Chewy vegan ginger cookies, full of holiday spices and molasses. These are everybody’s favorite cookie and they are so easy to make! 1 bowl!
You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve tested these cookies and gotten it SO wrong. I actually meant to post these last year, but I just couldn’t get it right, so I thought I’d wait. Well, I started recipe testing weeks ago for these babies, and finally, after a marathon cookie-baking couple of days last week, I nailed it!
These Vegan Ginger Cookies are incredibly chewy and irresistible. They’re full of molasses, brown sugar, and delicious holiday spices like ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. I think you are going to LOVE them.
My first several tries were just too puffy and cake-like, not what I was going for! But these are so perfect -So, so chewy, coated in sugar and rich with flavor. Swoon.
Let’s make some cookies!
How do you make Vegan Ginger Cookies in 1 bowl?
The best thing about these delicious cookies is how easy they are to make, in just 1 bowl!
First, cream together the vegan butter and brown sugar in a large bowl.
Then, add the molasses and vanilla and beat to combine.
Next, you’re going to add 2 cups of the flour. Sprinkle the baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg on top of the flour. Mix on low speed until combined, then add the rest of the flour and mix. The dough will be thick, but not dry.
Once you’ve preheated the oven to 350 and prepared your baking sheets with parchment paper, scoop out 2 tablespoons of the dough, roll into a ball and then roll in the sugar to coat completely.
*For smaller cookies, use 1 tablespoon of dough.
Place on the prepared sheets, and bake for 11-12 minutes, until you see cracks forming on top. The cookies will appear very soft, but they will firm up as they cool.
Let the cookies cool for 10-15 minutes and then enjoy!
These Vegan Ginger Cookies are so perfect for sharing with friends, neighbors or co-workers. Everybody loves them!
Substitutions:
You may be able to sub coconut oil for the vegan butter, but I haven’t tested it. You would want the coconut oil to be semi-firm, not melted. Don’t sub with canola oil; been there and it ruined the cookies!
You could sub whole wheat pastry flour for the all purpose flour, or maybe a gluten free flour mix, though I haven’t made them gluten free myself.
Instead of regular granulated sugar, you could roll the cookies in turbinado sugar. Either way is fun and tastes good, but I prefer using a fine organic sugar.
Want more Vegan Christmas Cookies?
Vegan Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the softened vegan butter and brown sugar together until creamy. Add the molasses and vanilla, and beat in until smooth. Scrape the sides as needed with a spatula.
- Add 2 cups of flour to the bowl, then sprinkle the baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg on top of the flour. Mix on low speed to combine. Now add the remaining 1 1/4 cups flour and mix until incorporated. The dough will be quite thick, but not dry.
- Fill a small bowl with the cup of sugar for rolling.
- Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of dough for large cookies (1 tablespoon for small cookies), roll into a ball, then roll each ball in the sugar until completely coated.
- Place on the prepared baking sheets, and bake for 11-12 minutes, until they begin to crack on top. They will look very soft, but they firm up a lot as they cool. If you over bake, they will be crispy.
- Let cool for 10-15 minutes, then enjoy!
Notes
- For better cracks in the cookies: After a few minutes in the oven, sprinkle a little bit of cold water (I just flick it in the pan with my hands, about a teaspoon) on the pan. Cracks will form! (I learned this from my grandma)
- This recipe makes 36 large cookies, or about 48 small cookies. You can always cut the recipe in half if you don't want that many. They are perfect for sharing with friends, neighbors or co-workers!
- Make sure to correctly measure your flour, or the cookies may not turn out right. To do this, use a spoon to scoop the flour into a measuring cup. Don't pat the flour down or tap the cup. Use a knife to level off the top of the cup.
- If you want crispier cookies, like gingersnaps, simply bake these a bit longer, 14-15 minutes, and they will be quite crisp!
Nutrition
12/22/18- I found after further recipe testing that it was unnecessary to chill the cookie dough before baking the cookies, so I removed that step, making this recipe even easier!
I am addicted to these cookies! Sooo easy to eat the whole batch in less than 24 hrs! My one question is that mine do not flatten out when I bake them. I use a scale to measure all my ingredients and I use pretty standard flour, King Arthur all-purpose. I use Miyoko’s vegan butter. Any hints on producing a flatter cookie rather than a domed one?
Sometimes I noticed this can happen with Miyoko’s, especially lately. Either my cookies can go flat or be too domed using it. I wonder if they changed the recipe actually, I’m not sure. You can use a different vegan butter, or try simply adding a little less flour, perhaps just 3 cups and see if they are flatter. Different flour brands can vary.
Hi Nora,
Happy New Year! I have the cookies in the oven now….should I keep them in balls or do I need to flatten them?
Thank you,
Janet
Happy New Year to you, Janet! Yummy! The cookies do not need to be flattened when you put them in the pan to bake! Happy cooking!
I’ve been making a ton of gingerbread cookies this season – all with eggs. However I was going to be seeing my mom, who is allergic to eggs, wanted to bring cookies, and needed an eggless recipe. This vegan recipe is by far my favourite of all the ginger molasses cookies I’ve made. The cookies are soft and chewy and just perfect.
Just made these and they are AWESOME!! I LOVE cookies and have made and had a million vegan cookies. I substituted maple syrup for the molasses, used regular organic sugar for the brown sugar and needed to add 6 TBSP plant milk, to make it be able to be balled, given my changes. They were perfect! YUM!!
Great recipe! Easy-peasy! Very flavorful!
Wonderful texture just the perfect amount of chew. But honestly too mild. They don’t taste like much, I did a second batch with twice the amount of spice and it was still just enough to warm my mouth a bit.
Ok. I knew these would be good. But the way I closed my eyes and savored the spice and warmth was a surprise. Incredible. Best recipe yet! Thanks, Nora!
Could i make these in advance and freeze until I need to bake?
Yes, you can freeze the dough in balls and then bake when you’re ready. Enjoy!
Awesome cookies! Mine came out puffier and didn’t flatten out much though. Any advice on what might’ve caused that?
Sounds like just a little too much flour perhaps, could be the brand of flour or how you measured it (accidentally adding even just a few extra tablespoons could make this happen). I always recommend scooping flour into your measuring cup, leveling off with a knife, and don’t pat it down or shake it. Hope that helps!
Hi Nora! Massive fan over here. I’m doing my Christmas baking this weekend and deciding between these ginger cookies and your others ginger crinkle cookies: https://www.noracooks.com/ginger-crinkle-cookies/
I’m planning to freeze them after baking and then give them as gifts in cookie tins later this week, so want something that will freeze well and then hold up well for a bit after. Do you have any recommendation between these two options or will either one work well? Thanks!
Hi Amy. Both of these cookies are amazing! Both of these cookies also freeze well, and I think the vegan ginger cookies would stay prettier after being frozen. The ginger crinkle cookies do contain powdered sugar, such doesn’t hold up well in the freezer. They would still taste delicious though! Have fun, and happy holiday baking!
These are delicious! I substituted avocado oil for the vegan butter since I’d didn’t have any, and it worked great. The flavor is so good and the crinkle turned out so pretty!
Hi Caroline. Thanks for sharing your fabulous review and feedback! I agree these are such pretty cookies! Wishing you happy cooking!
I’ve made these multiple times and they’re perfect. A Christmas staple!
Hi Camille. Thank you for your glowing review! Happy holiday cooking!
I made these over the weekend and they were amazing. I drizzled white icing over them just to jazz them up. Everyone loved them.
Hi Karen. I like the drizzled icing idea! How fabulous the cookies were a hit! Thanks for your stellar review! Happy cooking!
These turned out great! I’ve been craving these since moving abroad and it hit the spot! Where I live doesn’t sell molasses so I used raw cane sugar (which has a similar taste) and 2T peanut butter with a splash of water. And fresh grated ginger! Thank you for the recipe!
You are welcome, Anika! Thanks for sharing your baking experience and substitution ideas! I’m so glad the cookies turned out great and you love them! Wishing you happy cooking!
Been making this recipe going on 3 years now and it’s my co workers favorite.
How fun, Kristina! How awesome that you bake and share with your co-workers! I’m thrilled they are a hit! Thanks for your awesome review! Wishing you happy holiday baking!