Easy Vegan Gingersnap Cookies
These easy one-bowl vegan gingersnap cookies are up there on the list of classic and best holiday cookies along with gingerbread cookies and crinkle cookies.
They have a lovely spiced flavour similar to gingerbreads. Without the extra time it takes to make them. They’re crisp on the outside yet soft in the middle. And the sugar adds a beautiful sparkle that makes them look pretty but with minimal effort.
These are great for holiday cookie exchanges or if you want to make treat baskets for people (nobody would ever guess they’re vegan). The dough can be made in advance and frozen in cookie-sized balls to be ready when you need them.
Crunchy vs. Soft gingersnap cookies
Traditional gingersnaps are crunchy, but you can really find every variation of it. Chewy, soft, thick, thin, even raw. I personally always like to aim for the best of both worlds, that’s why these vegan gingersnap cookies are crisp on the outside but soft and chewy in the middle. And they spread well without being cracker thin. They’ll please just about anyone.
Plus, they’re simple and quick to make. The dough is all made in one bowl and there’s no chilling involved. Except after you’re done working in the kitchen *ba dum tss*.
So, it will be on the softer side and feel oily, that’s normal. The dough being soft helps with spreading since it doesn’t stay stiff in the oven. And the oily feeling is because oil doesn’t emulsify into the dough like butter does, especially since butter is also creamed with the sugar most of the time. But, rest assured, it will all work out once they’re baked.
The sugar the cookies are rolled in also adds to the crunchiness and crackle of the exterior. You can either use coarse sugar like turbinado or just white granulated sugar. The coarser option adds more texture but they’re both delicious!
Making gingersnaps in advance
If you’re in a holiday baking frenzy and looking to get ahead as much as possible, gingersnaps are great for that. Like most drop cookies, these can be balled and frozen in a tightly sealed bag. That way, they’re ready to bake whenever you need them.
The dough can also be made the day before you plan on baking them and stored covered in the fridge. The next day just let it come to room temperature before baking so the cookies spread enough in the oven.
Once baked, they can be stored in an airtight container for a few days or up to a week at room temperature. But they do lose their crunchy edge with time because of the moisture contained in the box.
If you make this recipe please let me know in the comments! All feedback is very much appreciated and I would love to hear from you! You can also tag me on instagram @the.quaint.kitchen or use the hashtag #thequaintkitchen to share your creations!
Easy Vegan Gingersnap Cookies
Ingredients
- 50 g white granulated sugar, make sure it’s vegan
- 20 g brown sugar, I used dark brown sugar
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground clove
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 30 g molasses
- 20 g plant based milk
- 70 g neutral oil, (grapeseed, canola, vegetable…)
- 140 g all-purpose flour
- coarse sugar like turninado or just white granulated sugar , for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 175°C/347°F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
- Whisk together the sugars, cornstarch, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, clove, salt, molasses and milk until smooth.
- Add the oil and whisk again.
- Add the flour and stir until a homogeneous dough forms.
- Form 40-50g balls depending on how big you like your cookies. The ones pictured are 50g. Roll them in sugar and place them on your baking sheet, leaving room in between for spreading.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes depending what size you made them.
- Let them cool for 3-5 minutes on the sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- *Disclaimer: I have a tiny not-so-great oven, so your bake time may vary from mine.
- I strongly suggest making recipes by weight, if you make them by cups I can’t guarantee that you’ll get the same results.
- If you make about 40g cookies you’ll get 8 cookies. At around 50g you’ll get 7. You can obviously multiply the recipe to make however many you want.
These ginger cookies are delightful! I love the rich/pronounced flavor, these are so easy to make, and this recipe even converted a non-ginger loving coworker to finally enjoy their first gingersnap cookie. I’ve also doubled the recipe and made them where each cookie dough ball was only 20g (they came out great), especially good for a gathering when you want to try multiple desserts without eating too many cookies. Plus you freeze some for later when you don’t feel like baking again.
Thank you so much Jenn! I’m glad they were even able to convert a coworker haha. These are definitely one of my go-tos when I need something easy for a lot of people, I’m so glad you liked them!