These grain-free gingerbread cookies are the perfect traditional holiday cookie! I was not a big fan of gingerbread cookies, that is, until I had these cookies. I love making Christmas cookies, so I wanted to create a gingerbread cookie that was delicious and that I would enjoy this Christmas season. Thus I went on a mission to make the best grain-free gingerbread cookies ever. Let’s just say, these cookies surprised me! They turned out even better than what I was hoping for! I love these grain-free gingerbread cookies and I am sure they will be a hit on your homestead too!

frosted cut out cookies next to a wooden rolling pin and cookie cutters

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Modern Pioneer Christmas Recipe

These grain-free gingerbread cookies are a delicious holiday cookie to whip up in the homestead kitchen this Christmas season! While the early pioneers probably did not make cut-out gingerbread cookies, they certainly used some the basic ingredients that go into this cookie recipe to make simple and heritage desserts. Not only are these cookies made with basic and wholesome ingredients, but they are also allergy-friendly! These gingerbread cookies are…

gluten-free
grain-free
refined sugar free
corn free
nut free
egg free

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is all the baking that I get to do and time spent in the homestead kitchen! Holiday cookies are one of my favorite things to bake and get creative with. I love creating a variety of festive cookies to choose from and displaying them on cookie platters.

These grain-free gingerbread cookies are a traditional holiday cookie that I make every year to add to my cookie platter. I love rolling out the dough, cutting out the shapes, and carefully frosting each cookie once they are cool. But these gingerbread cookies are just one flavor of cookie that makes it on my holiday cookie platter each year.

Check out these other fun and flavorful cookies that will add variety to any allergy-friendly cookie display:

the modern pioneer checklist challenge free printable

a circle of gingerbread cookie dough on unbleached parchment paper with a rolling pin

Tips for Making Gingerbread Cookies

I always feel that making gingerbread cookies is such a festive activity! Whenever I make this recipe, I turn on some of my favorite Christmas music and enjoyed mixing, frosting, and photographing these cookies. Over the countless times that I have made this recipe, I took some notes that I thought might be helpful for someone who is making these grain-free gingerbread cookies for the first time.

They are super easy cut-out cookie to make, but a few tips will ensure that your cookies turn out just as good as mine did! The following tips are some helpful recipe notes to make sure your cookies turn out fantastic!

Recipe Tips:

Softened Butter– The softness of your butter, or how much it is melted, will effect the consistency of your dough. For this recipe, my butter was about half melted. If your butter happens to melt too much and the dough becomes sticky, you will just need to add a little more flour.
Spices– The amount of cinnamon, ginger, and clove you add to your dough can be varied depending on how much flavor you like in your cookies! I probably did a skimpy tablespoon of cinnamon, a skimpy teaspoon of ginger, and a level 1/4 teaspoon of clove in my cookies. But then again, I’m a moderate gingerbread flavor person.
Letting the Dough Set- After all of the ingredients have been combined, you should let the dough set for 5 minutes to allow the coconut flour to absorb some moisture. This will keep the dough from becoming too sticky. Take this time to put away your ingredients (except the tapioca flour) and prepare your waxed parchment paper.
Dough Consistency– Your cookie dough should turn out like mine, which was easy to work with and did not sticky at all. However, if your dough happens to be too moist, you can add some more tapioca flour. Add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough is workable. If your dough is too dry, you can add a splash of coconut milk until the dough sticks together.

On a gingerbread kick? Than you will definitely want to check out these gluten-free gingerbread muffins or this grain-free gingerbread loaf!

grain-free gingerbread cookie dough scraps next to a rolling pin

Tips for Frosting Gingerbread Cookies

Making these grain-free gingerbread cookies was fun, but frosting them was even more fun! I finally managed to create a homemade frosting recipe that uses coconut sugar instead of refined sugar and is easy to make, not granular, not too buttery, and can be piped onto the cookies.

The coconut sugar in the frosting does turn the frosting a light brown in color, but I don’t mind the more ‘rustic’ look. I have always found that making low sugar frosting can be tricky, so here are some tips that I would like to point out!

Frosting Tips:

Softened Butter– The butter for the frosting recipe needs to softened ever so slightly. Room temperature butter may be sufficient, but if you are unable to beat it, you may need to soften it a little more. A simple trick is to fill a glass with boiling water, dump the boiling water out and then place the hot glass over the butter.
Powdered Coconut Sugar- To powder your coconut sugar, you can grind it in a small seed grinder or blend it in a high powered blender. The powdered sugar is key in this frosting because it allows it to be smooth and not granular.
Piping the Frosting– You can still decorate your cookies even if you don’t have frosting piping supplies. For these cookies, I simply used a plastic bag. Take a small to medium sized plastic sandwich bag and cut a very tiny hole in one of the corners. Examine how big the hole is and cut it slightly larger if need be, it’s always good to start too small than make it bigger as needed. Spoon the frosting into the bag and seal off the bag, getting as much air out as you can. Now you can squeeze the frosting through the hole onto your cookies!

When decorating your cut out cookies, you may be at a lost for how to decorate your cookies. Feel free to look at how I decorated mine, but Pinterest has some great ideas too!

Simple Decorating Tips:

outlining the cookie is simple and eloquent
frost the entire cookie and replicate the actual shape of the cookie with the frosting
for reindeer, add spots on the rump, eyes, and a nose
for trees, add snow on the branches
frost the entire cookie and use sprinkles, crushed candy cane, or chocolate chips to decorate with
don’t feel like making frosting?, just dust your cookies with some powdered sugar!

Do you have a favorite way that you like to decorate your Christmas cookies? I would love to hear what tips and tricks you use for holiday cookies in your homestead kitchen!

grain-free gingerbread men with frosted grain-free sugar cookies on a wooden board

I am sure you are going to love making, decorating, and eating these healthy gingerbread cookies. They are the perfect Christmas dessert option that bring holiday cheer with every bite! If you need a festive recipe to make for the holidays that is simple and allergy-friendly, these cookies are just the recipe you have been looking for!

Grain-free Gingerbread Cookies (gluten-free)

Recipe by The Pioneer Chicks

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1 30

Servings 3 dozen

Author Alexa Lehr

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cookies

1/2 cup organic, grass-fed butter softened
1/2 cup organic applesauce
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup unsulfured, organic blackstrap molasses
1 T. organic ground cinnamon
1 tsp. organic ground ginger
1/4 tsp. organic ground clove
pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup cassava flour
1 1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour
1/4 cup coconut flour

Frosting

1/4 cup organic, grass-fed butter softened
1/2 cup powdered coconut sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Prepare two cookie sheets by lining them with unbleached parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, applesauce, maple syrup, and molasses. Stir until combined.
Add the cinnamon, ginger, clove, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Stir well. Add the cassava flour, coconut flour, and 1 cup of tapioca flour. Stir until combined.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 of tapioca flour over the dough. Stir in well. Let the dough set for 5 minutes.
While the dough is setting, clear your workspace and prepare two rectangles of waxed parchment paper. On one waxed parchment paper sheet, sprinkle about 1 tsp. of tapioca flour on it.
Once the dough has set, divide it into two halves. Pick up one half and form it into a ball. Place the dough ball on the floured waxed parchment paper.
Flatten the ball slightly with your hand. Sprinkle a little bit of tapioca flour over the dough. Place the other sheet of waxed parchment paper over the dough. Using a rolling pin, begin to roll out the dough to an 1/8 of an inch thickness.
After the dough is rolled out, peel back the top layer of waxed parchment paper. Press your cookie cutters into the dough to make your cookies. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a baking sheet. Place the cookies 1” apart on the baking sheets.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool for 1 minute before moving them to a cooling rack. Continue the process of rolling and cutting with the remaining dough and the other half of dough.
Let the cookies cool before frosting them.
To make the frosting, place all of the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until the frosting is smooth.
Frost your cookies and enjoy!

Where to Find the Ingredients

grain-free gingerbread cookie dough with a star cookie cutter

These grain-free gingerbread cookies are so incredibly delicious! I love their soft texture and bold, ginger flavor! They are easy and fun to make, plus they are the perfect, festive holiday cookie for modern pioneers who have diet restrictions. These grain-free and gluten-free gingerbread cookies are the perfect addition to any holiday cookie platter. I have so much fun making, photographing, and frosting these gingerbread cookies! I hope you will enjoy them this holiday season too, and make a batch for yourself and a batch to share!

Don’t miss any other modern pioneer holiday recipes this season, make sure you join our modern pioneer newsletter community!

by Alexa