Gingerbread Cookie Gluten Free

Searching Gingerbread Cookie gluten free?  We are so excited to share with you our gingerbread cookie gluten free today! 

Gluten free gingerbread cookies are easier to make than I thought.  These were the best gingerbread cookies I have ever had, being gluten free was a bonus!  Ginger cookie gluten free have the perfect blend of sugar and spice.  

Run, run as fast as you can.  You can't catch me.  I'm the Gingerbread Man!  I remember that folk tale from childhood, do you?  I recall a book my grandfather had that included this tale which he would read to me.  These gingerbread cookies brought back some lovely memories for me, listening to my grandfather read in his deep voice, how he would braid my hair, and when we would run the trains around the tracks, one of his many hobbies. 

Does the scent of gingerbread bring back any warming memories for you?  

I know it does for me, I think gingerbread will always be one of those cookies where those fond memories will flood my mind.  Makes me all warm and snuggly inside.  Is there perhaps another cookie that does this for you?  If so, leave it in the comments below.  I loved when my grandmother would make gingerbread, and I would want to gobble it all up, warm right out of the oven, no icing needed.  

We decided to take those gingerbread men and turn them into gingerbread trees as a first cookie decorating project for me.  No you say, they must be gingerbread men?  Well, I did... and I like to think they turned out beautifully.  Bonus, these gingerbread trees were so easy to decorate too!

Do you recall when I said I wanted to learn how to decorate cakes, and cookies?  Well, I figured it out, or at least I figured out how to create these simple gingerbread trees.  I am so pleased with how our trees turned out that I did a little dance when I stood back and looked at them.  

I am no Martha Stewart, in fact not by far, but if I can make these, then you certainly can too!  No skills required, I promise... you already know my decorating skills are very limited when it comes to cakes and cookies.  I even made a video to share the process with you!  

I wasn't overly excited to try my hand at creating a gingerbread recipe, so I looked online.  I was surprised I could not find a gluten free gingerbread mix at any of our local grocery stores.  

So I did what any logical person would do, I turned to the world wide web and searched.  I found a gluten free gingerbread mix by Mom's Place and decided I would give this mix a try.  

I read many reviews before I decided to take the plunge, and they were all so positive it was kind of hard for me to pass up.  One reviewer even commented they were better than regular gingerbread cookies.  I thought wow!  Not often you read that about a gluten free cookie mix.  In my cart they went.  

They arrived quickly, and I said well, let's get to it on Saturday evening.  The mix was easy enough, I will list out the ingredients below.  I added everything to my mixer, and away we went on the road to having gingerbread cookies in time for Christmas! 

Now, I have a question for you... do you do your baking early, or do you wait until a few days before your gatherings, or even the day of?  I am a more the day of, or a few days before.  I am never this early when it comes to baked goods for Christmas.  

My mother said most folks would be finished with holiday baking now?  I thought to myself, well, they must be really organized folks who have lists and check them twice, and decide who is naughty or nice?  Me?  We already know I am not that organized when it comes to preparing foods for the holidays... remember the Derby Pie on Thanksgiving?  Let me know if you are finished with Christmas cookies, inquiring minds want to know!

I feel so grown up, I have my trees completed, now on to the 993 other things I need to do before the big man comes.  

I have lots of tips and suggestions for this recipe, how I did it, and mistakes I made and corrected, so buckle up buttercup, and get ready for this gingerbread cookie ride.

What you will need:

Equipment Needed:

• Mixer
• Measuring spoons
• Rolling pin
• Baking mats
• Baking sheet
• Tree Cookie cutters
• Wilton's Dessert decorator 

Dough using baking mat to roll out on

Gingerbread Cookie:

1. 1 package of Mom's Place Gluten Free Gingerbread Fun
2. 1 egg
3. 5 T butter (softened)
4. 1/2 t vanilla
5. 2 T honey
6. 3 T Molasses (I used Brer Rabbit, it is what we had, and they actually suggest it on the packaging too)  

Cutting out with cookie cutters

Gingerbread Icing:

• 2 cans of Wilton Icing , you will not need both cans, but I ran out of green, and decided to add a bit of white to my dessert decorator which made a beautiful green and white swirl!  Don't you just love those happy little accidents? 

What you will need to do:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees
• Mix together molasses, honey, vanilla, butter, and egg
• Add mix in slowly, beat 3-5 minutes
• Dough will be thick, but it will be sticky too
• Sprinkle dough and workspace with gluten free flour
• Sprinkle gluten free flour onto rolling pin 
• Roll dough to desired thickness, I would say about 1/8 inch
• Cut out cookies using chosen cutter (I loved our new cutters)
• Place onto baking sheet
• Bake for 12 minutes (this was the perfect temperature for a chewy cookie)
• Remove
• Let cool
• I let mine sit overnight before I decided to ice them

Now for all of my tips!  Since I had to learn as I went, I will share with you everything I learned and how I changed things up as I went along.

On baking mat before going into the oven

Out of the oven to cool on baking mat

How I stored them overnight 

I placed each stack separate to begin building my trees

TIPS:

• The directions indicate to roll dough out on parchment paper.  I began doing this, but it kept moving on me, and then I decided to get smart, the ah ha moment.  
• I pulled out my silicone baking mats, and rolled out my dough on the baking mat.  Not once did it move on me!
• Make sure you have sprinkled enough gluten free flour onto your baking mat, and especially over the dough.  When I thought I had enough on the top of my dough I did not.  I kept adding more gluten free flour so my rolling pin would not stick.
• Bake cookies on baking mats, I do this any time I am baking cookies now, no scraping cookies off of the cookie sheets, there is very little clean up too.
• You can remove the baking mat, and already have another baking mat made up to put onto the cookie sheet.  Easy peasy! 
• Cool the cookies on another baking mat.  I began doing this in the summer, and I love using the silicone mats, no more cookies sticking to paper towels, plus I am saving on paper products, my purse strings, and the environment, what a win, win!

My husband and I were searching for cookie cutters the day after Thanksgiving and came across these cookie cutters.  I thought how fun would it be to create trees with icing and the cookies?  

When I saw the price tag, I thought hmm... I know we can find it elsewhere for a great price, and you know what?  Mr. VS found them, and the price I could not pass up.  

When they first arrived, my husband thought they were kind of small, but when you put the cookie together?  Boy is it ever quite the cookie to consume!  They are larger, and very filling!

Getting the "lights" on our trees was the most difficult part since I do not have baking tweezers, but they are on the list now.  I think I may continue with my cookie decorating journey, I thoroughly enjoyed myself!  It was a lot of fun, and the anticipation of creating each cookie was like being a kid on Christmas Day for me.

I couldn't wait to see how each one would turn out!  I can imagine this would be so much fun for children to put together, messy, but fun!  I could see one tree at each place setting, life is short, eat dessert first!   Well, what do you think?  Oh, the video is below, check it out, just a short clip to share.  I am also getting more familiar with creating videos to share, so many new things to learn and share this upcoming year?  We hope so!

Questions you may have, fun facts, & perhaps rumors:

What is the difference between ginger cookies and gingerbread?

• Ginger snaps bake longer to become more crunchy, and gingerbread is a softer more chewy cookie.

What are the three types of gingerbread?

1. Brown Gingerbread
2. Wafer Gingerbread
3. Honey Gingerbread

Why do we eat gingerbread during Christmas?

• It is said that England's Elizabeth I had them decorated to resemble her guests at parties, talk about highly personalized party favors and ahead of her time!
• It was also believed if woman consumed these tasty treats, then they would better attract a man, eat up those gingerbread cookies you single ladies!  

Why is gingerbread so popular during Christmas?

• We have Hansel & Gretel, and The Brothers Grim to thank for their popularity.  Once the story was out to the masses, the home made of treats spoken of in the story created became quite the popular demand for gingerbread. 

Is gingerbread gluten free?

• Gingerbread is only gluten free when made with gluten free flour.  

What baking mat should I use?

• I have both Amazon Basics baking mats, and Kitchen Aid baking mats.
• Both are good and do the job.
• I will say I like my Amazon baking mats a bit more, they are larger than the KitchenAid and I can fit more cookies on them.
• Both wash up easily enough, you can shake any crumbs you may have off into the sink.  You can throw them into the dishwasher or wash by hand. 
• They are a no fuss addition to your kitchen, and I use mine all of the time in many different ways!