Thin crisp vegan gingerbread men with molasses, ground flaxseed and warm spices, ready for simple egg-free icing details.
The thin figures are formed from a flax-bound dough with plant-based butter. Keep their arms and legs broad and the sheet evenly rolled. Bake similar silhouettes together and use verified egg-free icing for any faces or buttons.
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Vegan Gingerbread Men Recipe
Per tray: 12–14 minutes · 3 trays of about 13–14 three-inch people
Allow 157 minutes: 35 hands-on, 60 chilling, 42 for all baking trays, 20 cooling. Cooling includes the pan rest. Optional decoration, ingredient warm-up and extra trays add time.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Electric mixer and mixing bowls
- Small bowl for the flax mixture
- Rolling pin with 1/8-inch guides
- 3-inch gingerbread man cutter
- Two 13 × 18-inch pans and parchment
- Wide spatula and cooling rack
Ingredients
Flax egg
Cookie dough
Spice blend
Scale ingredients and US equivalents. Keep cookie size, thickness, oven temperature and baking time per tray unchanged. More trays add time.
Instructions
Build the dough
- Mix flaxseed with water and let thicken for 5 minutes. Whisk flour, soda, salt and spices. Cream vegan butter with brown sugar, then mix in flax gel, molasses and vanilla. Add dry ingredients on low; gently press together any crumbs.
Rest the dough
- Wrap two flattened dough portions and chill at least 60 minutes until cool and workable.
Portion consistently
- Heat to 350°F (175°C) conventional or 325°F (165°C) fan. Roll chilled dough on lightly floured parchment to 1/8 inch. Cut broad-limbed 3-inch gingerbread men and space 1 inch apart on lined pans.
Watch for doneness
- Bake 12–14 minutes for thin crisp cookies, until edges are set and slightly darker. Check at 12 minutes and use cooled pans between trays.
Set before moving
- Rest 5 minutes on the pan, then move gently to a rack for about 15 minutes or until fully cool. Optional prepared icing is additional; let it set before layering.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Use ground flax
Whole seeds do not form the same binder with water.
Keep thickness at 1/8 inch
Thin evenly rolled people bake into crisp shapes; thicker dough changes the finish.
Decorate after cooling
Check icing for egg and dairy ingredients before adding faces and cuffs.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | 3–4 days | Cool completely, then store airtight in a cool room. |
| Refrigeration | Raw dough: up to 2 days | Wrap dough tightly. Plain baked cookies do not need refrigeration. |
| Raw freezing | Up to 2 months | Freeze portions airtight; thaw covered in the refrigerator before baking. |
| Baked freezing | Up to 2 months | Freeze cooled cookies airtight. Thaw covered at room temperature. |
| Restoring | Before serving | Warm undecorated cookies briefly at 300°F for 3–5 minutes if desired; cool before decorating. |
Notes
- These thin crisp vegan men use a flax binder and firm vegan baking sticks. They differ from the soft drop-cookie version. Check optional icing for egg or milk; use plant-milk sugar glaze or a labeled vegan icing. Ground flax, not whole seeds, forms the gel. Contains wheat.
Nutrition
Estimated nutrition per serving; brands and portion sizes vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these the same as soft vegan drop cookies?
No. This dough uses a flax binder and is rolled thin for crisp gingerbread people.
Can I use whole flaxseeds?
Use finely ground flaxseed so it thickens with the water.
Is ordinary royal icing vegan?
Traditional royal icing contains egg. Choose an egg-free and dairy-free glaze or labeled vegan icing.
Browse more cookie ideas in the Gingerbread Cookies Ideas collection.
