These gluten-free gingerbread biscotti are full of warm holiday spice and just the right amount of crunch. I had so much fun shaping these into little Christmas trees and decorating them with my kids. This biscotti has classic gingerbread flavor with a crisp texture that’s perfect for dunking in coffee or milk. It’s an easy recipe to make ahead, and it also makes a great homemade gift during the holidays!
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If you love holiday baking and all things gingerbread, these gluten-free gingerbread biscotti are a must-try! They are crisp, lightly spiced, and full of gingerbread flavor. I even include a fun option to shape them like Christmas trees and my kids loved decorating them with icing and sprinkles.
Whether you dip them in coffee or pack them up for holiday gifts, these gluten-free Christmas biscotti are a festive treat that everyone can enjoy. If you love peppermint, these Gluten-Free Chocolate Mint Biscotti are delicious with crushed candy canes.
You will also want to try this Gluten-Free Candied Ginger Biscotti soon…it is drenched in white chocolate and is so good dipped in coffee! My traditional Gluten-Free Biscotti recipe is a great base for any flavor of biscotti.
Ingredient Notes and Easy Swaps:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I used King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Flour for this recipe, but Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Blend and Authentic Foods MultiBlend all work wonderfully, too! Read more about different blends in my Gluten-Free Flour Blend Guide.
- Xanthan Gum – If your blend does not contain a binder, add 3/4 teaspoon. Read Why Binders are Important in Gluten-Free Baking to learn more.
- Brown Sugar – Swap and use coconut sugar if you would like these to have a lower glycemic level. (Great for preventing a sugar buzz!)
- Baking Powder – Use aluminum-free baking powder.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter.
- Eggs – Use large eggs.
- Vanilla Extract and Spices – Use pure vanilla extract and not imitation vanilla.
- Molasses – I love using blackstrap molasses in this recipe. Blackstrap molasses gives the biscotti a deeper, slightly more bitter flavor than regular molasses. If you prefer sweeter, use regular unsulphured molasses
Substitutions:
- Make them dairy-free using plant-based butter and milk. I used Earth Balance and almond milk when testing this recipe. Note that vegan butter can soften the dough slightly more than dairy butter, so you may need to chill the dough before shaping.
- Make them gum-free using my Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour Blend.
Any of my biscotti recipes make great holiday gifts! If gingerbread is your favorite, I have a lot of incredible gluten-free gingerbread recipes to try.
A Note From My Kitchen
After making gluten-free biscotti for the past 10 years, this biscotti recipe was a dream to test. It is a forgiving recipe and the dough is easy to correct with more flour or milk when needed. Every flour blend is different, and needing to adjust the moisture level is very normal in gluten-free baking. Shape them as trees or in the classic way. I even tested a dairy-free version with great results!
How To Make Gluten Free Gingerbread Biscotti:
Step 1: Add your dry ingredients to a large
Step 2: Add your wet ingredients to a standing mixer. Add a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed and gradually increase the speed to medium. Slowly add the dry ingredients a little at a time. When you are done, your dough will be somewhat stiff. (Stiffer than typical cookie dough.)
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Step 3: Roll your biscotti dough into a rectangle (or as close as you can get). Mine sort of turned out more oval-shaped. You want your dough to be 1 inch thick, depending on how thick you want your biscotti.
I will show you how to cut tree-shaped biscotti. If you prefer the traditional oval shape, use the directions in my Gluten Free Almond Biscotti recipe.
Step 4: Make very light cut lines in your unbaked biscotti dough. It is so that you have lines to follow when you are partway through baking the biscotti.
Step 5: The next step is to bake the gingerbread biscotti for 20 minutes at 350º F. Remove the biscotti from the oven and use a sharp knife to cut all the way through the cut lines.
Lay each piece of the biscotti on its side so they stand tall (not on the top or bottom). Bake on its side for 8 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven. Flip the biscotti to the other side and bake for an additional 8 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack. You will know your biscotti is finished baking when it is hard and crunchy.
Decorating Ideas:
This gluten-free gingerbread biscotti is fun to decorate for the holidays. Just make sure your sprinkles are gluten-free!
- Drizzle on icing and sprinkle
- Drizzle on melted white chocolate
- Dip the biscotti in white chocolate
Tips for Perfect Gingerbread Biscotti:
- Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the biscotti cleanly without crumbling.
- Do not skip the second bake: This is what gives biscotti their signature crunch.
- Let them cool fully: Biscotti continue to crisp as they cool on a rack.
- Add icing only when fully cooled so it sets properly and doesn’t slide off.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Biscotti is traditionally a hard cookie, so you bake each side separately. It was made to dip in coffee or milk to soften it.
If your biscotti turned out soft, you didn’t bake the biscotti long enough on both sides.
This biscotti will keep fresh for up to 5 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Yes, you can make and chill the dough up to two days in advance.
More Gluten-Free Holiday Desserts:
If you are an avid baker over the holidays, here are even more delicious gluten-free holiday dessert recipes to try:
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten-Free Gingerbread Biscotti (Holiday Favorite)
Equipment
- Cookie sheet
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free flour blend *see note
- ½ cup brown sugar or substitute coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder aluminum-free
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 6 tablespoons unsalted melted butter *see note
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add 6 tablespoons unsalted melted butter, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses and mix on low speed. Gradually turn up the speed to medium until the wet ingredients are creamy.
- Add 2 cups gluten free flour blend, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger, 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves. Whisk the dry ingredients together to mix them thoroughly.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixer. Mix on medium speed until dough forms. Mix for one minute.
- Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the dough. My rule of thumb is if your batter or dough is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
- Remove the dough from the mixer and place on a silicone mat.
- Roll the dough to a rectangular shape about 1 to 1 1/4 inch thick. Use a knife to lightly make cut lines on the dough. (I made Christmas tree shaped cut lines.) Transfer from wax paper to parchment paper on a baking sheet.
- Bake the biscotti for 20 minutes. Remove the biscotti from the oven and use a sharp knife to cut through each cut line.
- Turn each slice of biscotti on its side and bake 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip to bake on the other side for another 8 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool in a cooling rack. Do not decorate the biscotti until they are fully cooled.
- Decorate and enjoy!
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Authentic Foods Multi Blend in this recipe. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours. See the recipe above for adjusting the moisture level.
- If your gluten free flour blend does not contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 3/4 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- This gluten free biscotti will keep fresh for up to 3 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.
- Variation: Dip the biscotti in melted white chocolate.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
I’ve mixed all ingredients to your instructions and the dough is not sticking together. What to do?
Hi Darlene, what gluten free flour blend are you using? Some blends are starchy and probably need more flour (as it sounds like what you are describing.)
Why is my dough so crumbly?
Hi Sherry, I would need more information to answer your question. What gluten free flour blend did you use? Did you substitute any of the ingredients?
Would love some high altitude adjustments 🙂 Recipe looks so great – dough was too dry, but left hands oily at my altitude.
Still looks delicious though!!!
Hi Susan, I wish I could help with high altitude adjustments, but honestly, I have never lived in a high altitude and I wouldn’t know how to advise on this.