These delicious Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies are a vegan adaptation of a favorite recipe by Martha Stewart. The slightly crisp, sugar-coated exterior contrasts wonderfully with the chewy interior. The chocolate chips are gooey and delicious, and the molasses balances out the cookies’ sweetness with just a hint of bitterness.
Easy-to-find vegan butter stands in for dairy butter and non-dairy milk keeps the cookies super-chewy and scrumptious. When baking these cookies, the trick is to bake them just long enough so they’re mostly set. When they first come out of the oven, they might appear under-baked, but don’t worry. They’ll continue to cook even as they cool. To achieve that perfect chewy texture that lasts for days, these cookies need only 8 to 10 minutes at a relatively low temperature. If you’re unsure about the perfect timing, let your eyes be your guide: the cookies are finished the moment cracks appear on the surface.
Image Credit: Alexandra Shytsman
This recipe, along with other delicious recipes, is featured in our cookbook, Compassionate Cuisine: 125 Plant-Based Recipes From Our Vegan Kitchen.
Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or substitute all-purpose flour)
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) vegan butter, such as Earth Balance
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
- 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2/3 cup vegan chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup sugar, for coating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Line two baking trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- In another medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the vegan butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the molasses and non-dairy milk, and beat until well-incorporated.
- Dissolve the baking soda in 1 tablespoon hot water, then add to the bowl and mix well.
- Add half the dry ingredients and mix together on low speed until well-incorporated.
- Add the remaining flour mixture, then use a spatula to mix the batter until there’s no flour visible.
- Fold in the chocolate chips. The dough will be sticky, but not overly wet.
- Using a measuring spoon or a small scoop, portion out generous tablespoon-sized balls of dough, roll between your hands to smooth them, and then roll the each ball of dough in the sugar.
- Place the sugar-coated cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least two inches between cookies, and flatten them slightly with your hands.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until barely set and lightly cracked on the surface. These cookies firm up when they cool, so aim for a slightly undercooked texture. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking tray, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
