Vegan Gingerbread Men

A few decorated gingerbread men next to a few undecorated gingerbread men, surrounded by candy canes and a rolling pin

This vegan gingerbread men recipe is perfect for a Christmas party. The cookies are sweet and spicy, fun to decorate, and super festive.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Chill Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings cookies

Calories 174

Author Jessica Hylton

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 300g
1 teaspoon baking powder 4.8g
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons vegan butter softened (84g)
1 cup light brown sugar packed (200g)
½ cup molasses (168g)
1 egg replacer or flax egg (I used Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

1 cup powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
1-3 tsp dairy-free milk

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
In a separate large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the softened butter, brown sugar, molasses, egg replacer and vanilla until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredient mixture in three increments, mixing well between each addition. The batter will be thick.
Divide the dough in half and shape each into a thick disc (for 2 discs). Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour and up to 3 days.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly-floured work surface, working with one portion of dough at a time, roll the dough into a circle about ¼ inch thick. I like to place a parchment paper on top then rolling on top of that to make it easier to roll out. Use cookie cutters to shape the dough, and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each cookie.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until firm around the edges. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.
To make the frosting, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk in a mixing bowl, and beatwith an electric mixer until stiff and smooth. Add 1-2 tablespoons more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting is a smooth, spreadable texture.
When the cookies are cool, fill a pastry bag with frosting and decorate the cookies, or use a butter knife or offset spatula to spread frosting over the gingerbread men. Let the frosting set up and harden for a few minutes before serving or storing.

Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the fridge for up to 10 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months.

Nutrition