Stress-Free Vegan Holiday Gingerbread Cookies

Author Notes

One of the most intimidating parts of going vegan is figuring out how to create baked goods without eggs, butter, and milk. Fortunately, the process is a lot less stressful than it sounds. No recipe proves that better than this one, which requires no substitute egg and uses coconut oil in place of butter. It is inspired by a recipe from Isa Chandra Moskowitz, cookbook writer extraordinaire, webmaster of the Post Punk Kitchen, and the woman who taught me the art of vegan baking —Gena Hamshaw

Test Kitchen Notes

Vegan gingerbread cookies may sound like they'd be difficult to pull off or a bit of a project to make, but this recipe will prove all the doubters wrong. You can form them into people shapes or make a whole house out of the dough, whatever you feel up to doing. The possibilities and creativity are endless, and adults and kids will both be into this holiday baking project. You don't need any fancy ingredients or equipment either, which is always a pleasant surprise, and you can mix up the spices to suit whatever you have in your spice cabinet or your own tastes. This recipe calls for a spicy, savory mixture of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground cloves; feel free to adjust the ratios to your liking. For sweetness, you could use your choice of demerara sugar, coconut sugar, or evaporated cane juice. If the dough is crumbly when you're rolling, just add a few tablespoons of water or chill in the fridge for a few minutes.

And keep in mind that these cookies are a bit molasses-forward, so if you're not a fan, you could use less and add more of the spices. Try with candied ginger, stevia, honey, or just lots of freshly ground black pepper if you want more of a kick. Make as much as the dough as you can to build a mansion of a gingerbread house. No one will know these cookies are vegan, and you'll find yourself going to this recipe again and again whenever the holidays roll around. —The Editors