Fluffy Gluten Free Gingerbread (2024)

Wet Ingredients for Gingerbread

• ▢ ½ cup butter cubed, at room temperature
• ▢ ½ packed cup brown sugar
• ▢ 1 large egg at room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup unsulphured molasses see Notes
• ▢ 1 cup hot water water should be hot but not bubbling or boiling
• ▢ 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Dry Ingredients for Gingerbread

• ▢ 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour see Notes
• ▢ ½ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if flour already contains xanthan gum
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt

Suggested Toppings (All Optional)

• ▢ powdered sugar
• ▢ whipped cream
• ▢ whole fresh cranberries or cherries

• Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Grease bottom and sides of 9×9 pan with cooking spray or butter, then line pan with parchment paper. Allow parchment paper to hang over sides of pan slightly, creating "handles" to make removing baked gingerbread easier.

• Add softened butter and brown sugar to stand mixer bowl (or large mixing bowl). Using stand mixer (or hand mixer), mix ingredients together on low speed 30 seconds, then increase speed to medium and mix 2 to 5 minutes, until ingredients are creamed. Mixture should be fully combined, fluffy, and roughly doubled in mass. Note: Be careful not to overmix. Overmixing will make mixture greasy and soupy. If you overmix, discard mixture and start again.

• Once butter and sugar are creamed, pause mixer and crack egg directly into mixing bowl. Resume mixing on low speed, until egg is just incorporated. Once egg is incorporated, pause mixer and add molasses, then resume mixer and mix until molasses is incorporated. Pause mixer.

• Use flour sifter to sift flour into medium mixing bowl, making sure to break up any clumps. Once flour is completely sifted, add xanthan gum (only if needed), baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt to mixing bowl and whisk or stir to fully incorporate ingredients.

• Slowly pour flour mixture into molasses mixture, adding in dry ingredients in increments. Mix well between each addition until all of flour mixture has been added and ingredients are fully combined.

• With mixer on low, slowly add water and apple cider vinegar, and mix until fully combined.

• Transfer prepared gingerbread batter to prepared pan and place pan in center of preheated oven. Bake, uncovered, 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, test doneness by inserting knife or toothpick into center of gingerbread. Remove and check for crumbs – gingerbread is fully baked when knife or toothpick comes out cleanly or with very few crumbs. If gingerbread is not ready after 40 minutes, return pan to oven and continue baking as needed, checking doneness every 5 minutes.

• Once gingerbread is fully baked, carefully remove pan from oven and set aside. Allow gingerbread to cool in pan 10 to 15 minutes, or until completely cool. Once cooled, carefully remove gingerbread from pan.

• If desired, use sifter to dust top of gingerbread with powdered sugar, then slice gingerbread into 9 even squares. Serve with whipped cream, cranberries, or cherries if desired.

• Flour:Your gluten free flour absolutely must contain xanthan gum for this recipe. If the brand you use doesn’t already contain xanthan gum, you’ll need to add it. If your flour already does contain it, though, do not add more!
• Molasses: Sulphured molasses has sulfur dioxide added as a preservative, which can alter the flavor of the molasses. Blackstrap molasses is the least sweet variety and can taste a little bitter. For the best gingerbread flavor and texture, use light or dark unsulphured molasses. Dark will give you a stronger flavor.
• Make it Vegan: Use a vegan butter and replace egg with equivalent amount of flax egg.