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30 Minutes or Less

One-Bowl Gluten-Free Molasses Cookies

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overhead image of gluten-free molasses cookies on a table.

My focus this holiday season has been on creating family traditions. With the recent arrival of my second baby, I’ve fallen in love with the idea of creating family recipes that will hopefully last us generations – like the gluten-free cinnamon rolls I plan on making every Christmas morning and the gluten-free Christmas cookies we’ll bake for family and friends.

These gluten-free molasses cookies are classic and totally timeless – yet easy to make in just one-bowl, NO chilling required! It’s these minor tweaks I made over rounds of recipe testing that I hope one day even my great grandkids will appreciate. I also baked these cookies with my toddler last week, and it passed the kid-friendly test with flying colors! He loved rolling the cookies in sugar, and I loved that I only had one bowl to clean. 🙂 Win, win!

a gluten-free molasses cookie with a bite taken out.

What Makes These the BEST Gluten-Free Molasses Cookies

These gluten-free molasses cookies check every box:

  • Soft, chewy, and perfectly spiced like classic bakery-style molasses cookies
  • Made in one bowl with easy pantry-staple ingredients
  • No chilling required—meaning cookies in under 20 minutes
  • Naturally gluten-free, and easily dairy-free/vegan with simple swaps
  • Perfect crackly tops thanks to rolling the dough in sugar
  • A reliable dough that doesn’t spread too much and bakes evenly every time

If you’ve been looking for a gluten-free molasses cookie that tastes exactly like the real thing, this is the recipe you’ll keep forever!

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Molasses: I recommend using unsulphured molasses and avoiding blackstrap molasses – it’s more bitter and a little too thick for this cookie recipe.
  • Gluten-Free Flour: A high-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum works best. I love and recommend either the King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour or Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour. If your blend does not contain xanthan gum, add ½ teaspoon.
  • Butter: To make these cookies dairy-free, swap the butter for vegan butter sticks or softened coconut oil.
  • Spices: The spice blend of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves gives these cookies their classic “gingersnap meets molasses cookie” flavor. Adjust ginger for more or less spice!
one gluten-free molasses cookie with a bite taken out.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store these gluten-free molasses cookies?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days. They also freeze beautifully – store baked cookies in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months, thawing on the counter before enjoying.

Can I make them dairy-free?

Yes! Replace the butter with vegan butter or softened coconut oil. The texture remains soft and chewy.

How do I also make these cookies vegan?

Yes – simply use vegan butter and replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tbsp flax meal + 2.5 tbsp water). Bake time remains the same!

Sam’s Baking Tips

  • Don’t skimp on the spices! Molasses cookies need a strong spice profile.
  • Avoid over-mixing once the flour is added to keep the cookies chewy and tender.
  • Roll in sugar for that perfect crackly top and bakery-style finish!
  • Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized cookies that bake uniformly.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These gluten-free molasses cookies are soft, chewy, perfectly spiced, made in one bowl, and require no chilling—a holiday win! They taste just like the classic version, and no one will ever guess they’re gluten-free or dairy-free.

overhead image of gluten-free molasses cookies on a table.
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One-Bowl Gluten-Free Molasses Cookies (no chilling required!)

These soft and chewy gluten-free molasses cookies are packed with warm holiday spices and made in just one bowl – no chilling required! They bake up with perfectly crackled tops, rich molasses flavor, and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture no one will believe is gluten-free. The perfect easy Christmas cookie that’s also dairy-free friendly and ideal for gifting, parties, or cozy winter baking!
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies

Equipment

  • 2 large cookie sheets
  • 1 large bowl

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons butter softened (or non-dairy butter)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar for a healthier option
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 1 egg at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups gluten-free all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Optional:

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar for coating the cookies

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Beat butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl with either a hand or stand mixer, until light and fluffy. Add in molasses, egg, and vanilla extract and beat again until combined.
  • Add in the gluten-free flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix again just until a dough forms – careful not to over-mix the cookie dough!
  • Scoop 2 tablespoon-sized balls of dough, roll the dough between the palm of your hands to form a smooth ball, then roll the ball in sugar before placing it on your prepared baking sheet.
  • Lightly press down each cookie just a little to flatten it, then bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes. Remove the cookie from the oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before serving or storing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 3g | Sugar: 7g
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30 Minutes or Less

Healthy Gingerbread Muffins (made in the blender!)

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gingerbread muffin with a bite taken out.

Fluffy and perfectly spicy healthy gingerbread muffins! The perfect festive snack, that comes together in the blender. Oats, molasses, and ground ginger make these gingerbread muffins healthy AND delicious!

glunte-free gingerbread muffins piled on top of a marble board.

What You’ll Need to Make Gluten-Free Gingerbread Muffins

Old Fashioned Rolled Oats – It’s super important you use old fashioned/rolled oats in this recipe. Avoid instant, steel-cut, or Irish oats. The first step involves grinding these oats into a flour in your blender. When doing this, try to grind them as fine as possible. Finely ground oats will result in fluffier muffins!

Apple Sauce – I used apple sauce in these gingerbread muffins, because it yields little to no flavor. However, if you don’t have apple sauce, feel free to substitute it with 1/2 cup mashed banana. Mashed banana will give these muffins a slight banana flavor, which if you like banana, I’m sure you won’t mind.

Molasses – Any and all gingerbread recipes contain molasses, which is how they get their signature dark-brown color. Don’t skip the molasses, it’s super important for both the flavor and structure of these muffins.

Ground Ginger – Wouldn’t be gingerbread muffins without some ginger! This recipe packs in tons of that spicy ginger flavor, which I personally LOVE. However, if you want a more subtle ginger flavor, go ahead and use just 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger instead.

three gluten-free gingerbread muffins stacked on top of each other.

Tips and Tricks

  • Use a large cookie scoop or 1/4-cup measuring cup to fill your muffin tin. This’ll ensure even-sized muffins, with that beautiful dome on top!
  • For extra sweetness, top your muffins with a simple 2-ingredient powdered sugar glaze. To make it, whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons milk. Once smooth, use a spoon to drizzle glaze over cooled gluten-free gingerbread muffins.
  • Store these muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or, to make them last longer, pop them in the freezer for up to 3 months!

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Vegan: While I haven’t tested it myself, you can try replacing the eggs with either two flax eggs or by using your favorite vegan egg replacer. I’ve used this Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer in a number of other recipes and have always loved it!

gingerbread muffin with a bite taken out.
4.03 from 34 votes

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Muffins

Fluffy and perfectly spicy gluten-free gingerbread muffins! The perfect festive snack, that comes together in the blender. Oats, molasses, and ground ginger make these gluten-free gingerbread muffins healthy AND delicious!
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 10 muffins

Ingredients

  • 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup apple sauce, unsweetened
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a muffin tin with muffin liners.
  • Add oats to a blender and blend until it’s ground into a flour.
  • Add in remaining ingredients, then blend until a smooth batter forms.
  • Transfer ½ cup batter into each muffin mold, then bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted down the center of one muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer muffins to a wire cooling rack, let cool before eating.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal
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30 Minutes or Less

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

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Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

Rich in flavor, yet delicate in texture, gingerbread cookies are a classic Christmas holiday hit! These gluten-free gingerbread cookies are soft, chewy and flavorful from the molasses and warm spices. Dairy-free option is also included, so everyone can enjoy!

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

I love the holiday season, especially for all the food and desserts that come with it. Gingerbread cookies are one of the Christmas cookies that I love to make this time of year. Since my gingerbread cookies recipe is both gluten-free and dairy-free, it’s super friendly to dietary restrictions and baked slightly crisp with a soft, chewy, and perfectly spiced middle!

Main Ingredients Needed To Make Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

  • All Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour

  • Butter – Dairy or non-dairy is fine depending on your preference, but I used non-dairy.

  • Egg

  • Baking Soda

  • Brown Sugar

  • Molasses – if you don’t know what molasses is: a syrupy byproduct of sugars from sugarcane and sugar beets.

  • Spices – ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground allspice, salt

  • For the icing: powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract

Tips When Making Gingerbread Cookies

  • To make vegan, use 2 flax eggs! To make one flax egg you will simply mix 2.5 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Once it’s thick, you’ll use the flax mixture just as you would a regular egg.

  • You could substitute the molasses with maple syrup if you need something more “on hand,” but I definitely prefer it with molasses!

  • Blackstrap molasses provides a richer flavor and deeper color. Regular unsulphured molasses can be substituted for a lighter color and flavor.

  • Get your friends and family involved with the gingerbread cookie decorations (while sipping on big mugs of vegan hot chocolate). There’s no better way to get in the Christmas spirit!

  • Be creative! Turn these gingerbread cookies into a snowman, yeti, teddy bear and more.

What to use on GINGERBREAD Cookies For Decorations?

  • Shredded coconut: This can help to mimic snow when decorating your cookies (especially great when making house-shaped cookies).
  • Mini chocolate chips
  • Cream cheese frosting: Instead of the simple glaze, combine plain vegan cream cheese with powdered sugar.
Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies
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Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: DessertsCuisine: American, Christmas
Servings

12

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 

10

minutes
Total time

1

hour 

20

minutes

Rich in flavor, yet delicate in texture, gingerbread cookies are a classic Christmas holiday hit! These gluten-free gingerbread cookies are soft, chewy and flavorful from the molasses and warm spices. Dairy-free option is also included, so everyone can enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 6 Tablespoons Butter (softened)

  • 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

  • 1/2 Cup Molasses

  • 1 Egg (at room temperature)

  • 2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour

  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

  • 1 Tablespoon Ground Ginger

  • 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

  • 1 Teaspoon Nutmeg

  • 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Allspice

  • For the icing:

  • 2 Cups Powdered Sugar

  • 2 Tablespoons Milk

  • 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Directions

  • Beat butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl with either a hand or stand mixer, until light and fluffy. Add in molasses and egg, beat until combined.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together gluten-free flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
  • Add flour mixture into butter mixture and beat until a dough forms. Cover dough and let chill in fridge for at least one hour.
  • Once ready to bake, preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Place dough on a floured surface and roll until ¼-inch thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes from dough and carefully transfer shapes to prepared baking sheets.
  • Bake cookies for about 7 minutes, then remove, and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  • Make icing by whisking all ingredients together in a small bowl. Add food coloring if you’d like, then use to decorate cookies.

Notes

  • To Store: Once the glaze has dried, store the vegan cookies in a cookie tin for 2-3 weeks.
  • To Freeze: Once the cookies are cooled place the undecorated cookies in a plastic freezer bag and place them in the freezer.  The cookies can be frozen for up to six months.

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