Gingerbread Cookies (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Recipe credit: Minimalist Baker

Ingredients:

• 1Tbsp flaxseed meal + 2 ½ Tablespoons water (to make flax egg)
• 1/2cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4cup almond butter
• 3Tablespoons molasses
• 1/4cup vegan butter (softened)
• 3/4teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4teaspoon salt
• 1/2teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ¼ – 1 ¾ cups gluten free baking mix, or gluten free pancake mix

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, prepare flax egg by mixing flaxseed meal and water and let rest for 5 minutes.
2. Add softened butter, molasses, almond butter, brown sugar, salt, spices, baking soda and beat on low with a mixer, or vigorously whisk.
3. Add gluten free baking mix to the wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon. Stir until well combined. Your dough should hold its shape when pressed, but not feel dry. I found that 1.5 cups) was about the perfect amount, but add a little more as needed.
4. Cover and chill dough for at least one hour (preferably overnight).
5. Once chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Carefully roll out dough to a little thicker than 1/8 inch between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment/wax paper, generously sprinkling the bottom layer and the top of the dough with GF flour before rolling. You don’t want it too thin or they’ll be too crisp.
6. Remove top sheet and, working quickly, dip your cookie cutters in GF/rice flour and cut out shapes. Next, lift the plastic wrap (with all of the dough) and place it on a baking sheet or large plate and freeze for 5 minutes to let them firm up. This will make them easier to transfer to your baking sheet for baking.
7. Next, use a lightly floured spatula to carefully transfer the cookies to a baking sheet, working quickly. Leave 2 inches for spreading.
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until they appear only slightly browned on the edges. They’ll continue firming up as they sit on the pan. Let rest on the pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
9. Once cooled, decorate with frosting or sprinkle with powdered sugar as desired.

Quick Tip! If you don’t want to cut the cookies out into shapes; after chilling, simply roll 1 Tablespoon amounts of dough into balls, freeze for 5 minutes, then bake for 10-12 minutes.