Gluten-free gingerbread: my healthy recipe with honey, rice flour, and buckwheat flour

I have a weakness for gingerbread: that scent of warm honey, of spices that tickle the nose, and that slightly dense but melting texture that goes just as well with tea as with cheese.

I made it "classic" for a long time, then I wanted a gluten-free version, so that intolerant people could enjoy it, and which keeps exactly the same spirit: not a honey cake, but a real gingerbread, simple, brown, fragrant, and which slices cleanly.

The key is to replace the rye/wheat flour with a blend of gluten-free flours that provides structure without drying it out. I like the combination of rice and buckwheat flour: the rice adds sweetness, while the buckwheat lends a rustic depth that works very well in gingerbread. And to keep it moist, I rely on honey, a little fat, and a gentle baking process.

Since I was asked to include seasonal ingredients, I'm sticking with the "traditional" theme by simply adding diced pear and a few walnuts: it doesn't alter the flavor, it complements it. The pear melts into the crumb, creating little pockets of juice, and the walnut adds texture to the slice.

If you prefer a more robust gingerbread, you can adjust the spice mix (more cinnamon, a touch of pepper) or choose a more distinctive honey. And if you let it rest overnight, it becomes even better: the aromas develop, the crumb softens, and then… that's exactly what I expect from a good gingerbread!

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Gluten-free gingerbread

Recipe by Nathalie Laplace

5.0 based on 1 vote(s)

Type of dish: dessertKitchen: FrenchDifficulty: easy

Portions

4

people

Preparation

17

minutes

Cooking

38

minutes

Calories

497

kcal

Total time

55

minutes

A recipe for a moist gingerbread , beautifully fragrant with honey and spices, with a perfectly dense crumb. It's gluten-free, but with all the comforting qualities of the classic, and a touch of pear and walnuts for the season.

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Ingredients

• 180 g of honey

• 80g of cane sugar

• 120 ml of milk

• 50g of butter

• 140g of rice flour

• 60g of buckwheat flour

• 10g of gluten-free baking powder

• 1 pinch of salt

• 2 teaspoons of gingerbread spice

• 1 egg

• 1 pear (approx. 150g net), diced

• 40g of crushed walnuts

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Preparation steps

• Preheat the oven to 170°C. Butter a small cake tin (or line it with a strip of baking paper).
• In a saucepan, gently heat the honey, sugar, milk, and butter. Stir until the butter has melted and the sugar is dissolved. Do not boil; you just want a hot, smooth mixture.
• In a bowl, mix the flours (rice + buckwheat), yeast, salt and gingerbread spices.
• Pour the hot mixture over the dry ingredients while whisking. The batter will become smooth and quite runny, which is normal for gingerbread.
• Add the egg and whisk for another 20 seconds, just to incorporate it.
• Using a spatula, gently fold in the diced pears and chopped walnuts.
• Pour into the mold. Gently tap the mold on the work surface to remove any large air bubbles.
• Bake for 38 minutes. Check for doneness with the tip of a knife: it should come out almost dry (a few crumbs, yes; wet dough, no).
• Let it cool for 10 minutes, unmold, then let it cool completely on a wire rack. For the best crumb, wait at least 1 hour before slicing.

📊 Nutritional Information

1 serving (approx. 150g)

* RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance

📝 Notes

Storage: Gingerbread will keep for 3 days well wrapped at room temperature. If you slice it and toast it for 20 seconds, the nuts will become wonderfully fragrant again.

💡 Chef's Tips

For a wonderfully moist gluten-free gingerbread, avoid overbaking: as soon as a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, remove it from the oven. And if you can, wrap it once it's cool and taste it the next day: the spices will really have developed.

🔄 Variations

• Recipe with more citrus: add the finely grated zest of one orange to the batter, along with the spices.
• For a more rustic gingerbread: still gluten-free, replace 20g of rice flour with 20g of chestnut flour (keep the total quantities the same).

Nathalie Laplace

Food writer for the Simple & Bon website. Passionate about healthy cooking and especially salads, slow-cooked or oven-baked recipes.