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These Wholesome Vegan Ginger Molasses Cookies are sweet & chewy with warm holiday spices and a crunchy sugar coating! Gluten-Free Option.
Say hello to the perfect holiday cookie. These Wholesome Vegan Ginger Molasses Cookies are soft and chewy on the inside with a crunchy sugar coating on the outside and warm holiday spices in every bite! Made from wholesome plant-based ingredients, they’re the perfect sweet treat for the holiday season.
INGREDIENTS + INSPIRATION
When I was a kid one of my favorite parts of the holiday season was ALL OF THE COOKIES (I doubt I’m alone here)! There was nothing better than tasting all of the different varieties—gingerbread, snickerdoodle, thumbprint, peanut butter, sugar, and of course the classic: chocolate chip cookies. But one of my all-time favorites was that very first bite into a warm and chewy molasses cookie!
A twist on the classic recipe, this ultra chewy version uses nut butter instead of vegan butter to make them more wholesome and rich in flavor. Creamy almond or sunflower butter combine with maple syrup and sweet molasses for an ooey-gooey center, while a crunchy sugar coating gives these cookies the perfect crunchy outside!
HOW TO MAKE WHOLESOME GINGER MOLASSES COOKIES
These chewy molasses & ginger cookies can be yours in just under 45 minutes, using only 12 pantry-friendly ingredients. Simply add the dry ingredients to the wet, form your cookie dough balls, dip them in a bit of raw sugar, and then bake!
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare a flax egg and set aside to thicken.
- Using a hand mixer, beat the nut butter and sugar until well-combined. Add the maple syrup, molasses, and flax egg and continue to beat until smooth.
- Fold the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt into the wet ingredients until a sticky ball of dough forms.
- Chill the dough in the fridge while the oven preheats.
- Use a cookie scoop to form 12 even dough balls, then place turbinado sugar in a shallow bowl and press each cookie dough ball in the sugar, coating one side.
- Place each cookie sugar-side up on the baking sheet and bake. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking tray to firm before using a spatula to transfer to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
COOKING TIPS + FAQ:
- Any substitutions for almond or sunflower butter? Yes! While I have found that almond or sunflower butter taste the best for this recipe, you can opt for any of your favorite nut butters here, but keep in mind that they will influence the final flavor.
- Can these cookies be made gluten-free? Absolutely. I tested a version of this recipe using an all-purpose gluten-free flour mixture and they were slightly more fluffy but still just as delicious!
- Can I skip the sugar coating? You don’t have to do the turbinado sugar coating but I’d highly recommend it! It’s classic for molasses cookies to get a quick dip in sugar before baking—it adds a sweet crunch to every bite and makes them so much more fun to eat 🙂
These chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies are perfect for sharing! Make a double batch and bring some with you to your next holiday party—trust me, your friends and family will love you for it 😉 Store these cookies for up to 5 days at room temperature in a container with a loose-fitting lid.
If you’re looking for more holiday cookie recipes, you’ll also love these Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, these No Bake Chocolate Turtle Cookies, and these Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookies! You could also make a batch of these Soft-Baked Funfetti Sugar Cookies and swap out the funfetti sprinkles for holiday sprinkles!
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
Wholesome & Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
These Wholesome Vegan Ginger Molasses Cookies are sweet & chewy with warm holiday spices and a crunchy sugar coating! Gluten-Free Option.
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10 Minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Makes 12 Cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (119 g) almond butter or sunflower butter
- 6 tablespoons (60 g) coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons molasses (don’t use blackstrap molasses as it is too bitter)
- 1 flax “egg” (1 tablespoon flax + 2 ½ tablespoons water)
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour; see notes for gluten-free
- 1/2 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar or raw cane sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Prep: set a lined baking sheet off to the side and make the flax egg. Set aside for 5 or so minutes, to thicken.
- Wet Ingredients: add the nut butter and sugar to a large bowl and use a handheld electric mixer to beat until well-combined, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Then, add the maple syrup, molasses, and flax egg to the bowl and beat again until smooth.
- Dry Ingredients: add the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt to the bowl. Use a spatula to mix the dry ingredients together first, then fold then into the wet ingredients, using your hands if necessary. You should end up with a ball of dough that is slightly sticky.
- Chill: place the dough in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350F.
- Sugar Topping: Place the turbinado sugar into a small, shallow bowl. Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop (or a large spoon) to form 12 even balls. Roughly form the cookie dough into a ball using your hands, then press each ball into the sugar to flatten it slightly and coat the top of the cookie with crystals. Place the cookie sugar-side up on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough.
- Bake: bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cookies have spread and have a craggy texture to them. Remove the baking tray from the oven and let the cookies cool (and firm up) on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes, before using a spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack.
- Serve: serve slightly warm, or let cool completely and enjoy. Leftovers can be kept in a container with a loose-fitting lid at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Substitutions: you can replace the almond or sunflower butter with another nut butter if you’d like, but I found these two to have the best flavor.
- Gluten-Free: use a gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. The gluten-free cookies I tested came out slightly more fluffy, but they were still delicious!
Keywords: vegan gingersnaps, healthy ginger molasses cookies, ginger molasses cookies oil free, gluten free ginger molasses cookies
I made these multiple years and the texture is always the best part!
★★★★★
I have made this recipe three or four times now, and it is so good every time! I have tried with sunflower butter and almond butter. Both taste wonderful, but do note that sunflower butter makes the inside of the cookies greenish the next day. If you love classic molasses flavor, you’ve got to try this cookie! This time around, I doubled the recipe for my husband and I to both take to our holiday work parties. Super easy to make!
★★★★★
Yay! Thank you so much, Katie. Happy you enjoyed them.
Just curious – thinking about making these to go in holiday cookie boxes – have you Caitlin or any of your followers tried freezing these ahead of time? If so, did they freeze ok and does anyone have any tips about freezing? THANKS for any info!
Freezing these Wholesome Vegan Ginger Molasses Cookies ahead of time is a great idea, especially if you’re planning to include them in holiday cookie boxes. You can freeze the cookies by shaping the dough into balls and freezing them. Label the container with the date and baking instructions. Cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. When ready to bake, preheat the oven and add a minute or two to the baking time for frozen dough. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or bake directly from frozen. Consider adding the turbinado sugar coating just before baking if concerned about moisture. Store baked cookies in an airtight container with a moisture-absorbing element.
This is my second year making these cookies for the holiday season, they are sooo good. They’re sweet but not too sweet and I can’t stop eating them!! I make mine gluten free with Bob’s 1:1 flour and they come out great!
★★★★★
Thanks so much for the review, Vee! Glad you like them!
These are amazing! Super chewy and easy to make. It took the full 10 minutes of baking in my gas oven. I didn’t have coarse sugar to roll them cookies in, but they are still so, so good! Definitely will make again!
★★★★★
Glad it turned out great, Katie!
Ok wow, these are so good!
I used peanut butter bc that’s what I had and they were delicious to me! Thank you for the recipe, your blog has been my go to for years 🙂
★★★★★
Thank you, Sasha!
These are amazing. They have the perfect amount of chew, sweetness, and flavor. I decided to buy turbinato sugar for this recipe, and I have zero regrets. The slight crunch of the sugar ties it all together, and makes me feel delightfully nostalgic for ginger cookies I’ve eaten growing up. I can’t wait to make these again this holiday season. Caitlin, thank you for sharing this with us! Your recipes are my absolute favorite.
★★★★★
That’s so heartwarming. Thank you, Kari!
These are fantastic! The cookie is so light and crumbly, these are yummy,
★★★★★
Thank you!
These are literally the best cookies I have ever made! My entire family loves them!!!
★★★★★
So glad you love them, Caren!
Another great recipe! Perfectly chewy!! Thanks Caitlin!
★★★★★
You are so welcome! Katie, Glad to hear you love it 🙂
I can’t get over how good these taste (an look)!!!! Chewy cookies are THE BEST!! Thank you so much for your amazing recipes :))
Glad to hear you loved it, Arya! 🙂
Can I just use a gingerbread spice blend? And if so, how much do you recommend? Can’t wait to make these!
Hi, Vidya! Well it IS mostly the same ingredients, but the ratios are different and it will yield a different flavor. 🙂
In the oven now! Can’t wait to try these. Thank you, Caitlin, for all of your incredible recipes! Happy Holidays!
You are so welcome! Mrs. Plant 🙂
These are delicious and I’m already planning batch #2. Thanks for the recipe =)
★★★★★
You are so welcome, Barbara! 🙂