Orange Almond Gingerbread Cookies – Festive Gluten-Free Christmas Recipe

These Orange Almond Gingerbread Cookies combine the warmth of traditional gingerbread with the delicate nuttiness of almond meal for a festive gluten-free Christmas treat. Moist and chewy, they lean toward the classic German Zimtsterne – aromatic almond cinnamon stars glazed with a snowy sugar crust and kissed with orange zest and molasses.

Hey folks – I hope you’re doing well!

The holidays are getting closer, and Havoc in the Kitchen is already in full festive swing. These cookies might look fancy, but they’re surprisingly easy to make. The result? A batch of tender, chewy cookies that taste like the very essence of Christmas. So let’s dive into these gluten-free Orange Almond Gingerbread Cookies!

Why You’ll Love These Orange Almond Gingerbread Cookies

• Festive and aromatic: Bursting with orange zest, molasses, and warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and clove.
• Naturally gluten-free: Made entirely with almond meal – soft, chewy, and nutty.
• Beautiful texture: Slightly crisp on the outside and chewy inside, similar to German cinnamon stars.
• Customizable: You can adjust spices, sweetness, or the glaze to taste.
• Perfect for gifting: Their rustic, snowy glaze makes them look beautifully homemade and festive.

Flavour and Texture Profile

These cookies are rich and deeply spiced, with the natural sweetness of honey and molasses and the freshness of orange zest. They’re wonderfully chewy – almost like a cross between a macaron and a gingerbread cookie – with a crisp glaze that melts in your mouth. If you prefer a drier cookie, simply bake or dry them longer at a lower temperature until firm throughout.

Ingredients You’ll Need for These Orange Almond Gingerbread Cookies

To make these festive Orange Almond Gingerbread Cookies, you will need the following ingredients:

• Almond meal: Creates a rich, chewy base and a naturally gluten-free texture. Use finely ground almonds for best results.
• Egg whites: Provide structure and volume – most go into the dough, with a few spoons reserved for the glaze.
• Honey and fancy molasses: Add sweetness, depth, and a signature gingerbread aroma.
• Orange zest: Adds brightness that complements the warm spices beautifully.
• Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and a pinch of clove for that cozy Christmas flavour.
• Vanilla: Balances the spice and adds warmth.
• Icing sugar: Mixed with whipped egg white (and optionally a splash of brandy) for the glaze.
• Brandy (optional): A spoon or two adds a subtle warmth to the glaze – omit for a family-friendly version.

Possible Additions and Variations

• Citrus twist: Add lemon zest or candied orange peel for extra brightness.
• Almond Meal: Replace almond meal with finely ground hazelnuts, pecans, or other nuts.
• Nuts: Mix in finely chopped pistachios or pecans for a little crunch.
• Boozy touch: Replace the brandy with orange liqueur for a more festive glaze.
• Texture tweak: For softer cookies, bake briefly; for crispier ones, dry them longer in a low oven.

How to Make Orange Almond Gingerbread Cookies

1. Whip the egg whites: In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Reserve a few tablespoons of this mixture for the glaze.
2. Prepare the dough: In another bowl, combine the almond meal, honey, molasses, orange zest, spices, and vanilla. Gently fold in the whipped egg whites until you get a fairly stiff but pliable mass. If it’s too soft or sticky to work with add a little more nut meal and powdered sugar.
3. Shape the cookies: Press or roll the dough onto a non-stick surface (I used parchment paper) sprinkled with powdered sugar or almond meal to a thickness of about 1/3 inch (o.80 cm). Use a star cookie cutter to cut out the cookies and gently (the dough is delicate) transfer them to a lined cookie sheet. Form the scraps of dough into a ball, roll it out again and cut cookies out of the remaining dough.
4. Make the glaze: Mix the reserved whipped egg whites with icing sugar, clove, cinnamon, and a splash of brandy (optional) until smooth and spreadable. Brush a thin layer over each cookie, using about 1/3 of the glaze – the remaining will be used later.
5. Bake: Bake at about 160°C (320°F) for about 15 minutes, until lightly golden but still very soft inside.
6. Re-apply Glaze and Reduce Heat: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cook for a minute or so. Reduce the oven heat to about 250º F (120º C). Re-apply the remaining glaze on the cookies and place them back to the oven for another 10 minutes.
7. Dry in the Turned Off Oven: After 10 minutes, turn the oven off and let the cookies stay in the oven for 5-10 minutes to dry further – or even until they are completely cool, if you prefer a drier texture. The glaze will set into a thin, crisp shell.

Can I Make Them Both Gluten-Free and Vegan?

Absolutely! These cookies are already gluten-free, as they use almond flour instead of wheat. For a vegan variation, you can replace the egg whites with aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas) – whip it just like egg white until frothy, then use it both in the dough and for glazing. Swap honey for maple syrup or agave nectar to keep them fully plant-based.

More Festive Cookies Recipes for the Holidays?

Looking for more fun, festive Christmas cookies recipes, just like these Orange Almond Gingerbread Cookies? Be sure to check out for more inspiration:

• Orange Clove Christmas Cookies – Festive Spiced Shortbread
• Soft Ginger Christmas Cookies with Orange Clove Glaze
• Cranberry Rosemary Christmas Shortbread Wreath Cookies
• Christmas Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies with Mint Chocolate
• Festive Spiced Shortbread Cookies for Santa

I’d love for you to try these gluten-free Orange Almond Gingerbread Cookies. If you give this holiday appetizer recipe a go, please share your results in the comments, message me on Instagram, or post your photos with the hashtag #havocinthekitchen. I look forward to seeing your creations and hearing your thoughts!

Cheers!

Orange Almond Gingerbread Cookies – Festive Gluten-Free Christmas Recipe

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

Festive Orange Almond Gingerbread Cookies made with almond meal, honey, molasses, and warm spices – a gluten-free Christmas cookie with a chewy texture.

Course: Christmas Cookies, Cookies, ChristmasCuisine: European, German-inspiredDifficulty: Easy

5.0 from 2 votes

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Servings

16-20

cookies

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• about 1 and 2/3 cup (200 g) almond meal

• 2 tbsp. (40-45 g) honey

• 2 tbsp. (40 g) fancy molasses – I used fancy (treacle)

• 1 to 2 tbsp. finely minced orange zest

• 1 tsp. cinnamon, or more to taste

• 1 tsp. ginger, or more to taste

• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, or more to taste

• 1/8 tsp. clove

• a good pinch of salt

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• Egg White Mixture:

• egg whites from 1 extra large or 2 small eggs

• 1 cup (100 g) icing (powdered) sugar – for the glaze only

• 1 tbsp. (15 ml) brandy or triple sec, optional

• a small pinch of salt

• a good pinch of clove and cinnamon, each

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
• In a large bowl, combine the almond meal, honey, molasses, orange zest, spices, a pinch of salt, and vanilla.
• In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form, it usually takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside about 3 tablespoons of this mixture in a small bowl for the glaze.
• Gently fold in the the remaining whipped egg whites until you get a fairly stiff but pliable mass. Because the amount of whipped egg white could be different, you will likely need to add more almond meal to the dough so it’s sticky but pliable and generally keeps its shape; I added another 2 tablespoons of flour.
  
• Press or roll the dough onto a non-stick surface (I used parchment paper) sprinkled with powdered sugar or almond meal to a thickness of about 1/3 inch (o.80 cm). Since the dough is a little tricky to work due to its streakiness, I find it’s easier to flatten it on the sprinkled surface with your hands rather than using a rolling pin; no worries if they don’t have an even surface – that’s their rustic look!
• Use a star cookie cutter to cut out the cookies; to avoid the dough sticking to the cookie cutters, you can dip the cookie cutters in some almond meal or icing sugar – or lightly sprinkle the surface of the cookies. I used relatively small cookie cutters (3 and 4 cm) and got about 18 cookies.
  
• Using a thin, large spatula, gently (the dough is delicate) transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet. Form the scraps of dough into a ball, roll it out again and cut cookies out of the remaining dough.
• For the glaze, combine the reserved 3 tablespoons of the mixture with the icing sugar, brandy (if using), and a good pinch of cinnamon and clove.
• Using a brush or small spoon, apply the glaze on top of each cookie, reserving about 1/3 of the mixture for the latter.
• Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until lightly golden but still very soft and moist to touch.
• Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool for 2-3 minutes. Reduce the oven heat to about 250º F (120º C). Re-apply the remaining glaze on the cookies and place them back to the oven for another 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, turn the oven off and let the cookies stay in the oven for 5-10 minutes to dry further – or even until they are completely cool, if you prefer a drier texture. The glaze will set into a thin, crisp shell.
• Remove the cookies from the oven and let them completely cool. They will stay fresh in the air-tight container for 4 days, but they will start loosing their chew after two days or so.