Vegan Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies
Vegan Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies
~ Warm, cozy, festive, gingerbread cookies with a christmas twist! ~
If you are looking for a cookie to make this christmas, this is the one for you! Warm, cozy flavours with the cutest decoration. These are festive, delicious, and everyone will love them!
Crunchy edges, chewy centre, with a crisp sugar topping. Filled with nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon to give these the best gingerbread flavour. I always loved the flavour of gingerbread, but i was never really fond of the texture. This is why these are my favouirte christmas cookies. You still get all of that delicious gingerbread flavour, but in a chewy cookie! Whats not to love?
You can take these to family gatherings, special occasions, or set out for santa on christmas eve. So simple, yet so adorable.
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Equipment and Ingredient notes
Equipment needed:
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon / spatula
- Measuring cups / kitchen scales
- Measuring spoons
- Cookie trays
- Cookie scooper
- Saucepan
Ingredient notes:
Butter - You can use your favourite plant-based butter, block or spreadable. This needs to be melted for this recipe, to ensure a chewy cookie.
Sugar - Make sure to use light-brown sugar rather than caster sugar, this will create a flatter, chewier cookie. I make my own light-brown sugar (1 cup caster sugar + 1 tbsp molasses/treacle) since all store-bought light-brown sugar is in plastic packaging.
Vanilla - I use vanilla bean paste, as it has a more authentic vanilla taste. Extract will also work fine. If you have ran out of vanilla, you can make them without it, but it adds a depth of flavour.
Sugar - You also use some caster sugar in this recipe. Granulated sugar will also work.
Aquafaba - This is chickpea water. Just drain the canned chickpeas and save the water residue, this is a common egg replacer, used in many vegan recipes.
Flour - Make sure to use plain flour for this, and DO NOT use self-raising! They are not the same, and if you use self-raising instead, your cookie will become cakey, and will not be chewy and flat.
Baking soda - This will help bind your cookie together. Remember, baking soda and baking powder are NOT the same. They will give very different results.
Salt - I use flaky sea salt.
Plant-based chocolate - One of my favourite vegan chocolates is cadburys plain chocolate. The packaging is also biodegradable! Vegan galaxy is also a good option.
Cinnamon - Make sure to use ground cinnamon. The better the quality, the better the flavour.
Nutmeg - This will add to the gingerbread flavour. Make sure to use ground nutmeg.
Ginger - This is another aspect of the gingerbread flavour blend. Make sure to use ground ginger, and not fresh!
Pretzels - This is for the reindeer ears. I like to use salted ones.
Plant-based white chocolate - This is for the reindeer nose. You dye it red with food colouring. You can also use yogurt, and dye that red. Both work fine.
Ground almonds - This is what i used as sprinkles on the reindeer. I dyed them red with food dye to give them a red and white effect. Normal sprinkles will work the same!
Step-by-step Instructions
Step one (the dough):
In a saucepan, melt your vegan butter and let cool.
In a large mixing bowl, add your light-brown sugar, caster sugar, and melted butter.
Whisk until fully combined.
Now, add in your aquafaba and vanilla extract.
Whisk until combined.
Add in your flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until a dough forms.
Step two (baking):
With a cookie scoop or a spoon, make 6 equal cookie dough balls.
Place them onto a parchment paper lined cookie tray with enough space between them to allow them to spread out.
Sprinkle with caster sugar.
Place into the oven and bake for 12 minutes until golden and slightly crispy.
Step three (decorating):
Melt your plant-based chocolate and spoon onto your cooled cookies.
Spread the chocolate out into puddle shapes.
Stick on two halves of pretzels as each reindeer ear.
Using a seringe or a small spoon, place a small circle on the red chocolate as each reindeer nose.
Sprinkle on some of your ground almonds, and let cool until the chocolate has set.
Enjoy!
The History of Reindeers
Reindeers are thought to have originated at least 3,000 years ago, and up to 7,000 years ago in northern Eurasia (lapland). During the 19th century, reindeers began to appear in childrens stories as a symbol of christmas festivity. After that, they began to become more popular in christmas stories and movies.
After rudolph the red nose reindeer came out, everyone began to familiarise reindeers with the thought of christmas. Reindeers came to symbolise creativity, knowledge, festivity, whilst also representing safe journeying and endurance through travels. Just like santa when he travels around the world to deliver presents!
Here are some fun facts about reindeers. Their hooves change with the seasons, females also have antlers, they can see things that humans cannot, they can swim, and they can travel very far.
~ Warm, cozy, festive, gingerbread cookies with a christmas twist! ~
Prep time: 20 mins Serves: 6 Cook time: 12 mins
Ingredients:
Dough:
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp plant-based butter (melted)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp aquafaba
- 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Topping:
- Sprinkle of caster sugar
- 1 bar plant-based chocolate + 1 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
- 6 pretzels (halved)
- Plant-based white chocolate dyed red with food dye (melted) / or dyed plant-based yogurt
- Ground almonds (dyed red with food dye) / or sprinkles
Method:
Melt your vegan butter in a saucepan and let cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine your melted butter, light-brown sugar, and caster sugar.
Then add your aquafaba and vanilla. Whisk together until combined.
Add in your flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Mix until a dough forms.
Fold until combined.
Scoop into 6 cookie balls onto a lined cookie tray.
Sprinkle with caster sugar. This will create a crinkly effect and give a nice crunch to the cookies.
Bake at 180c for 12 minutes until golden and slightly crispy.
Let cool completely on their trays.
Spead your melted chocolate onto your cookies and make a puddle shape.
Stick your halved pretzels on as the reindeers ears.
Scoop small circles of red dyed plant based chocolate as noses onto the cookies.
Sprinkle with your red dyed ground almonds.
Let set until the chocolate has cooled, and enjoy!
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