Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookie Recipe

Ali Segersten Dec 01, 2011 456 comments
Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookie Recipe

Our children have so much fun cutting out and decorating these lovely gluten-free Christmas cookies! Just look at these photos, what is not to love? This time of year takes me back to baking gingerbread and sugar cookies with my mother. My brothers and I would decorate dozens of cookies with beautiful colored sprinkles and bright white icing. I wanted to share that experience with my own children, only with a healthier, gluten-free version. Thus, this recipe was born! It uses coconut sugar as the main sweetener, along with a powdered coconut sugar icing. Although coconut sugar is definitely a low-glycemic sweetener, it is still sugar, and these cookies are to be considered a sweet treat.

My recipe below calls for sweet rice flour. This type of white rice flour is made from sticky rice, or glutinous rice. It helps hold the cookies together without the use of gluten flour or gluten-free binders. I prefer to use this superfine sweet rice flour. Superfine flours are ground so finely that they lack the grittiness typically found in other types of rice flours. 

You can follow my blog post for How to Make Powdered Coconut Sugar if you would like to use a more nutritious sugar in the icing. We like to decorate these cookies with nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. You can definitely get creative here with the toppings. 

Recipe from our Meal Planner

Gingerbread Hazelnut Cut-Out Cookies

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Hazelnut Cut-Out Cookies
Servings
24 cookies
Cook Time
12 minutes
Prep Time
30 minutes

These gluten-free cut-out cookies are fun to make with your children during the holidays! I use a powdered coconut sugar icing, which has a rich caramel flavor. You can refer to my blog post on How to Make Powdered Coconut Sugar in order to make this icing. Use currants, raisins, sliced almonds, natural sprinkles, or anything else you can imagine to decorate them. I find the dough is best if it is refrigerated overnight. You can make the dough after your children are in bed and then bake the cookies with them in the morning.

Tip

I use Bob's Red Mill Hazelnut Meal Flour. It works beautifully in baking. You can check your local health food store for it or buy it on Amazon.com.  

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

2 cups hazelnut meal
1 cups sweet rice flour
½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoons ground ginger
1 pinches ground nutmeg

Wet Ingredients

1 cups coconut sugar
½ cups butter
¼ cups blackstrap molasses
1 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Coconut Sugar Icing

½ cups powdered coconut sugar
3 teaspoons non-dairy milk (I use almond milk)
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions

cookies:

  1. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  2. In a separate, smaller bowl beat with an electric mixer (or vigorously whisk) together the wet ingredients. Add the wet to the dry and mix together.
  3. Form into a ball, cover, and place into the refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight. 
  4. When the dough is firm and chilled, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  5. Place a large piece of parchment or waxed paper down onto a clean, flat work surface. Lightly flour the paper with sweet rice flour.
  6. Take part of the dough and roll it out to a little less than 1/4 inch of thickness. Put the remaining dough back in the fridge to keep it chilled.
  7. Cut the dough out using your favorite holiday cookie cutters. Carefully peel away the dough around the cut-outs.
  8. Then take a thin spatula and lift the cookies onto a lightly greased cookie sheet (or parchment-lined cookie sheet). 
  9. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes depending on how crisp you like them. A few more minutes of baking makes them crispy. Just watch them so they don't overcook.
  10. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Then repeat with remaining dough.
  11. Let cook completely before frosting.

Coconut sugar icing:

  1. Place powdered coconut sugar in a small bowl, whisk in the milk and vanilla.
  2. Use to ice cooled cookies.
  3. You might need to make more depending on how much icing you like on your cookies. 

Use this recipe in our Meal Planner

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Posted In
Christmas cookies Coconut sugar dessert gluten-free holidays Thanksgiving Recipes xanthan-free recipes recipe
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About the Author

Ali Segersten

Alissa Segersten holds a Bachelor's of Science in Nutrition from Bastyr University and a Master’s of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine from the University of Western States. She is a Functional Nutritionist, the mother of five children, a whole foods cooking instructor, professional recipe developer, and cookbook author. She is passionate about helping others find a diet that will truly nourish them. Alissa is the author of two very popular gluten-free, whole foods cookbooks and guidebooks: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook and Nourishing Meals. She is also the co-author of The Elimination Diet book. Alissa is the founder and owner of Nourishing Meals®.

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Comments

Anonymous (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 7:30am

So pretty and I am sure so tasty. Will you be at the cookie exchange? I'm hoping to enjoy one without having to bake. :)
Thanks for highlighting Gluten-Free Baking for Dummies. Can't wait to be sending along the winning copy.

Jessica Caneal (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 7:28am

I also posted about the giveaway on Facebook!

Jessica Caneal (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 7:28am

I tweeted about the giveaway @jesscaneal

Jessica Caneal (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 7:24am

This is such a fabulous giveaway. I would be happy to win any of these prizes!

nickyintheraw (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 7:17am

Looks delicious!

steph (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 6:28am

I also tweeted the link! (https://twitter.com/#!/livelocaliveraw)

steph (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 6:28am

I just shared this post on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=59505567)

steph (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 6:12am

Thanks for the recipe and give-away! I would love one of these books and I will definitely try the gingerbread cookie recipe (though maybe with a few substitutions!) :)

FairiesNest (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 5:46am

Yum! Ginger and hazelnuts...2 of my favs! Thanks for sharing this!

Jodi Lee (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 5:32am

Delicious! Can't wait!
Jodi

www.lifefromscratch.ca
lifefromscratchca@gmail.com

Eryn (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 5:25am

I posted this on my Facebook!

Eryn
ebegg18@hotmail.com

mstivers (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 5:23am

I shared your site on my FB wall. Hope to get some people interested in changing their diets :)
mstivers@highview.org

mstivers (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 5:21am

I liked you on FB. Looking forward to baking again :)
mstivers@highview.org

mstivers (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 5:19am

I subscribed to your blog -thanks for all the great recipes!
mstivers@highview.org

Eryn (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 5:15am

I haven't had gingerbread cookies in AGES! Looks like it be spending this snow day in the kitchen! (is there any better way though?)

Thanks for the recipe!
Eryn

ebegg18@hotmail.com

Unknown (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 4:50am

I shared this link on facebook and I'll be making them soon! cgriess@gmail.com

Unknown (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 4:49am

I shared this link on facebook and will make them for Christmas. cgriess@gmail.com

gfe--gluten fr… (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 3:38am

Just dropping by to say that these cookies are adorable, Ali. What a great and much healthier cut-out cookie recipe for the holidays and a wonderful addition to Home for the Holidays ... Gluten-Free Style! :-)

I'm so grateful to you for participating in our holiday event (and snagging our grand prize Vitamix for us!), Ali! Can't believe we haven't even made it through a whole week yet ... so much good has been shared already. It's truly wonderful to see all our readers, blogger friends, and sponsors join in or support us in some way! :-)

xo,
Shirley

Kristin (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 2:05am

I was just wondering how we could make gluten free gingerbread cookies. Thank you for the delicious giveaway!

Anonymous (visitor) Dec 02, 2011 | 1:10am

Thanks for another yummy AND healthy recipe! I have never used coconut sugar but am intrigued! I am wondering if it subs well for icing sugar in whipped frostings?
I love your cookbook and am excited to read another is on it's way!
Thanks again,
Bronwyn
bronwyn_fraser@hotmail.com

quinoanut (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 11:16pm

These look fantastic! I love hazelnuts and know these will be a hit. All the ingredients look "safe" for me too. Thanks for sharing!

quinoanut (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 11:12pm

Oh YUM! I love hazelnut butter and can't wait to try and bake something with the flour. I love this recipe, I don't think I will have to make any substitutions at all. Thank you for sharing it with us!!
quinoanut@gmail.com

Michelle G. (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 10:52pm

You have such wonderful recipes and have helped me broaden my gluten free diet. Thank you for sharing! Contact: fungus20@hotmail.com

carol (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 10:20pm

Yeah I have the weekend off looks like we are making cookies

Carol
Momof1gf1@gmail.com

Rachael (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 10:00pm

Thanks, Ali, for pointing out that we have to include our emails in the post. My email is racweber@gmail.com and I had two posts from this morning (5:42 and 5:52 am on 12/1/2011). One was a comment on your post, the other to let you know I shared it on facebook.
Thanks!

Liz (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 9:49pm

I am so appreciative of your recipes, cookbook and support. I am not only gluten-free, but nearly all flours are a problem, so ingredients like hazelnut flour are always good to try - and my family like the recipes as well!

Clarita (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 9:24pm

Love your recipes and ideas, and the cookbook, too!

Meghan (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 9:23pm

I use to hate ginger, except for in cook forms. But now I love ginger anything with a passion.

LACW (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 9:22pm

Thanks so much for sharing your recipes, elimination diet and other special diet info so generously, both on your website and in your book.

I don't have Facebook or twitter, but I can assure you that I've spread the word (via word of mouth) from coast to coast :)

Katie (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 9:10pm

Can't wait to try the Gingerbread cookie recipe! :) Loving this series.

alisa (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 9:08pm

hazelnut flour? what a great idea! and to think, with a vitamix we'd be able to grind our own!

thank you for the giveaway!

joyfullytiredmom (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 9:03pm

This is such a great GF idea for the Christmas season. I can't wait to bake...and maybe win something too.

yohope (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 8:59pm

I shared link on facebook!
Elisa

Stephanie (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 8:43pm

What cute cookies!!

Anonymous (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 8:30pm

Coconut Sugar Icing. Brilliant.
I'd like to win too!
Chrystal in Canada
rickeysfortwo at yahoo dot ca

Anonymous (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 8:11pm

Thank you!

Sarah C (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 8:09pm

Just shared this page on FaceBook! I am sure that some of friends will enjoy it also.

Karen (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 8:06pm

It amazes me how many foods you are turning into 'flour' or 'sugar' and then coming up with a recipe to use them in! I have been slow to stock my pantry with some of the basics you use in many of your recipes. I refer to your cook book often & also send others your way when they are just beginning the journey into more healthy eating.
Thank you for all your help.

Joy (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 8:03pm

Can't wait to try your cookies--gingerbread is one of my favorites!

Sarah (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 8:00pm

This is the perfect recipe! I love warm spiced things this time of year and haven't really been able to have them. It is so exciting to see your recipes! I am new at all of this G-F, so it is terrific to find all of these recipes. I am glad that your are participating in the Home for Holidays event! All of the giveaways look amazing!

jessica (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 7:48pm

Thanks I love love love gingerbread, these sound great but I'm not the best baker and gluten free has been even harder so baking for dummies wld be perfect for me.

jlo5616 (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 7:45pm

Tweeted the giveaway!
jlo5616 @ gmail dot com
jlo5616 on Twitter

jlo5616 (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 7:43pm

Coconut sugar is great, so is coconut flour!
jlo5616 @ gmail dot com

Sarah Penney, ND (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 7:23pm

Thanks so much! I cant wait to make these and share tomorrow. :) penneysc@gmail.com

Catherine (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 7:21pm

not sure if this is posting again, but I set up the blog so I can see if I win! The gingerbread looks great. Thanks

Meg (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 7:06pm

I am following you on Facebook and look forward to checking out your recipes and blog posts. :)

Meg (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 7:01pm

I shared your recipe on my fb page and tagged you. Thanks again for the recipe. :)

Sofia Boo (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 7:00pm

this looks so good! i've been wanting to use more hazelnuts this season.

Meg (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 7:00pm

I am resubmitting my first comment b/c I didn't leave my email.

These cookies look great, I plan on trying the dairy-free version of these. Thanks for sharing your recipe! :)

Sue Solberg (visitor) Dec 01, 2011 | 6:50pm

Oooo, really looking forward to these! Wondering if we can make a gingerbread house....

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