Vegan, Gluten-Free Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

My favorite Christmas cookies are Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies from Martha Stewart.  I played around to make them gluten-free and vegan.  Some of you, I’m sure, don’t think it’s possible to make delicious vegan, GF cookies.  These are the cookies that will shatter that.  I’ll admit I haven’t adapted some recipes successfully.  But this one I have.  And what a miracle. :)

A tip I’ve learned while experimenting is that most GF cookies I’ve adapted from non-GF cookies do not spread in the oven so much.  I’ve learned to add a little less GF flour.  Chilling the dough seems to help with any stickiness.  The original recipe didn’t have eggs in them anyway, so I didn’t need to alter anything there.  Coconut oil took the place of butter.  Canola oil or vegan margarine would do nicely.  I don’t love shortening, but if that’s what you like, use it.

Vegan, Gluten-Free Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
adapted from Martha Stewart (original here)

Makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup GF flour mix (I used this one)
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup organic extra virgin coconut oil
1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup organic agave nectar (I like Xagave)
1/4 cup unsulphured black molasses
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. very hot water
1 1/2 cups dairy free semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup granulated sugar, for rolling

Instructions:
Sift flours and dry spices together.

Whisk coconut oil, sugar, agave, molasses and fresh ginger together.  Using an electric mixer, add the dry ingredients a little at a time until combined.  Mix the baking soda and hot water.  Beat into the dough.  Add the chocolate chips.  Cover and chill until cold.  (Dough will be sticky.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Scoop about 1 Tbsp. pieces of dough out of the bowl and roll to form a ball.  Roll the ball in the granulated sugar and place on the cookie sheet.  Gently press down on the dough.  Bake for about 12 minutes, or until cookies are set.  Transfer to a cooling rack and store in an airtight container.