Soft & Chewy Almond Flour Date Gingerbread Cookies
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These Soft and Chewy Almond Flour Date Gingerbread Cookies are tender and warmly spiced made with almond flour and naturally sweetened with dates and molasses. These gingerbread cookies are gluten-free, vegan, easy to make, and perfect for holiday decorating.
Homemade gingerbread cookies are a holiday classic, but this version transforms the tradition into something softer, chewier, and naturally sweetened. These Almond Flour Gingerbread Cookies are made with Medjool dates, a touch of molasses, warm spices, and a simple vegan royal icing for decorating. They’re gluten-free, vegan, refined sugar-free, and perfect for festive cookie boxes or a fun family cookie decorating day.
The combination of almond flour and dates creates a tender, chewy cookie while still allowing the cookies to hold their shape beautifully—whether you’re making classic gingerbread people or a mix of festive shapes like stars, Christmas trees, snowflakes, candy canes, bells, and more. These cookies bake up with deep gingerbread flavor, a soft texture, and a gorgeous dark golden color that pairs beautifully with the white icing.
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Soft, chewy texture with classic gingerbread flavor.
- Naturally sweetened with dates and molasses.
- Gluten-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free (minus the icing).
- Perfect for kids and adults to decorate.
- Festive shapes hold their detail beautifully.
- Make-ahead friendly and great for gifting.
- Super easy to make.
- Only need to bake for 8-10 minutes.
Gingerbread Cookie Ingredients
Almond flour. Almond flour creates a naturally gluten-free cookie with a soft, tender crumb.
Medjool dates. Naturally sweeten the cookies and provide moisture and chewiness. I used this brand (the best dates!!!)
Molasses. Adds classic gingerbread depth and rich caramel flavor. I like this brand.
Coconut oil. Helps bind the dough.
Gingerbread spices. Ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves offer that unmistakable signature gingerbread flavor.
Pure vanilla extract. Rounds out the warming spices.
Baking soda. Helps the cookies rise and stay soft.
Salt. Balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
Vegan Royal Icing
Powdered sugar. Creates the smooth, sweet base of the icing and helps it set with a firm, glossy finish.
Aquafaba. Using the brine from a can of chickpeas naturally mimics egg whites, whipping lightly to give the icing structure and a classic royal icing texture. Neat, huh?! And don’t worry, your icing won’t taste like chickpeas 😜.
Vanilla extract. Pure vanilla adds a subtle warmth that enhances the icing flavor without overpowering the cookies.
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How To Make Almond Flour Date Gingerbread Cookies
1. Prepare the Dough
In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
Add the pitted dates, molasses, and vanilla to a food processor and blend into a thick, smooth date paste. If the dates aren’t super fresh or hard, place the pitted dates in warm water for 5–10 minutes to soften, then drain.
Add the date mixture and melted coconut oil to the flour mixture and stir until a sticky cookie dough forms.
2. Chill
Cover and refrigerate the dough for 20–30 minutes. This step helps the dough firm up for clean rolling and easier cookie cutting.
3. Shape
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll the dough out to be about 1/2-1 inch thick. If the dough is too sticky, you can roll out the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Use gingerbread people, stars, snowflakes, candy canes, Christmas trees, or any festive cutters you prefer. Gently transfer the shapes to the baking sheet.
4. Bake
Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look soft. They will firm up a bit as they cool. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
Make the Vegan Royal Icing
In a mixing bowl, whisk 2-3 tablespoons of aquafaba until lightly frothy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, whisking until smooth and glossy. Adjust:
- For piping details: Add more powdered sugar for a thicker consistency.
- For flooding (a decorating technique where slightly thinned royal icing is used to fill in the surface of a cookie, creating a smooth, even layer of icing that dries with a clean, professional finish): Add small amounts of aquafaba until the icing smooths out after 10–12 seconds.
Decorating Tips
- Contrast is key: White icing is visually striking against the deep gingerbread color.
- Use multiple shapes for a visually dynamic and modern holiday cookie tray.
- Allow decorated cookies to dry uncovered for 1-2 hours for a firm finish.
FAQ
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. The dough can be refrigerated wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 2 days. If it becomes too firm, let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before rolling.
Do these cookies hold their shape well?
Absolutely. Almond flour combined with date paste creates a stable dough that keeps clean edges when cut with cookie cutters.
Can I freeze the cookies?
Yes. Freeze baked (undecorated) cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before decorating.
Can I use tapioca syrup instead of aquafaba for the icing?
You can, but the icing will be softer and won’t set quite as firmly as traditional vegan royal icing. Aquafaba gives the best structure for detailed decorating.
Can I make these cookies without molasses?
Molasses adds depth and classic gingerbread flavor. You can omit it, but the cookies will be lighter, sweeter, and less traditional in flavor. I would suggest substituting with another liquid sweetener such as maple syrup.
What shapes work best?
Gingerbread people or houses, stars, snowflakes, Christmas trees, candy canes, bells, and ornaments all work beautifully.
What if my dough is too sticky?
If your dough is too sticky, re-chill it for 20–30 minutes to help it firm up, and if it’s still difficult to work with, lightly dust your parchment or rolling pin with a small amount of almond flour to make shaping easier without drying out the cookies. I didn’t have any issues, but they did stick in the cookie cutters a bit. Just gently push them, or shake them out.
If you make these Soft & Chewy Almond Flour Date Gingerbread Cookies this holiday season, don’t forget to leave a comment below as well as giving this recipe a five star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ! Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest if you make them- I’d love to see yours! ❤️🎄✨
More Gingerbread Flavored Desserts To Try
No-Bake Chocolate Gingerbread Almond Flour Cookie Dough Bites
Easy No-Bake Chocolate Gingerbread Almond Flour Cookie Dough Bites made with almond flour, gingerbread spices, black cocoa, and sweetened with maple syrup. Coated in melted chocolate and then sprinkled with dye-free nonpareils sprinkles for a festive, healthy gluten-free, vegan holiday sweet snack or no-bake dessert everyone will love.
Gingerbread Cream Sandwich Cookies
Soft gingerbread cookies filled with a nog flavored buttercream frosting for an easy, gluten-free and vegan holiday cookie!
Vegan Gingerbread Crème Brûlée
A vegan crème brûlée that you would never know is egg and dairy-free! Made with just 7-ingredients and spiced perfectly for the holidays, this creamy, crispy-top dessert makes the perfect Yuletide sweet treat.
Gingerbread Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of LouAna. The opinions and text are all mine. The LouAna product mentioned in this post was sent to me as a gift to use in this recipe, thank you so much! Moist, fluffy gluten-free, vegan cake has been something that I’ve been working on
Soft & Chewy Almond Flour Date Gingerbread Cookies
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 16 cookies (depending on the size of your cookie cutters) 1x
Description
These Soft and Chewy Almond Flour Date Gingerbread Cookies are tender and warmly spiced made with almond flour and naturally sweetened with dates and molasses. These gingerbread cookies are gluten-free, vegan, easy to make, and perfect for holiday decorating.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup almond flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 large Medjool dates, pits removed
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
Vegan Royal Icing
- 2–3 tablespoons aquafaba (brine from a can of chickpeas)
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the pitted dates, molasses, and vanilla to a food processor and blend into a thick, smooth date paste. If the dates aren’t super fresh or hard, place the pitted dates in warm water for 5–10 minutes to soften, then drain.
- Add the date mixture and melted coconut oil to the flour mixture and stir until a sticky cookie dough forms.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for 20–30 minutes. This step helps the dough firm up for clean rolling and easier cookie cutting.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough out to be about 1/2-1 inch thick. If the dough is too sticky, you can roll out the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Use gingerbread people, stars, snowflakes, candy canes, Christmas trees, or any festive cutters you prefer. Gently transfer the shapes to the baking sheet.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look soft. They will firm up a bit as they cool. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
To Decorate
-
In a mixing bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons of aquafaba until lightly frothy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, whisking until smooth and glossy. Add another tablespoon of aquafaba to adjust to your desired thickness if needed and decorate!
Notes
READ THE BLOG POST FOR MORE TIPS & INFORMATION!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Cookies
