Description
Soft Gingerbread Cookies made with fragrant spices and smooth plant-based ingredients, delivering tender, flavorful, and chewy treats perfect for cozy evenings or festive gatherings. These cookies feature warm cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, combined with molasses and natural sweeteners to create a rich, aromatic flavor and inviting softness in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup molasses (natural)
- 1/2 cup plant-based butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 9 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (natural)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (natural)
- 1 teaspoon natural gelling agent (e.g., agar, pectin)
Instructions
- Prepare the Flaxseed Binding: Mix the flaxseed meal with water in a small bowl and set aside for 10 minutes until it thickens naturally, creating a perfect plant-based binder for your dough.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the plant-based butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy to ensure your cookies will be soft and tender.
- Add Molasses and Flavors: Mix in the molasses (natural), flaxseed mixture, vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (natural), pure vanilla extract (natural), and natural gelling agent until fully combined with the creamed butter and sugar.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined to avoid tough cookies.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This step allows the spices to deepen and helps prevent spreading during baking, keeping cookies soft.
- Shape and Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll the dough into balls, place them on a lined baking sheet, and gently flatten each ball. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are set but the centers remain soft.
- Cool and Enjoy: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to preserve their tender texture perfectly.
Notes
- Do not overmix the dough; stir just until combined to keep cookies soft and tender.
- Use fresh ground spices for the best flavor.
- Chill dough to control spreading and deepen flavors.
- Remove from oven when edges are set but centers remain soft for perfect chewiness.
- Store cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread or apple to maintain softness longer.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: soft gingerbread cookies, plant-based cookies, gingerbread recipe, chewy cookies, vegan gingerbread, festive cookies, holiday treats