Gluten Free Old Fashioned Gingersnap Cookies

If you love a cookie with big spice flavor and that satisfying snap, these Old Fashioned Gluten Free Gingersnap Cookies are about to become a staple in your holiday baking. They’re crisp, perfectly spiced, and filled with warm notes of molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves - everything you want in a classic gingersnap.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour: I tested this recipe for Gluten Free Gingersnap Cookies with King Arthur Measure for Measure, Bob’s Red Mill 1-1, and my own gluten-free flour blend. While this recipe works well with any gluten-free flour blend, I noticed some differences between the batches. Cookies made with Bob’s Red Mill or my own blend spread more and had the classic gingersnap texture, while King Arthur cookies stayed compact with less of the signature crinkle. Either way, make sure your blend contains xanthan gum for the best results.

Shortening: I use vegetable shortening in these cookies because it gives them the crisp, snappy texture a true gingersnap should have. Since shortening melts more slowly and doesn’t contain any additional water, the cookies hold their shape and bake up dry and crunchy instead of soft. Its neutral flavor also lets the molasses and spices really shine. You can make this recipe with all butter, but the cookies will spread more and turn out much softer. (If that’s the texture you love, I actually recommend making my Gluten-Free Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies instead.)

Molasses: For the best flavor, I recommend using unsulphured light molasses, like Grandma’s Molasses. Just a quick note: if you use blackstrap molasses, your cookies will taste noticeably more bitter.

Baking soda: Baking soda is key in these gluten-free gingersnaps. It helps them spread just enough and develop that classic crisp texture with a beautiful crackle on top. Make sure your baking soda is fresh for the best results.

Spices: I use a mix of ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in this recipe, using cloves sparingly since a little goes a long way. Spices don’t spoil like milk or go moldy like fresh produce, but they do lose their potency over time. Every now and then, give them a quick sniff or taste to make sure they still have that full “oomph”.

Gluten Free Gingersnap Cookie Dough

The dough for gluten free gingersnap cookies comes together in no time. Make sure the large egg is at room temperature before you start.

1. Step 1:  In a small bowl, combine the gluten free multi purpose flour, baking soda and kosher salt. Add the ground cinnamon, ginger and cloves and stir the dry ingredients together. Set aside.

2. Step 2: In the bowl of the stand mixer, combine the vegetable shortening and granulated sugar.
3. Step 3: Using the paddle attachment, cream on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. About halfway through, stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.

4. Step 4: Next add the molasses, vanilla extract and large egg to the creamed shortening sugar mixture.

5. Step 5: Mix for about a minute, until the batter is smooth, glossy, and fully combined.

6. Step 6: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything is evenly incorporated.

7. Step 7:  Cover the bowl (with plastic wrap or just a clean towel) and refrigerate for about 15 minutes. Chilling the gingersnap dough makes it easier to scoop and helps the cookies hold their shape during baking.
8. NOTE: the dough for gluten free gingersnaps can be refridgerated up to two days. Allow the cookie dough to bake a few additional minutes.

Baking Instructions

The dough for these Gluten Free Gingersnaps really doesn't need a lot of chill time. I just like to refridgerate it for about 15 minutes which makes them a bit easier to roll. Using a medium cookie scoop (about 1½ tablespoons of dough), you’ll get around 24 gingersnap cookies.

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set them aside.
2. Step 2: Using a medium cookie scoop, portion the ginger snap cookie dough into equal-sized scoops. I like to portion out the sugar cookie dough first and then bake the cookies in batches.

3. Step 3:  Roll each scoop into a ball with clean hands. It's okay if not perfect.
4. Step 4: Add some granulated sugar to a shallow dish or small bowl. Roll each cookie dough ball in the sugar to coat.

5. Step 5: Arrange 6 - 8 of the cookie dough balls on the sheet tray.
6. Step 6: Bake cookies at 350°F, one tray at a time, for about 11 minutes if you prefer your cookies slightly chewy or bake them for about 13 minutes if you prefer your gingersnaps to be crispy. You’ll know your gingersnap cookies are done when the edges look set and slightly darkened, and the tops have that classic crackle. For crispy cookies you want to make sure the top looks dry and fully baked.

7. Step 7 : Remove the gluten free gingersnap cookies from the oven. Use a round cookie cutter slightly larger than cookies to scoot them into a perfect circle if you like. Allow them to cool on the sheet tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
8. Step 8: Traditional old-fashioned gingersnaps are meant to have a crisp snap. To get that, I bake these cookies for about 13 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Once all the cookies are baked, I place the cooling racks in the turned-off oven to let them dry out completely. Make sure to allow the oven to cool off for a few minutes before adding the cookies to dry out.

Storage and Freezing

Once the gluten-free ginger snaps are completely cool, store the gingersnaps in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay crisp for several days. If your kitchen is humid, you can add a little packet of food-safe desiccant or a piece of parchment between the layers to help keep them snappy.

Gingersnaps freeze beautifully. Place the cooled cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container, separating layers with parchment. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, just let them thaw at room temperature - no need to re-bake (they might be a bit less crispy)

Note about Salt in my Recipes

I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.

Baking in grams

I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.

Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures

All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.

If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.

Substitutions and Modifications

Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.