There’s a new gingerbread in town! Warmly flavored and dairy-free with a deliciously light olive oil. Just decorate and enjoy or give away to friends and neighbors!
This post was written in collaboration with Filippo Berio.
Ginger and spices and everything nice, that’s what gingerbread cookies are for!
VIDEO! How to make vegan gingerbread people
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Vegan Gingerbread People
These warmly spiced, festive biscuits are made without eggs or butter and instead contain Filippo Berio’s extra light olive oil. The flavor of the oil is subtle and light, and trust us, you’ll use it in all of your favorite baking recipes!
How do you make vegan gingerbread cookies?
Really, it’s easy and only requires one bowl. Music to our ears this busy holiday season!
You simply mix the dry ingredients in the bowl, make a well in the center, and add olive oil, molasses, and your choice of almond or plant-based milk to the center. The dough comes together with no problems.
Like most cookie dough, refrigerating makes the job even easier. Don’t be afraid to use a generous amount of flour on the work surface and rolling pin when rolling the dough; it can take it!
How do I decorate these gingerbread cookies?
These gingerbread cookies aren’t overly sweet, which makes them ideal if you want to top them with icing, but you’ll enjoy them on their own, without the icing.
For ideas on how to decorate your cookies, check out this helpful post on royal icing.
Can I ship them?
This year is all about gifts we’ve given – everyone could use a little homemade boost, and a box of cookies is the ultimate hug from afar.
And good news: these cookies ship beautifully! But like I said, it’s good to keep a few things in mind.
First consider the shape. The thinner and more ornate the links of your cookie cutters, the more likely your cookie will break in transit. There’s no hard and fast rule that you have to use a human-shaped cookie cutter; When shipping, you might choose a shape that is less likely to break (ornaments, circles, hearts).
The only thing to watch out for is the icing, as once dry it can chip off in transit.
More tips for decorating and gifting cookies
- 30 Best Cookies That Travel Well (Great Tips on Packing & Shipping!)
- Easy ways to beautifully wrap your edible gifts
- 6 ways to decorate cookies with royal icing
Vegan Gingerbread People
ingredients
- For the cookies:
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2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
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1 tablespoon ground ginger
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2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
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1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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1/2 teaspoon baking soda
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 cup dark brown sugar
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1/2 cup unsulphured molasses (not Blackstrap)
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5 tablespoons almond milk or other plant-based milk of your choice
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1/2 cup Filippo Berio extra light olive oil
- For the glaze:
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1 2/3 cups plus powdered sugar, sifted
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3 tablespoons almond milk
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1 teaspoon lemon juice
special equipment
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Gingerbread Man Cookie Cutter
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piping bag
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Spray Tip (#3 or smaller)
method
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Mix the dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Add the brown sugar and mix with your fingers to break up any clumps.
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Make the dough
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour molasses, almond milk, and olive oil into well and stir to combine. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
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Chill the dough
Shape the dough into a 1 cm thick rectangle and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.
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preheat the oven
to 350°F. Line 2 or 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Roll out and cut out cookies
Divide the dough in half and, working with one half at a time, roll out the dough on a generously floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness.
Slide an offset spatula under the dough to make sure it’s not sticking before you start cutting the shapes. Using cookie cutters, cut out the shapes and, using a thin spatula, transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.
Gather the scraps of dough, work into the rest of the dough and roll out as before until all the dough is used up.
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Bake the cookies
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until light brown on bottom. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet.
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Do the icing
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, almond milk, and lemon juice until smooth. If you want to color some of the frosting, put some in a separate small bowl and add a tiny drop of food coloring until the frosting is the color you want.
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decorate cookies
Transfer frosting to a piping bag with a size 3 tip or smaller and decorate the cookies.
