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Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

Soft, spiced gluten-free gingerbread cookies cut into fun shapes, with an optional royal icing for decorating. A festive treat to share in small portions.

12-18mo+

30 min prep · 45 min cook · 75 min total · 30 servings

MilkEgg

Ingredients

  • 600 g gluten-free flour1.32 lb gluten-free flour
  • 1.25 ml baking soda0.25 tsp baking soda
  • 10 ml ground ginger2.03 tsp ground ginger
  • 5 ml ground cinnamon1.01 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 5 ml ground nutmeg1.01 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 200 g butter, softened7.05 oz butter, softened
  • 200 g caster sugar7.05 oz caster sugar
  • 160 g golden syrup5.64 oz golden syrup
  • 2 each egg yolk
  • 1 each egg
  • egg white (optional), for the royal icing
  • icing sugar (optional), for the royal icing
  • lemon (optional), juiced, for the royal icing

Steps

Make the Dough

  1. Whisk the gluten-free flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl.
  2. In a separate large bowl, beat the butter, caster sugar, and golden syrup until light and creamy.
  3. Gently whisk the egg yolks with the whole egg, then slowly pour them into the creamed butter mixture while beating.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture one third at a time, mixing until combined after each addition.

Chill and Roll

  1. Split the dough into two balls, flatten each into a disk, and wrap well. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
  2. Once the dough has softened slightly, roll each disk to about 5 mm thick between two sheets of baking paper.
  3. Cut shapes with cookie cutters, then re-roll the offcuts until all the dough is used.

Bake

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 C (360 F) and line baking trays with baking paper.
  2. Bake the cookies for 10 to 15 minutes until golden, then cool them completely on a wire rack.

Make the Royal Icing

  1. Optional: whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until they turn frothy to start the royal icing.
  2. Beat in the icing sugar one third at a time until fully combined and smooth.
  3. Add the lemon juice a tablespoon at a time until the icing reaches a pipeable consistency, then decorate the cooled cookies.

Nutrition

Calories
175
Protein
2g
Fat
1g
Carbs
41g

Tips by age

12-18mo

These are a sugary treat, so offer only a small piece occasionally. Serve a plain cookie with no icing, broken into soft bite-size pieces, and skip the royal icing entirely.

Choking safety: Skip the raw-egg royal icing at this age. Break firm cookie edges into small pieces, as hard cookies can be a choking hazard.

18-24mo

Offer a small plain cookie broken into pieces as an occasional treat. Skip the royal icing, which is made with raw egg white.

Choking safety: Do not offer raw-egg icing at this age. Break hard cookies into smaller pieces to reduce choking risk.

2-3y

Serve one small cookie as an occasional treat. If decorating, use a cooked or pasteurized icing rather than the raw-egg royal icing for this age.

Choking safety: Use pasteurized egg white or a cooked icing instead of raw royal icing. Encourage sitting and small bites with firm cookies.

3-5y

Serve as written in a small portion. Let them help decorate with icing, but use pasteurized egg white for the royal icing to keep it food-safe.

Choking safety: Use pasteurized egg white for the icing. Remind children to take small bites of the firm cookies.

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