1-Start: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (180°C) and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper this sets the stage for perfect cookies. Gather all your ingredients first to keep things smooth and stress-free, just like I do when I’m in a rush.

2-Next: cream together the vegan butter and light brown sugar using an electric mixer until it’s fluffy and combined. Prepare the flax egg by mixing the ground flaxseed meal with hot water and letting it sit for a minute to get that gel-like texture. Then, add in the molasses, vanilla extract, and the flax egg to the mixer, blending everything until it’s well incorporated.

3-Mixing and Baking Steps: In a separate bowl, sift the all-purpose flour and mix in the baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until you form a thick batter. If the dough feels sticky, add a bit more flour as you transfer it to a generously floured surface and shape it into a ball.

4-Roll out: Roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thickness, then use a floured cookie cutter to make gingerbread shapes and place them on your prepared baking tray. Don’t forget to gather the scraps, re-roll, and cut more shapes until you’re out of dough. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or up to 15 for crispier cookies, then cool them completely before adding any frosting. For the frosting, simply mix powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and soy milk until smooth.

5-The whole process: The whole process takes about 20 minutes for prep and cutting, with 10-12 minutes of baking, totaling around 32 minutes. I love how this recipe lets you adjust things on the fly, like baking a little less for softer cookies, based on what I’ve learned from trying it myself.