Gingerbread cookies are one of my all time favorite holiday treats and with Christmas less than two weeks away, I’ve been determined to create a simple raw, vegan and gluten-free recipe. Gingerbread spices have such a special place in my heart, they bring me to a happy place flooded with holiday memories like building gingerbread houses in elementary school using milk cartons and lunch trays. Did anyone else do this too? It’s so amazing how different spices, foods and flavors can so quickly connect you to vivid moments from your past. Unfortunately, those gingerbread houses were loaded with refined sugars and processed candies but that was in the past, right?
This gingerbread cookie dough is flavorful with a super moist and chewy center. Gingerbread recipes often require eggs, butter and molasses but I found that none of those ingredients were needed to re-create a raw, cruelty-free version. I used soft khadrawy dates that have a molasses flavor to them, but any variety will work for this recipe. Just make sure they are soft. You can soak them in warm water at least an hour before blending.
I ended up making gingerbread cookie “balls” since I didn’t have any gingerbread-men cookie cutters around. I was able to make mini cookies with small star-shaped cookie cutters and I’ve been snacking those like a mad woman!
I experimented with putting the cookie balls in the oven since I know my parents love warm desserts, but the texture was really crumbly so I don’t recommend doing this. I try my best to experiment and give options for my recipes but for these I definitely suggest enjoying them fully raw. The warm gingerbread spices really sing in the recipe when eaten raw and I’m just so in love with the smooth texture that there’s really no need for any baking. A better option would be using a dehydrator! I put a few balls in the dehydrator at 115F for 2 hours which made them warm, delicious and extra chewy. You can find the dehydrator I use on Amazon.
Enjoy this delicious gingerbread with a tall glass of cold almond milk or a warm cup of tea, either way you must give this recipe a try. I can’t wait to top my smoothie bowls and ice cream with yummy gingerbread bites. I certainly have no plans to make this an exclusive holiday treat because I will definitely be enjoying these cookies all year round.
I’d love to know what your favorite holiday treat is or childhood traditions. Did you make gingerbread houses in elementary school with milk cartons too? Share your holiday memories with me in the comments below!
- View notes for ingredient substitutes.
- 1 ¼ cup pitted dates, packed
- ¼ cup almond meal
- ¼ cup buckwheat groats
- ¾ cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- Optional: 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- Blend all ingredients, except for dates, in a high-speed blender or food processor until you get a fine consistency like flour.
- Add in half of the dates and process until well combined, then add the remaining dates until you have a uniform dough.
- Scoop dough out about 1 tablespoon in size, roll into balls or flatten with a rolling pin and use a cookie cutter to make desired shapes.
- Roll balls into coconut sugar or sprinkle on top of cookies.
Alternatively, you may substitute buckwheat groats with 3 tablespoons almond flour.
Store gingerbread balls or cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for a 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for a week.
For extra chewiness, place in the dehydrator at 115 F for 2 hours.
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Hi there! I’m excited to try this recipe, making it for a group of friends for Christmas tomorrow. Quick question – the oats are left uncooked? I’m assuming because it’s raw but just want to clarify. Thank you! xx
Hi! You can leave them uncooked! xoxo
I want my house to smell like ginger! But these are raw so I wonder if ….Wonder if you could boil ginger spice in water for that ginger aroma..
Thank you lovely recipe I am excited to try!
Hi Jackson! Thanks for stopping by. I’ve never done it but would love to hear how it goes! Enjoy! xx
WOW. made a few alterations, toasting buckwheat and almond replacing and adding big nob of fresh ginger to flour and dates that were combined in food processor and it is food magic. Even my fussy non vegan husband likes
YAY! Thanks for sharing your modifications Hepatia :) I love hearing about fussy non-vegans loving my recipes – have a wonderful day!!!
Hey there! Do you think I can use this recipe to make the walls for a gingerbread house?
Hmmm.. I’m not sure how well it would hold up. This might be a little too dense therefore making the walls a little heavy. It wouldn’t hurt to try out on a smaller house first :) Let me know if you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Have you tried dehydrating cutouts? If so, were they firm enough?
Hi Amanda. So today is the day. I have to make the template for ginger bread houses. Each child will make one and the house will be relatively small. If I dehydrate the cutouts will the cookies be firm and stick together?
when dehydrated , are the cookies firm and do they stick together or crumble?
YUM!!!!! I love these! I used pecans (and ground them up) instead of almond flour. I also didn’t grind everything too much, so mine had crunky little grains in them – which added to the experience. I also just used 1/2 a vanilla bean (the centre bit) instead of vanilla essence.
Hi Olivia! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know how much you loved this recipe! I love having texture in my treats too – great idea not grinding too much :) Have a wonderful day! XX
Do you use fresh ginger? or powdered ginger?
Hi Liz – I get best results with fresh ingredients, in this case I did use fresh ginger and thought it made the cookies absolutely perfect! That being said, powdered ginger will work. Enjoy! xox
Made these and absolutely loved them! We rolled them in to balls and then flattened them out. They kept well in the fridge in an airtight container between sheets of parchment paper. (Don’t place them on top of each other as they will stick together). The flavor and gingerbread spices were superb, and the texture of the cookie was great too. Next time I might add a little finely chopped crystalized ginger. Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! I really love the sound of adding chopped crystallized ginger :) Thanks for your comment – feedback is always something I appreciate! xoxox
Hi! I can’t wait to make these ! I don’t have any buckwheat gross and I ran out of oatmeal, is it possible to just use the almond meal to substitute !
Hi Meagan,
I have never made that substitution with this recipe, almond meal will make the gingerbread cookies more dense but it might still turn out delicious – I just can’t say for sure. If you try it out please do let me know! Xoxox
Hubby no likey nutmeg. Any ideas for a substitution?
I’m curious, have you ever added lemon to your batches for a lemon ginger flavor versus plain gingerbread?
Thanks
Hi Nikki – You could simply omit the nutmeg. I haven’t tried adding lemon, but maybe some lemon zest would be a nice addition! Enjoy! Xx
Hi Amanda
I am hoping to make these cookies tomorrow night for a cookie party. Do you have a recommended thickness for rolling out the dough to cut it with cookie cutters? Would you roll out an entire batch or divide it into a smaller quantity?
Thanks for all your help!
Mindy
Hi Mindy! I would say about 1/2 – 3/4 inch thick. You could definitely roll out the entire batch! Enjoy! xx
The whole family L O V E D them!
Aw, yay!!! Thanks Elisabeth for trying this recipe out – glad everyone enjoyed them :D
I totally just procrastinated starting my work day to make these. Can’t wait to snack on them later! <3 Thanks for sharing. I love gingerbread!
Yes!! I love procasti-baking :) It’s the best! Hope you loved them xoxox
I made these again this year — they’re so amazing! I brought a few to work last week, and one person asked me for the recipe about three times and was thrilled when I showed her your blog. :)
Are there any substitutions for oats?
Hi Arla,
Yes, cashews could be used as a substitution although it would change the taste slightly but still be delicious. Enjoy!!
X Amanda
Hello Amanda,
I was just introduced to your blog and i have to say you are insanely talented & extremely personable.
Thank you for sharing your healthy recipes with the world. I can’t wait to try it out.
I have couple of questions for you.
I will be hosting a children’s event and want to cut these out into lil gingerbread men- how do you go about rolling it out and cut into shapes. Also- if i have to make a large quantity- do you suggest i refrigerate? Or how much time in advance should i make them to ensure freshness.
Also where’s the best pkace to order the pitted dates? I checked amazon but how do i know if they’re good?
Hi Mayra, I order from 7hotdates.com! They’re in season now so I typically buy in bulk! Enjoy! Xx
Thank you for your reply Manda i was able to find the dates- I never worked with dates. In your recipe you asked for pitted dates. Im assuming we remove the pits prior to putting in blender?
Hi Mayra, thrilled you found my blog. I would suggest placing the dough in the refrigerator for an hour and then rolling it out flat with a rolling pin or jar. Dipping the cookie cutters in warm water before pressing into the dough will also help! Enjoy! Xo
These look amazing! Can I just check if you used whole or ground cloves?
Thank you Lianne! I used ground cloves :)
These look so good, I think they’d make the perfect healthier Christmas treat for me to bring into work next month. These may be a stupid questions, but do you grate fresh ginger or are you adding ginger from the spice aisle? Also do you make your own almond meal or will store-bought work the same? Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Hi Jessica!
Great questions :) I get the best results using freshly grated ginger, but either will work for this recipe. Same goes with almond meal! Enjoy my love! Xx
These look so yummy! I’d like to make them, but I am wondering if you use fresh or ground ginger?
xoxo
Jen
Thank you so much for this! I’m the only one in my family who likes gingerbread, so the idea of having a delicious and healthy raw version all to myself to snack on during the holiday baking season makes me so happy! Also, my daughter’s 1st grade teacher is celiac and a fellow health nut, so these will make for a perfect teacher Christmas gift! Thank you again!
Hi Catherine!
You’re very welcome! Thank you for stopping by and sharing your enthusiasm for this recipe :) I can’t wait to hear what everyone thinks when you make them!! Xo
Amanda
Thank you for the magnificent Raw Gingerbread Balls recipe – they are super easy to make & so yummy. Looking forward to making all the other raw treats.
Thank you Jules! I’m so happy you enjoyed them!! Xx
I have just discovered the world of raw cookies and this is the first recipe I tried on my own… everything I have had so far has been in restaurants… it is amazing! Thank you so very much! What an amazingly yummy treat and so easy to make! Thanks again!
Hi Beth! Thanks so much for letting me know what you thought of this recipe! I’m thrilled you enjoyed them :) xoxox
Can I use something else instead of buckwheat groat?
Hi Bruna!
Of course! You can use additional almond flour. Enjoy! x
Great! :) I managed to find the buckwheat, tho. I’ve just made it, it tastes so good! Thanks very much for the recipe!
Thank you for the information on alternatives!
My pleasure, Katie :) Enjoy!! xo
I made these this morning to take to school for a snack and they’re phenomenal! Just what I needed… Christmas late April.
I finally bought two packs of dates and even though I used amaranth instead of buckwheat groats I had to hold myself from eating the dough before I even shaped them! Thanks:))
Hi Lapinka! I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed the gingerbread cookie dough. Amaranth sounds like something I should try out, thanks for the idea! Have a wonderful day, xo!
How long do your raw cookie balls keep? I’ve been making my own raw fudgy balls with oat for quite sometime, but they never last long enough to tell how long they would actually keep. I wanted to send some to my daughter, but am always leary of them spoiling :-(
I would suggest dehydrating before you send them so there is less moisture and a smaller chance of spoilage!
great recipe! Would you suggest we put them in the oven on a VERY low setting if we don’t have a dehydrator?
Hi Jay – Yup! You can definitely use a dehydrator, or just enjoy them raw – it’s up to you! A dehydrator will give you a chewier cookie and you can store them for longer :)
Hi Manda
I love your website! and everything about it! :)
I can’t wait to make my favourite recipes except I’d like to ask..what is the used of the dates? is it for sweetener?
Sadly I can’t have dates or raisins. I do have coconut syrup and I have been using it. What do you reckon? When I see dates in a recipe I just get sad :( I hope it’s not a key ingredient of the recipe!
Cheers!
Cindy
Hi Cindy!
For this recipe using dates is ideal for sweetener and texture, but you could substitute with prunes. The consistency will be different with coconut syrup so add slowly until a desired consistency if you decide to use it! I’m sure it will still be very tasty! Please let me know how it goes! Enjoy xx
Hellooo! I totally stumbled across your lovely blog while I was searching for GF recipes to make for my students. This is so wonderful! I just love how amazingly personable you are in this space, and your recipes look like total winners. You’ve got a fan in me, gal. Hope to see you around and to make these cookies super soon!!!
Hi Ala!
Thanks so much for stopping by! Your feedback has made my day!! I’m thrilled you enjoyed my blog and appreciate you sharing the love <3 Have a healthy day!!xx
Suuuuuper yummy. Insanely yummy. I keep eating them even though I wanna wait to make a cup of coffee first! Before I eat my 5th one ;) …or maybe it’s be my 6th one now (lol). So sooo so so good. I’ll stop saying that now, and hope it comes across that this recipe needs to be made and eaten. Thanks for the recipe. :)
Hi Katie!
Thanks for the amazing feedback! I’m so happy you’re loving these gingerbread bites :) I agree, everyone needs to make and eat these beauties! Have a wonderful day hunny! xoxox
How much buckwheat flour can I use in place? I also have oat bran, wheat bran, Quinoa & Flax meal (Oatbran, Unprocessed Wheat Bran, Quinoa Flakes, Milled Flaxseed, Untoasted Wheat Germ, Cracked Whole Wheat) and I also have Oat flour (in place of oats) how much can i use for that?
I prefer to not use almond/coconut flour due to fat content.
Hi Shweta,
Please read the recipe notes for substitutions! I have not used any of the flours you’ve mentioned as a replacement in this recipe, however I would love to know what swaps you make. Thanks! xo
Hi there! Just wondering if I needed to soak my groats first? I have a really powerful processor but the buckwheat groats still didn’t seem to go fine enough and my mixture does not look at moist as yours! Would love to hear from you soon thanks :)
Hi Ashlee!
If you soak your groats, you will need to dehydrate them. If you’re having trouble processing your groats you might want to try using buckwheat flour instead or just use additional almond meal. I use a high-speed blender (vitamix) to process my groats but I’ve seen other people use processors to make flour. Good luck! I hope you’re able to try this recipe out! xo
can you do some more cookies and also some holiday snacks recipes? :)
Hi Jenni!
There will definitely be more cookie recipes coming your way :) Look out for a very simple raw chocolate truffle on the blog this weekend! xx
I LOVE this recipe. I’ve been looking for a healthy gingerbread cookie recipe for so long. This was too good to be true, I’m definitely making these cookies again for Christmas. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thank you so much Erica! I’m thrilled that you love the recipe, Merry Christmas!! xx
YUM! These were sooo delicious! Thank you so much for making such simple, amazing recipes
Oh yay!! You’re so welcome! Simple is best :) xx
I love how simple your recipes are!! Most raw vegan recipes have so many obscure ingredients I just don’t bother. Thank you for sharing your delicious and simple recipes!!
Hi Denise!
It’s my pleasure, that is so wonderful to hear. I try to keep things as simple as possible so this comment really makes my day! xx
Hi Laura,
You can use almond flour. Please see the substitutions in the notes section of the recipe. Enjoy! xx
Thanks for sharing!! Love your receipes!!
Thanks so much Beverly! I hope you enjoy these, happy holidays! xx