THE BEST VEGAN GINGERBREAD COOKIES

The Best Vegan Gingerbread Cookies image

Provided by Erin McKenna

Yield Makes 36 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 17

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2⅓ cups brown or white rice flour, plus more for dusting
2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour, preferably Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour
2½ cups vegan sugar
½ cup arrowroot
3 Tbsp. ground ginger
2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. xanthan gum
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. grated nutmeg
2 cups melted refined coconut oil or canola oil
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup vanilla extract
⅓ cup cold water
3 cups vegan powdered sugar
⅓ cup hot water
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the 2⅓ cups rice flour, the all-purpose flour, sugar, arrowroot, ginger, cinnamon, xanthan gum, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg. Add the coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla to the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until a thick dough forms. Gradually add the cold water and stir until the dough is slightly tacky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Dust a clean work surface with some rice flour, place the dough in the center, and roll the dough around until the surface is entirely coated in flour. Dust a rolling pin with more rice flour. Roll out the dough to ¼-inch thickness.
Cut out cookies with your desired cookie cutters and transfer them from the floured surface to the parchment-lined baking sheets with a spatula, placing them about 1 inch apart. Bake for 7 minutes, rotate the baking sheets, and bake for 5 minutes more. Let stand on the baking sheets for 10 minutes then transfer to cooling rack.
In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, hot water, and vanilla and whisk briefly. If the glaze is too thick, add warm water one tablespoon at a time until the icing reaches a thick yet slightly runny consistency. If it becomes too runny, add more powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time. DO AHEAD: The glaze can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.