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Today I’m delighted to share one of my family’s all-time favourite baked treats – Vegan Gingerbread Cookies! These spiced beauties are naturally dairy-free and egg-free, and they make the perfect treat for cosy afternoons, holiday gatherings, or anytime you fancy a wholesome sweet bite.

I’m thrilled to be sharing this recipe with the Suma Bloggers’ Network. You might already be familiar with Suma Wholefoods — the UK’s largest independent vegetarian and vegan wholesaler. They’re a workers’ cooperative, which means the business is owned and managed jointly by the staff. Everyone is paid equally and shares responsibility for the day-to-day running of the business. I love what they stand for, so I was over the moon when they invited me to become one of the founding bloggers in their new Network!

Every couple of months, we’ll be sharing plant-based recipes featuring ingredients from the Suma range. You’ll find our creations on our blogs, social media, and a shared Pinterest board.

For my first recipe, I’m spotlighting one of my all-time favourite ingredients and unsung superfoods… blackstrap molasses!

Why Bake with Blackstrap Molasses?

Molasses is the rich, dark syrup that remains after sugar cane is processed to make refined sugar. While white sugar has no nutritional value, blackstrap molasses is brimming with nutrients — including vitamin B6, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and selenium. It adds a beautiful depth of flavour and colour to baked goods, especially these spiced gingerbread cookies.

If you’ve got a jar lurking in your cupboard, this recipe is the perfect excuse to dust it off!

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The Cookies

These vegan gingerbread cookies are crisp on the outside with a soft, chewy centre. The blackstrap molasses gives them a subtle liquorice-like flavour without being overpowering. You can use coconut sugar or an unrefined cane sugar for the dry sweetener. Coconut sugar is my favourite as it’s lower GI and has a lovely caramel note; my husband prefers the cane sugar ones (which are slightly sweeter), and Lil’ L says he can’t really tell the difference and loves both!

These cookies have been tried (and loved!) many times over with my family and friends, and I’ve been asked numerous times for the recipe. My standard reply is ‘sure, I’ll post it on the blog’. Well, it’s high time I kept my promise so here it is…

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Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

These gingerbread cookies are infused with warming spices and rich blackstrap molasses. They’re dairy-free, egg-free, and simple to prepare. Perfect for festive treats, holiday baking, or as a cosy everyday snack!

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Hands-on time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Snack, Treat

Cuisine Vegan

Servings 12

Ingredients

 

• ▢ 70 g / ⅓ cup golden caster (unrefined cane) sugar or coconut sugar
• ▢ 50 ml / ¼ cup organic rapeseed (canola) oil or other neutral-flavoured oil
• ▢ 65 g / 3 TBSP Blackstrap molasses or black treacle (molasses)
• ▢ 22 g / 1½ TBSP soya or almond milk
• ▢ ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 120 g / ¾ cup + 2 TBSP fine wholemeal (whole wheat pastry) flour or chapatti flour
• ▢ 1 – 1½ tsp ground ginger to taste
• ▢ ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ▢ pinch of ground nutmeg
• ▢ ¼ tsp baking powder
• ▢ ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• ▢ ¼ tsp salt

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) / 400°F. Line two baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, molasses, plant milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, spices, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt.
• Add half the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir to combine. Add the remaining dry ingredients and stir until a dough forms.
• Scoop slightly rounded tablespoons of dough and space six on each baking sheet. With damp hands, press each dough ball into a thin cookie shape.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for 9 minutes, or until the tops are dry to the touch. (The cookies will still feel soft but will firm up as they cool).
• Leave to cool on the baking sheets, then carefully transfer to a wire rack using a thin spatula.
• Once fully cool, store in an airtight container. They’ll keep for up to two weeks. They can also be frozen in an airtight freezer bag.

Notes

Freshly baked, the cookies are crisp on the outside and chewy inside. Over time, they become softer but remain just as tasty.

Using black treacle or a milder molasses will create a gentler flavour; blackstrap adds a richer, more mineral taste.

All TBSP in the recipe are level.

These cookies freeze beautifully — just leave them at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Keyword dairy-free cookies, holiday baking, vegan gingerbread cookies

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you make these Vegan Gingerbread Cookies, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Leave a comment below or tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.   

Wishing you a joyful day and happy baking!

With love,

Sharon xx

Disclaimer: I received some Suma’s products to use for recipe development but, as always, all opinions expressed are my own.