Gluten-Free Ginger Snaps 

Thick and crispy gluten free ginger snaps with a chewy interior. These cookies are full of flavor and are absolutely delicious! 

Ginger snaps are sometimes also referred to as gingersnaps. The cookies are meant to snap when you break them.

Meanwhile, ginger snaps originated from Europe and include simple ingredients. They are usually made with molasses. However, molasses is one of those ingredients that you either love or hate. Therefore, making ginger snaps with golden syrup is more convenient, especially if you don't live in the U.S, as it is harder to find.

Ingredients needed for the perfect gluten free ginger snaps

Making these gluten free ginger snaps is so easy that you will be making them every chance you get. To begin, the following ingredients are needed: 

White rice flour, brown rice flour, and tapioca flour: All three flours will be used as the gluten-free flour mix for this recipe. The use of tapioca flour provides structure to these gluten free ginger snaps and prevents them from being crumbly. 

Xanthan gum: To further provide structure to the cookies, we will add xanthan gum. Xanthan gum will help the ingredients bind with one another. 

Salt

Ground Cinnamon, Ginger, and clove: Use high-quality cinnamon and ginger for the cookies to be flavorful. The addition of cloves is optional. 

Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Baking powder and baking soda will help the cookies rise and make them thick. 

Vegetable Shortening: I don’t use shortening in my recipes, but it is a must for soft and chewy gluten free ginger snaps. Shortening has a higher melting point than butter which makes it more stable. Therefore shortening prevents these gluten-free ginger snaps from spreading too thin while being baked. 

Brown and White Sugar: Brown sugar will be used for the cookie dough, while white sugar will only be used to coat the cookies. The use of brown sugar provides the cookies with a subtle molasses flavor that is not overpowering. 

Golden Syrup: Golden syrup will provide sweetness to the cookies and a subtle caramel flavor. You can substitute golden syrup with molasses, but I’m personally not a huge fan of molasses. 

Egg: Provides structure to the cookies. 

Vanilla Extract: You can omit it, but I find that the vanilla flavor makes these gluten free ginger snaps extra tasty. 

Making ginger snaps dough 

The process of forming the gluten free ginger snaps dough is relatively easy. You can make it using a stand-alone mixer or hand-held mixer. As usual, we will begin making the cookies by combining the dry ingredients together and whisking them. 

Then, in a separate bowl, add the shortening and brown sugar. Using a stand-alone mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer, combine the ingredients, at medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. 

Then, add the egg, golden syrup, and vanilla extract. Beat at medium-high speed until just combined, and the batter is creamy. 

Meanwhile, it is time to add the dry ingredients to the wet batter. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet batter, then beat at low speed until the cookie dough is formed. Before proceeding, I highly suggest chilling the dough in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking. This will ensure that the gluten free ginger snaps turn out thick. 

While waiting for the dough to chill, preheat the oven to 180°C (375°F). 

Roll 1 ½ tablespoon of cookie dough into a ball and roll it in white sugar. Ensure that the entire ball is covered with sugar. Align a baking tray with parchment paper and set each cookie at least 2.5 cm apart (1-inch). 

Bake, the gluten free ginger snaps for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are golden.

Storing and freezing gluten free ginger snaps

The best thing about these cookies is that they are convenient and can be made ahead of time.

You can prepare the cookie dough and store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Meanwhile, the baked cookies can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to three days and up to a week in the fridge. Moreover, you can store the cookies in a sealed zip-bag in the freezer for up to two months.

Are you looking for more gluten-free cookie recipes?

Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies

Gluten-Free White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Print

5 from 11 votes

Gluten-Free Ginger Snaps

Soft and chewy gluten-free ginger snaps that are full of flavor.

Prep Time10 mins

Active Time11 mins

Chilling Time10 mins

Total Time31 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: christmas cookies, gingersnaps, gluten free ginger snaps, gluten-free gingersnaps

Yield: 24 Cookies

Calories: 163kcal

Ingredients

Metric - US Customary

• ▢ 188 grams of White Rice Flour
• ▢ 112 grams of Tapioca Flour
• ▢ 75 grams of Brown Rice Flour
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon of Xanthan Gum
• ▢ 1 teaspoon of Baking Soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon of Baking Powder
• ▢ 1 tablespoon of Ground Ginger
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon of Clove
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon of Salt
• ▢ 180 grams of Vegetable Shortening
• ▢ 150 grams of Dark Brown Sugar
• ▢ 100 grams of Golden Syrup
• ▢ 1 Large Egg
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

Instructions

• Combine the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground clove, and salt in a bowl. Then set the mixture aside.
• In a separate bowl, add the vegetable shortening and dark brown sugar. Using a stand-alone mixer with the paddle attachment or hand-held mixer, beat the shortening and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
• Next, add the golden syrup, egg, and vanilla extract. Then beat until combined (1 minute).
• Afterward, add the dry ingredients and fold them into the wet mixer gently. Then using the mixer at low speed, combine the ingredients until the cookie dough is formed (2 minutes).
• Meanwhile, freeze the dough in the freezer for 10 minutes. While the dough is in the freezer, preheat the oven to 180°C (375°F).
• Afterward, align a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Roll 1 ½ tablespoon of cookie dough into a ball, and roll it in a small bowl of white sugar. Cover the entire gluten-free ginger snap cookie with sugar. Set each cookie at least 2.5 cm (1-inch) apart.
• Bake the ginger snap cookies for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Allow the cookies to cool in the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Notes

• You can substitute golden syrup with molasses.
• You can omit ground clove
• The gluten-free ginger snap dough can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to three days.
• The baked cookies can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Nutrition Facts

Gluten-Free Ginger Snaps

Amount Per Serving (1 Cookie)

Calories 163 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 7mg2%

Sodium 96mg4%

Potassium 28mg1%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 10IU0%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 19mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.