These Vegan Gingerbread Skillet Cookies are perfectly sweet and have a warm and gooey cookie center. With a soft & chewy vegan chocolate chip cookie dough stuffed with molasses, ginger, and chocolate chunks, these dairy-free skillet cookies are truly decadent!
*Recipe originally shared December 2019 and updated December 2023*
If you loved my Vegan Cookie Cake, you are truly going to love these skillet cookies! This gingerbread cookie recipe contains ingredients to make two 5-inch mini skillet cookies or one large 9-inch skillet cookie.
Feel free to cut the recipe in half to make one individual 5-inch skillet cookie that's perfect for two or even two 3.5-inch skillet cookies. I don't know about you, but I just love the idea of a mini dessert all to myself!
Ingredients:
Ingredient notes:
- Light Molasses: Also called "fancy molasses" this is the only type of molasses you want to use in this recipe. I have used Grandma's Molasses and Brer Rabbit and recommend both!
- Please avoid using blackstrap molasses in this recipe. Blackstrap molasses is a byproduct of sugar production that contains a ton of nutrients, is very dark in color, and will give these cookies a bitter flavor if used.
- In case you don't like the flavor of molasses or cannot find it at your store, it can also be replaced 1:1 with maple syrup in this recipe (though the cookies will lack that classic gingerbread taste).
- Chocolate Chunks/bars: I prefer to use a cut-up chocolate bar in this recipe vs. pre-bought chocolate chunks. That way they truly melt into the dough and get super gooey!
- Endangered Species or Theo dark chocolate bars are my two favorites to bake with that are dairy-free & vegan!
- Optional Sugared Cranberries: Here is the recipe to make my sugared cranberries to top these cookie skillets!
- Brown sugar: I prefer to use light brown sugar for these skillets, but if you want a dark cookie with more molasses flavor dark brown sugar can be swapped 1:1.
- Flax egg: This is the vegan egg substitute we use in these cookies to hold it all together! You can replace the ground flaxseed with chia seeds for similar results.
How to make a mini gingerbread skillet cookie
Make the gingerbread cookie dough
The first step to making the gingerbread chocolate chip cookie dough is to cream the room-temperature vegan butter, white sugar, and brown sugar together until it is pale yellow in color.
This step helps to incorporate air into the batter which is super important for vegan cookies!
After that, mix in the molasses, flax egg, and vanilla.
Finally, mix in the all-purpose flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until a smooth gingerbread cookie dough forms.
Once the dough is ready to go, use a spatula to gently fold the chocolate chunks into the dough. For this recipe, I used Theo Dark Chocolate bars and smashed them into large chunks to create those big pools of chocolate!
Add to skillets & bake
If you are making 2 mini cookie skillets, divide the gingerbread cookie dough in half and press it into the 5" cast iron skillet pans.
Since we aren't as concerned about the cookie shape here, we can skip chilling the dough. However, if you want to chill the dough for 1 hour or overnight it does lead to chewier and sweeter cookie skillets!
If you are making mini skillets bake at 350F for 20-22 minutes. Great news- you can also bake this recipe in 1 medium 9" cast iron skillet! For the larger skillet cookie, check it at 22 minutes- it may be done or it may need 3-5 more minutes than the smaller skillets.
To tell if the cookie skillet is done, stick a toothpick in the center. It will still be moist and produce a crumb, but it will no longer be gooey. Believe me- you want those barely cooked centers!
FAQ & Tips:
What toppings can I add to this skillet cookie?
First, let me start this by saying that these chocolate chip cookie skillets are DELICIOUS all on their own. However, to bring them to the next level I like to top my mini skillet cookies with ice cream and with my homemade sugared cranberries.
For the ice cream, any flavor works, but I honestly prefer a simple vegan vanilla ice cream.
Can I make these gingerbread cookies gluten-free?
Definitely! Just substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour mix such as this one from Bob's Red Mill. Please note that using flour alternatives like almond flour or coconut flour will NOT work in this recipe.
How do I store gingerbread cookie skillets?
Leftover (and cooled) cookie skillets can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. They will harden quite a bit, so you may want to let them rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before enjoying.
I don't recommend freezing these skillet cookies as they truly are best enjoyed warm and gooey out of the oven!
If you are looking for a festive and delicious vegan gingerbread recipe, let these Mini Vegan Gingerbread Skillet Cookies be it. Happy Holidays & enjoy this delicious vegan Christmas cookie.
-TSG
More Vegan Christmas Cookies you will love:
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Vegan Gingerbread Cookie Skillets
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan butter room temperature
- ⅓ cup white cane sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 1 flax egg 1 tablespoon (8 grams) ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoon water, left to sit 5 minutes
- 2.5 Tablespoons light molasses not blackstrap
- 1 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 ounces vegan dark chocolate, chopped or vegan chocolate chips
Optional toppings:
- ¼ cup sugared cranberries
- ¼ cup vegan vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease two 5-inch mini cast iron skillets. Also, make the flax egg as it needs to sit for at least 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Add the vegan butter, cane sugar, and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl and cream them together until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- Then, add the flax egg, light molasses, and vanilla bean paste to the mixing bowl. Mix with the creamed butter and sugar for about 30 seconds until combined.
- Next, add the all-purpose flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the mixing bowl, making sure to add the flour first and pile the remaining ingredients on top. Mix together until a smooth dough forms.
- As a final step, fold the chocolate chips or chocolate chunks into the dough using a spatula.
- Divide the dough in half and press the gingerbread cookie dough into the 2 5-inch mini cast iron skillets.
- Add the skillet cookies to the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes until the edges are cooked and the center is just barely cooked. If you want a gooey center, stick to 16 minutes. If you want a more firm cookie, cook for the full 20 minutes.
- Remove the mini skillets from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. When they first come out of the oven, they will be a little puffy, but will naturally deflate as they are left to cool.
- Serve warm topped with vegan ice cream and sugared cranberries on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Skillet cookies are truly best enjoyed the day of baking but can be stored in a closed container at room temperature for 2 days or wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for 2-3 days. If topped with ice cream, they will not store well as leftovers.
- Skillet cookies can be frozen and will keep up to 3 weeks in a closed container in the freezer.
- I pretty much exclusively bake with Brer Rabbit mild molasses which is light molasses. If you can't find light molasses, medium molasses will also work but will give this gingerbread skillet cookie a stronger flavor.
ShortGirlTallOrder says
So glad you agree! All the chocolate helps too 🙂
Jacob says
Gingerbread recipes are pretty hit or miss for me but this recipe is delicious. It has just enough ginger flavor without being overpowering. Thanks for sharing!