This installment in my baking month line up is a uniquely Floridian one, as the company behind this baking mix is the Bald Strawberry, a Melbourne cafe and bakery that I have frequented and fallen in love with. On my latest visit, I picked up a bag of ginger cookie mix to bring back with me to Maryland, a little bit of home.


I waited until April to give the mix a go during my annual focus on all things baking and baked goods, and couldn’t wait to see how it would perform. While Ginger cookies are typically thought of as a staple of winter, the cooler-than-average spring in Maryland proved to be the perfect backdrop against which to bake up a batch of these spicy-infused cookies. 


What’s really cool about this mix is that it is prepared from scratch by the folks at The Bald Strawberry and contains only real, pronounceable ingredients. As is, the mix is vegan, but the instructions call for a cup of butter (I used Earth Balance soy free baking sticks), molasses, and coconut milk (but I subbed almond milk). With substitutions, the resulting cookies remain vegan. 

Mixing up the cookies was a multi-step endeavor, but soon a thick, aromatic dough was formed. I ended up using only a 1/4 cup of almond milk when the recipe calls for 1/2 cup coconut milk because the latter is so much thicker than the former. Scooping the cookies out with a cookie scoop, I flattened them using parchment paper, per the instructions. As it happened, the mix rendered two and a half baking sheets worth of cookies, which definitely was ample enough to feed my floor mates twice over, with still some left over.

I waited to pull each batch out until the edges were firm but the top just a little spongy. Once cooked, they were the epitome of soft baked, as the bottom edge was crispy and crunchy but the interior soft and moist. I loved the rich complex layering of flavors with the spices and molasses interweaving to deliver one delicious bite after another. These were seriously good, and had me dreaming of making gingerbread men and women in future baking attempts. 

The Bald Strawberry’s Melbourne cafe and bakery on the only places where you can find their baking mixes. Visit their website here, and if you go, make sure to allot time for lunch, because the dedicated 100% gluten-free cafe is a true treat for celiacs and gluten eaters alike. On their Etsy store, you can purchase their homemade all purpose flour as well as baked goods and get them shipped right to your front door.


Disclaimer: This review is current to the original publication date. Updates will be noted. Ingredients and manufacturing processes can change without notice. Each product should be reviewed for individual nutritional needs. Feel free to to contact me with any questions or comments. I purchased this product independently and the review is a reflection of my personal opinion.