Day 8: Soft Glazed Gingerbread

The 12 Days of Vegan Christmas Cookies

I’ve been making these gingerbread cookies since 2008, before going vegan naturally, but over the past few years I’ve repeatedly tweaked the recipe to get it just right without the eggs and dairy. I started with egg replacers, my go to when adjusting recipes and then overtime I work the boxed stuff out of the recipes. I love that these cookies have all the spiciness of gingerbread but are softer in texture. Perfect for that 2am snack when I don’t have anything hot to dunk them in. Seriously, making a cup of tea or hot chocolate to accompany a midnight snack just seems like too much work.

This recipe was originally from the Tartine cookbook, which I loved. Flipping through the thick pages and browsing the black and white pictures of their bakery. These cookies are cooked in a giant slab and then cut into tiles while still warm. You can use a patterned rolling pin or press cookie stamps or molds into the dough to leave their imprint. The cookies will puff up slightly during baking, but collapse back down when being glazed. Allowing their imprint to gently peak through the semi-opaque white glaze.

The baking time will vary depending on the size of the cookie or slab. I bake mine in slabs that are approximately 8×11-inches for 14 minutes. Just until the edges are lightly golden and the center puffed but still soft.

5 from 1 reviews

Soft Glazed Gingerbread

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

These cookies have all the spiciness of gingerbread but are softer in texture. These cookies are cooked in a giant slab and then cut into tiles while still warm. You can use a patterned rolling pin or press cookie stamps or molds into the dough to leave their imprint.

Author: David James Di Pardo

Recipe type: Dessert, Snack, Cookies, Holiday

Cuisine: Vegan

Serves: Makes about 3 dozen depending on the size of the cookies

Ingredients

Cookies:

• 1 cup vegan butter, such as Earth Balance, at room temperature
• ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ½ cup molasses
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds, mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Glaze:

• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

To make the dough:

1. In a small bowl or mug, whisk together the flax seeds and water, and set aside to thicken.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the vegan butter and sugar. Once light and fluffy, add in the molasses, maple syrup, and flax mixture. Beat to combine, scraping down the sides with a spatula as required.
3. Add the spices, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa powder.
4. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour, mixing just until incorporated and scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
5. Divide the dough in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap, shaping each into a rectangle about 1-inch thick.
6. Refrigerate overnight.

To make the cookies:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Remove the dough from the fridge and place on a lightly floured surface if rolling and cutting into shapes. If baking this as a slab using a patterned rolling pin, its best to roll the dough directly on a piece of parchment paper or an oven-safe silicone mat made for baking.
3. Lightly flour the surface of the dough and roll to about ⅜-inch thick, or just under ½-inch.
4. Press patterns or molds into the surface of the dough and gently cut out the cookies and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment or silicone mats.
5. Alternatively, use a patterned rolling pin by rolling it firmly over the surface of the dough. This will flatten your dough a little more. Trim the edges of the slab and transfer the dough along with the parchment paper or silicone mat to a baking sheet.
6. Repeat with the remaining disk of dough, as well as any remaining scraps.
7. Bake on the center rack for 7-15 minutes depending on the size of your cookie. The edges will turn a light golden brown and the center will puff slightly but still be soft to the touch.

To make the glaze:

1. While the cookies are baking, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and water until smooth.
2. Once the cookies have been removed from the oven, allow them to cool for 2 minutes and then brush the glaze over the surface of the cookie using a soft bristled pastry brush.
3. Allow the glaze to set for 3-4 minutes before cutting the slab into tiles. I find a pizza cutter works best for this.
4. Once cut, allow the cookies to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container.

3.5.3226

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