You can make these old-fashioned gluten-free ginger snaps soft and chewy OR crispy, depending on how long you bake them. Either way, we can’t stop making these buttery, delightful cookies every holiday season!
Looking for the best gluten free ginger snaps recipe? You’ve found it! Check out this post for all the tips and tricks on how to make them.
Whether you like chewy OR crisp gingersnaps, this is the perfect cookie for you!
I developed this gluten-free ginger cookie recipe so you can get the texture you love just by baking the cookie a few minutes longer or shorter.
These gingersnaps have delicious flavor. It’s the perfect blend of warm cinnamon and cloves, with a little bite of ginger. It’s not TOO strong, but if you love ginger, feel free to add more for a little kick.
I’m willing to bet no one will know these are gluten free cookies. They taste just as delicious as a traditional gingersnap. No holiday cookie plate is complete without them!
Table of Contents
If you like these cookies you also might like my gluten-free molasses cookies or gluten-free gingerbread cookies! You also might like this gluten-free gingerbread.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Can be made chewy OR crispy
- Simple recipe
- Great ginger and molasses flavor
- Classic Christmas cookie
- Perfect holiday treat
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make these delicious gluten-free ginger snaps!
- Gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour: I recommend using high-quality gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. Using the right gluten-free flours will give the cookies a good texture and chew, without being grainy. This is my favorite brand.
- Molasses: Do NOT use blackstrap molasses for this recipe. Make sure the bottle specifically says “unsulphured molasses.”
- Butter: I usually buy salted butter and use it in my baking. Any kind of butter will work! You can also use vegan butter to keep these dairy-free. I recommend Earth Balance Buttery Sticks.
- Salt: I like to use fine sea salt for these cookies. It really brings out the ginger and molasses flavor!
- Baking soda: Baking soda is an essential ingredient for helping the cookies rise.
- Spices: Ginger, cinnamon, and cloves give these ginger cookies the recognizable gingersnap flavor! If you don’t have these ingredients, you could also use pumpkin pie spice. You could also use fresh ginger for a stronger ginger flavor.
- Brown sugar: Use light or dark brown sugar for these cookies. (Dark brown sugar will give a stronger molasses flavor and make the cookies more chewy.)
- Granulated sugar: I like to use Domino fine sugar for all of my gluten-free baking!
- Egg: Use room temperature eggs as a binder for this gingersnap dough.
For another Christmas treat, try this caramel recipe.
Dairy-Free?
I recommend using Earth Balance Buttery Sticks in place of the butter to make these cookies dairy-free. I find Earth Balance produces the best texture in gluten-free baking. They will be delicious!
How to Make Gluten-Free Ginger Snaps
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a medium bowl to large bowl with an electric hand mixer), add the butter, granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the molasses and egg and beat until combined.
- Add in the dry ingredients (salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and gluten-free 1:1 baking flour) to the wet ingredients and mix on medium-low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for another 30 seconds or so.
- Cover the bowl of dough with plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (and up to 3 days). (If chilling for longer than a few hours, though, allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling the dough balls and baking.)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Place the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a shallow dish. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized balls. Roll cookie dough balls in sugar before placing on the baking sheet, leaving plenty of room for the cookies to spread. I usually bake 6 cookies at a time.
Recipe Tip
For CHEWY gingersnap cookies, bake for 13-15 minutes. For CRISPY gluten-free ginger cookies, bake for 16-18 minutes.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy your gluten-free gingersnaps!
Storage Instructions
- To make ahead: Gluten-free gingersnaps dough can be made up to three days in advance. Just follow steps up until preheating the oven, then chill the dough in the fridge. When ready to bake, allow the chilled dough to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking.
- To store: Store the gluten-free gingersnaps cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
For more gluten-free Christmas cookies, check out this full collection of recipes! Some favorites include gluten-free sugar cookies, gluten-free snowball cookies and gluten-free thumbprint cookies.
Gingersnap FAQ
No, Trader Joe’s does not currently carry gluten-free gingersnaps. Their triple ginger cookies are made with wheat flour, which contains gluten.
Traditionally, gingersnaps are a crispy cookie that contains more ginger, while molasses cookies are soft, chewy, and contain more molasses. But today the terms are often used interchangeably. My gluten-free gingersnaps recipe makes either soft and chewy OR crispy cookies, depending on how long you bake them!
If a recipe calls for gingersnaps, you can replace the ingredient with graham crackers or chocolate wafer cookies. Just keep in mind you won’t get the same ginger and molasses flavors! Check out this post for my recommended brands of gluten-free graham crackers.
More favorite gluten-free christmas cookies
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you try these gluten-free gingersnaps, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you! Happy baking!
Gluten-Free Ginger Snaps (Old Fashioned!)
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough:
- 12 tablespoons butter (1 ½ sticks) room temperature, 170 grams
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 grams
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar 50 grams
- 1/3 cup unsulphured molasses NOT blackstrap, 113 grams
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 1/4 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour 335 grams
For Rolling:
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a large bowl with an electric hand mixer), add the butter, granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the molasses and egg and beat until combined.
- Add in the salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and gluten-free 1:1 baking flour and mix on medium-low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for another 30 seconds or so.
- Cover the bowl of dough with plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (and up to 3 days). (If chilling for longer than a few hours, though, allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking for the right texture.)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Place the 1/2 cup sugar for rolling in a shallow dish. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized balls. Roll each ball in sugar before placing on the baking sheet, leaving plenty of room for the cookies to spread. I usually bake 6 cookies at a time.
- For CHEWY COOKIES – bake for 13-15 minutes. For CRISPY COOKIES – bake for 16-18 minutes.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour: I recommend using high-quality gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. Using the right gluten-free flours will give the cookies a good texture and chew, without being grainy. This is my favorite brand.
- Molasses: Do NOT use blackstrap molasses for this recipe. Make sure the bottle specifically says “unsulphured molasses.”
Love the recipe. They are perfect as is. My family likes more spice to them so next time I will double the ginger and add a dash of cayenne to spice them up the way my family would prefer. I’m going to use some of them to make a gluten free ginger spice crust for a cranberry curd pie.
Hi Erin,
I’ve been asked to make gluten-free desserts for a catering event and these look great. Can you tell me how large the cookies are once baked?
It depends on how big you scoop the dough, but they spread quite a bit. I’d say 1 tablespoon of dough would make 2-3 inch cookies.
These cookies are literally perfect. I was recently diagnosed with Celiac, so I am new to gluten free baking. This is the first recipe I’ve made that didn’t make me cry because of the sadness that I’ll never be able to enjoy treats again. These cookies are perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The recipe makes a lot which is great, I like to make a big batch and have a few with my coffee every morning. And I’m pleased that it works with Bob’s Redmill 1:1 instead of needing a fancy GF flour blend. Thank you so much for this recipe. I’ve made it twice already and will be making it over and over again!
I’m so glad the cookies didn’t make you cry! You can definitely enjoy delicious treats while eating gluten-free. Great to hear you’re enjoying them with your morning coffee!
Making for the second time. I’m GF and these are GREAT! I added 3 teaspoons of ginger. They are so pretty and good. I freeze them and bake 3 each day. I’m thinking I’ll keep experimenting with these options:
* dip each cookie one half in dipping chocolate
* add raisins
* frost with creamy white frosting
* add fresh ginger in place of ground
I love all of these options! Thanks for the great ideas. I’m going to try the raisins and dipping the in chocolate myself this holiday season!
These are wonderful cookies!! I just wanted to say that I skipped the rolling out part. I just rolled them into balls and rolled them in my sugar then gave them a light press. They turned out amazing! Just good to know if you want to save some time.
I’m so glad they turned out for you! 🙂
These are wonderful! They came out delicious to eat, and I’m sure the batch that I froze is going to work well for the cheesecake crust I’m planning. Thank you Erin!
Using them for a cheesecake crust sounds amazing! I’m so glad they turned out well for you 🙂
These are perfectly soft and taste fantastic! As soon as I shaped them and coated them in sugar I popped them in the freezer for 10 mins and baked them immediately after. The only thing I’d change for next time is adding less sugar because they are way too sweet!
I’m glad they turned out for you!
Finally! 20 years ago I fell in love with chewy ginger cookies and could never find a recipe as good as the “secret” one at the store I bought them from. THESE are them! It’s so cool to have them gluten-free and simple to make. Both my neighbor and I died and went to heaven yesterday when I made them! Thanks so much!
Oh this makes me so happy to hear! I’m so glad they live up to the “secret! ones you fell in love with. So happy!
Hi, can u sub flaxseed for the egg?
I would try Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer!
These cookies are super super yummy and super easy to make! I only rested the dough for 40 min so the cookies spread a bit extra and they were thiner than the pictures. My first batch was crispy at 13 min. I imagine that with longer resting time, the cookies will not spread as much. Either way, this recipe is a keeper for the holiday baking! Thank you for sharing Erin!