Gluten Free Gingersnaps

These homemade gluten free gingersnaps have the perfect amount of warm spices with a crispy edge and chewy center, all rolled in sugar for that classic sparkle finish.

The gluten free ginger snap cookies can be made extra crispy if preferred by baking for an extra few minutes.

These gluten free ginger snap cookies are one of my favorite bakes. They are so quick and easy and are delicious as they are or during the holiday season my kids love them dipped in melted white chocolate.

If you are looking for more cookie recipes that are easy to make and perfect for the holiday season, check out these gluten free apple cookies, gluten free chocolate chip shortbread, or gluten free brown butter chocolate chip cookies.

Recipe Development

I wanted to make a cookie that is full of ginger flavor accompanied by warm spices that is crispy on the outside, slightly chewy on the inside and has that crunchy snap that I love. I used my gluten free jam cookies as a base recipe and made adjustments from there.

I tested this recipe approx 7 times slightly changing a few ingredients each time until I got the desired result. Originally, the recipe had 200 grams of butter then I reduced this as I wanted less spread. I also omitted any baking powder and only used baking soda which also helped change the texture to a less puffy cakey cookie to more crispy.

I tried various ratios of sugar, from only granulated sugar then gradually added light brown sugar, as I preferred the flavor and texture this added to the cookie.

I also tested the amount of ground ginger and found that 1 tablespoon was plenty to give that ginger kick to the cookies without being overpowering. I found anything less than this was underwhelming for a gingersnap cookie.

📋 Ingredients Notes

• Butter - I used unsalted butter and added in the salt. If you only have salted butter, then you can omit the additional salt in the recipe. Always use room temperature butter.
• Sugar - I used both granulated sugar and light brown sugar in the gluten free gingersnap recipe, as I found this the best combination for texture and flavor when testing the recipe.
• Molasses - Use unsulphured molasses. Black treacle will also work.
• Egg - Use large eggs at room temperature.
• Vanilla extract - adds additional flavor. Use a good-quality vanilla extract.
• Gluten free all purpose flour - I tested this recipe with a pre-made blend of gluten-free flour, Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour (blue bag), and the Doves Farm Freee range plain flour. I omitted the xanthan gum when using Bob's Red Mill as it already contains it in the blend.
• Baking soda - In this recipe, I used only baking soda and no baking powder as I wanted them to puff up less and be less cakey. The baking soda reacts with the molasses and brown sugar that gives the cookies the little spread that is needed. always check that it is gluten free as some brands contain gluten.
• Xanthan gum omit if flour blend already contains xanthan gum.
• Spices -  it wouldn't be gluten-free gingersnaps without the ground ginger. I used 1 tablespoon of ground ginger, which I feel is just the right amount but you could add an extra teaspoon if you prefer a stronger ginger flavor. I also added ground cinnamon and ground cloves to complement the ginger.

See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements.

⚡ Substitutions & Variations

🥣 Step by Step Instructions

Below is a brief step-by-step process with photos of how to make gluten free gingersnap cookies.

See the recipe card below for more detailed recipe instructions.

Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.

Step 2: Add in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract, and mix until fully combined. Scraping down the bowl to catch any ingredients that may be sticking to the sides and bottom.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt, xanthan gum, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves.

Step 4: Add the flour mixture to the stand mixer and mix on low speed until combined.Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Tip: Chilling the cookie dough helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.

Step 5: Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas mark 3. Cover two to three baking sheets with parchment paper.

Use a cookie scoop or small ice cream scoop to portion the dough into a ball and onto the lined baking sheet, leaving a gap of approximately 3 inches between each cookie. To ensure ample space for spreading, it is advisable to avoid placing more than five to six cookies on a single baking sheet (depending on the size of your baking sheet).

Step 6: Each cookie ball should weigh approx. 35 grams, this recipe should make around 21 ginger snap cookies. I recommend weighing the cookie balls to get an even and consistent-sized cookie.

Optional - Roll the cookie dough balls in a small bowl of sugar until it is fully coated in sugar before placing them on the baking sheet.

Step 7: Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake for 15-16 minutes until the edges of the cookies look crispy around the edges and soft and chewy in the middle. Remove from oven and leave to cool on the baking sheet until they are cool and firm before transferring to the cooling rack.If you prefer a crunchier cookie, leave the cookies in the oven for 3-4 minutes longer.

Step 8: I recommend baking the cookie sheets one at a time to ensure they are baked evenly, as they are best baked in the middle of the oven. The cookies will look softer in the center but will firm up as they cool.

Tip: Weighing the cookie dough balls will result in all the cookies being the same size and evenly baked. I recommend that each cookie ball should weigh around 35 grams.