know we’re not supposed to talk about eating raw cookie dough on the Internet but my God you guys, this cookie dough!! Best I ever had.
One word of warning, or rather a heads up — this 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, DON’T OVER BAKE these cookies! I found 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!
Try My Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Recipe Too!
How to Make Gluten Free Ginger Molasses Cookies
Start by beating 3/4 cup butter (1-1/2 sticks) softened to room temperature and 3/4 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add 1 egg, 1/4 cup molasses, and 1 teaspoon vanilla then beat until combined.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together 2 cups gluten free baking flour blend (I use Bob’s Red Mill GF 1 to 1 Baking Flour in the blue bag,) 1 teaspoon each baking soda, cinnamon and ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix into the wet ingredients in two batches.
Cover the dough then chill for at least 4 hours, or better yet – 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 1/2 cup 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 You’ll Love
- Soft & Chewy Gluten Free Sugar Cookies
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
- Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 10 Gluten Free Christmas Cookies and Treats
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Gluten Free Ginger Molasses Cookies
Description
Gluten Free Ginger Molasses Cookies are soft and chewy, festive, and full of warming spices. Perfect for the holidays and cookie lovers!
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free baking flour blend (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 (1-1/2 sticks) butter, 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 found 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 use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour in the blue bag.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
I am wondering if these cookies freeze 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.