These Chocolate Ginger Cookies are soft, chewy and loaded with ginger, cinnamon and molasses! They're rolled in granulated sugar to create a sparkly crisp exterior, while still being soft inside! If that wasn't enough, they're drizzled with melted chocolate to create a nice mild sweetness that plays off the spices beautifully! And of course, they're gluten free, nut free, eggless and can easily be made vegan!
Chocolate chocolate chocolate! I can't get enough and these Chocolate Ginger Cookies are no exception! They're the most perfect ginger Christmas cookies! The combination of the spices and the cocoa powders create a rich spice flavor that's calmed with the hint of sweetness from the melted chocolate! They're basically a chocolate version of my Gluten Free Ginger Cookies! They're super easy to make and only require 30 minutes of chilling time prior to baking!
For more cozy cookie recipes, check out my Cinnamon Chocolate Cookies, my Chocolate Orange Cookies, my Apple Cinnamon Sugar Cookies, my Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies, my Orange Shortbread Cookies and my Olive Oil Cookies.
Reasons to Love These Cookies
- Allergy Friendly- These cookies are gluten free, nut free, seed free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Crisp Exterior yet Soft Interior- These cookies are the most perfect texture. Crispy on the outside thanks to the sugar coating and chocolate drizzle, yet...thin, soft and chewy on the inside!
- Covered in Sugar- The granulated sugar coating gives a nice sweetness like with my Pumpkin Sugar Cookies!
- Holiday Flavors- A chocolate ginger cookie is the perfect holiday cookie! The combination of the ginger, cinnamon, cocoa powder, chocolate and molasses remind us of the holiday season!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s free of the top 9 allergens. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce and prevents them from falling apart.
- Butter/ Vegan Baking Stick- Only use room temperature. If you use melted, the cookies will spread too much while baking. If using vegan butter, make sure it's more on the cold side versus room temperature.
- Dark Brown Sugar- Using dark brown gives the cookies the softness we need to offset the dryness from the spices, cocoa powders and lack of eggs like I use in my Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.
- Cocoa Powders- I like to use two types to give the cookies a dark color, but if you only want to use one, use Dutch or Natural Unsweetened. Do not only use Dark.
- Cinnamon- This woodsy ingredient helps give the cookies those cozy flavors that remind us of the cooler months!
- Ginger- They wouldn't be soft ginger cookies without the main ingredient! This recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of ground.
- Molasses- Makes these beauties have that old fashioned molasses cookies flavor profile! Make sure to use unsulphured. I like Grandma's brand.
- Chocolate Chips- To keep vegan, make sure to use gluten free/vegan chocolate chips. I love these allergy friendly chocolate chips.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make these into Vegan Cookies
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Make sure to use gluten free unsulphured molasses that's also vegan.
- Read the label on your chocolate chips to ensure they're gluten free and vegan.
To Make this Recipe with All Purpose Flour
- Use 1 ¾ packed cups of AP flour (294 grams).
- Make sure to use ¼ cup packed cocoa powder (29 grams).
- You still need to chill the dough due to the lack of eggs.
How to Make Smaller Cookies
- Use a small cookie scoop or roll the dough into 1 inch balls before flattening into a thick disc.
- Bake the cookies at the same temperature but for 9 minutes. Reshape as needed. Should make 24 cookies.
This recipe has not been tested with all of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Chocolate Ginger Cookies
Here are the step by step instructions to make these ginger chocolate cookie recipe!
Step 1: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, cocoa powders, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon and kosher salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the Cornstarch Water
In a small bowl, using a spoon, combine the cornstarch and water until it is thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first. Set aside.
Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter with ¾ cup of dark brown sugar until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
Step 4: Add in the Wet Ingredients
Add the molasses and beat until combined.
Slowly add in the cornstarch water mixture and the vanilla and beat until combined. It will be chunky and that's normal.
Step 5: Mix in the Dry Ingredients and Chill
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the gluten free flour mixture and mix until just combined.
The dough will be super sticky.
Form into a disc, wrap in plastic and freeze for 30 min.
Step 6: Scoop, Form into Balls and Flatten and Coat in Sugar
Using a large cookie scoop, make 12 scoops with the dough.
If the dough is sticking to the cookie scoop, wash the scoop half way through to get off any stuck on dough.
Flatten each scoop into a thick disc.
Coat each dough disc in the ¼ cup granulated sugar: front, back and sides
Step 7: Bake the Cookies and Cool
Place the discs about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 11 minutes until crackly on top.
Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack.
Step 8: Melt The Chocolate and Drizzle on Cookies
Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in 10 second increments, stirring after each time, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Using a spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate all over the cool cookies. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle on some decorative sugar if desired. Let the chocolate harden before storing.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. For this recipe use packed cups (294 grams).
- Use Room Temperature Butter/ Vegan Baking Stick- Do not use softened butter. Since these cookies have no eggs, if you use softened or melted butter they will spread into a giant mess while baking. If using vegan butter, I would have it be more on the colder side vs room temperature.
- Use 2 Types of Cocoa Powders- The combination of Natural Unsweetened and Dark cocoa powders give the cookies a richer flavor and darker color. If you only have one type on hand, use natural unsweetened or dutch...just know the color of the cookies will not be as dark as mine. Do not use dark alone; it will make your cookies too dry, chalky and bitter.
- Freeze the Dough- If you don’t freeze the dough for at least 30 minutes, the cookies will spread and be flat and thin.
- Wash Your Cookie Scoop- If you noticed the dough is starting to get sticky, wash and dry your cookie scoop halfway through making the dough balls.
- Flatten Dough Balls into Thick Discs- This step is important. If you don't do this, the cookies will remain in a ball shape while baking.
- Reshape the Cookies- If you want your cookies nice and round, reshape them as soon as they come out of the oven. Use a spatula to push them back into a circle shape.
- Melt the Chocolate Slowly- Make sure to melt the chocolate chips in a heat safe bowl in the microwave in 10 second increments, stirring after each time. I know it takes way longer this way but if you put the chips in for 30 seconds, the chocolate will seize up and not be a liquid.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can make the dough the night before. Form the dough into a disc and wrap with plastic or keep it in a bowl and cover the top with plastic wrap in the fridge.
If doing this, there is no need to freeze it prior to baking.
Or you can wrap the dough in plastic and freeze the dough for up to 30 days. Thaw the dough in the fridge the night prior to using.
Yes. I prefer them the first day and most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day, but you can make these cookies a day before!
Unlike most eggless and gluten free cookies, they do stay soft for several days!
Yes. I don’t recommend using granulated sugar.
Eggless cookies tend to become very dry once they are completely cool. The dark brown sugar adds lots of moisture into the cookies that is missing from the lack of eggs. In addition, adding the spices and cocoa powder into this dough also creates a drier cookie. I only recommend the dark brown sugar.
Yes. If you do not do this step, the cookies will remain in a ball the entire time in the oven.
Once the soft ginger cookies have cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Other Chocolate Cookie Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
- ¼ cup cocoa powder ( I used 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened and 2 tablespoons dark)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 ¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick , room temperature
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar , packed
- ¼ cup unsulphured molasses (I use Grandma's brand)
- 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
- 1 ¾ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup granulated sugar , for rolling
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- decorative sugar
Instructions
Make the Cookies
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour, ¼ cup cocoa powders, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 ¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon and 1 pinch of kosher salt. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, using a spoon, combine the 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch and the 3 tablespoons water until it is thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first. Set aside.
- In the large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the ¾ cup of room temperature butter or vegan baking stick with ¾ cup of dark brown sugar until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
- Add the ¼ cup unsulphured molasses and beat until combined. Slowly add in the cornstarch water mixture and the 1 ¾ teaspoons pure vanilla extract and beat until combined. It will be chunky and that's normal.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the gluten free flour mixture and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula and combine.
- The dough will be super sticky. Form into a disc, wrap in plastic and freeze for 30 min. If it's too sticky to form into a disc, transfer the dough to a freezer safe bowl and pop the entire bowl uncovered in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.When the dough has 15 minutes left of chilling, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Take the dough out of the freezer. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the dough out into 12 scoops. The cookie dough will be quite sticky and may stick to your hands if they're warm. If this happens, rinse your hands and then shake off any excess water. You want them slightly wet but not dripping wet. This will help prevent the dough from sticking. You can also wash the cookie scoop half way through.
- After scooping the dough balls, flatten each scoop into a thick disc versus a ball. If you don't do this step, the cookies will remain in the ball shape when baking.Coat each dough disc in the ¼ cup granulated sugar: front, back and sides.
- Place 6 dough discs about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Place the other dough discs into the fridge.
- Bake the cookies in the center rack of the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 11 minutes until crackly on top.Immediately reshape the cookies into a circle with a spatula when they come out of the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack. If you don't let them cool on the baking sheet, the cookies will break apart into a giant mess.Bake the other 6 dough discs.
Make the Chocolate
- Place ½ cup of chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.Heat in 10 second increments, stirring after each time, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Lay a piece of wax or parchment paper under the cookies cooling rack so your counter doesn't become a mess.Using a spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate all over the cool cookies. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle on some decorative sugar if desired. Let the chocolate harden before storing.
Janet Heald says
Delicious cookies! They leave a warm ginger taste on your palate. I didn’t do the chocolate drizzle as I didn’t have any chips. They still tasted fantastic.
John says
These cookies were so delicious! I love them!