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It’s almost the end of the year! Because the year-end holiday season is synonymous with cookies, I decided that it was high time to share a recipe.
Since winter has arrived and the temperatures are dropping low, I thought it would be best to share a ginger cookie recipe that will warm us with its spices.
This ginger cookie recipe is different from gingerbread and the ginger snaps you might be used to – not only does it result in soft, chewy cookies (much like these big and soft ginger cookies), BUT it is also gluten free, so even those with celiac disease can enjoy them!
Made with blackstrap molasses, and gluten-free flour, this recipe incorporates ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg to give it that characteristic ginger cookie taste.
It’s a very simple recipe that can be made in less than 45 minutes from scratch, and the results are simply mouthwatering.
Serve these sweet treats as part of your lineup of homemade holiday bakes when your guests are visiting this holiday season, or pack them in little jars and give them as presents. Either way, your guests will surely ask you for this amazing recipe!
The instructions below make 15 large cookies, but you can double or triple the recipe to make more in one batch. Just be sure to avoid crowding the cookies on the baking tray and avoid baking too many at a time, so they have ample space to expand.
Ready make these delightful gluten-free soft ginger cookies at home? Let’s head straight to the recipe!
The Recipe

Servings | Prep Time |
15 large cookies | 20 minutes |
Cook Time | Passive Time |
12 minutes | 10 minutes |
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Soft, gluten-free ginger cookies that will warm you up with their spices this holiday season. A fresh batch of these can be made in just under 45 minutes!
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- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar + more for rolling
- 1 large egg*
- 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour blend
- 2 teaspoons ground Ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and frothy.
- Beat in the egg and the blackstrap molasses with the butter-sugar mixture until combined.
- In another bowl, whisk the gluten-free flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder together.
- Sift the gluten-free flour mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients, and mix well with a wooden spoon until you get a uniform cookie dough.
- Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll or scoop the chilled dough into small balls about 11/2 inches in diameter. Roll the balls in sugar and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches of space between each.
- Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned and puffy.
- Transfer the cookies from the parchment paper to a cooling rack as soon they come out of the oven, so they don’t stick to the parchment.
- Cool completely before storing in airtight containers or serving.
Adapted from Taste of Home
Nutritional Information*
Cooking by the Numbers…
Step 1 – Prepare the Mise en Place
First, get your ingredients ready.
Measure out the ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, blackstrap molasses, gluten-free flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder.
Step 2 – Prepare the Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
You can do this with your stand mixer, or by hand with a sturdy whisk. I like to use the nonstick silicone kind, since it makes cleanup easier.
Add the egg and the blackstrap molasses, and mix well until combined.
Step 3 – Prepare the Gluten-Free Flour Mixture
In another bowl, whisk the gluten-free flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder together until combined.
For another gluten-free alternative flour, consider using buckwheat. It’s the ingredient we use in another delicious ginger cookie recipe!
Step 4 – Prepare the Dough
Sift the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients, and mix very well with a wooden spoon until you get a homogeneous cookie dough.
Step 5 – Chill the Dough and Preheat the Oven
Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.
While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 6 – Roll into Small Balls
Once the dough has chilled, roll the dough into small balls about 1 1/2 inches wide, and then roll these in sugar.
If you prefer, an ice cream scoop can also be used for portioning the dough.
Place the sugar-coated balls onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches of space between each.
The dough will expand as it bakes, so you want to be sure to leave enough room.
Step 7 – Bake and Cool
Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes (or a bit less if using a convection style toaster oven) until the cookies are lightly browned and puffy.
Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack immediately, so they do not stick to the parchment.
The sugar coating forms a light caramel when baking. This is delicious, but it may cause the cookies to stick to the parchment paper.
Allow them to cool completely before storing in an airtight container or serving.
Serve and Tuck In!
Once they’re cool and firm, it’s time to enjoy these deliciously spiced sweet treats. Try pairing them with a hot cup of tea, or a mug of hot cocoa, made from scratch.
These can keep in an airtight container for up to a week. But based on my own experience, I can tell you that they will probably not last that long.
If you want to make some more gluten free baking excursions, make sure to try these:
- Cashew Brownies
- Mandarin Orange Sponge Cake
- Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cinnamon Coconut Flour Cookies
- Chewy Flourless Monster
Do you like your ginger cookies soft or crispy? Let us k now in the comments below!
And be sure to take a gander all of our cookie, dessert, and gluten free recipes!
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Photos by Felicia Lim, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details.
*Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.

About Felicia Lim
Felicia Lim is a Singaporean who moved to Argentina for love. Based in Buenos Aires, also known as “the Paris of South America,” she fills her days with freelance writing, recipe development, and food photography – three passions that give her endless joy. When she isn’t typing away at her computer, cooking in the kitchen, or shooting in her balcony-studio, you can probably find her curled up on the couch, lost in the pages of a good book.