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Add a healthy twist to your holiday baking with these Crunchy Almond Flour Gingerbread Cookies. Made without molasses, dairy gluten or eggs, they're friendly for many diets yet just as delicious!

The holidays are a time to enjoy family, friends and good food! However, they can also be a time when we overindulge in festive treats that may not make us feel so jolly.

That's why I love putting a healthier twist on the classics we all know and love. These Gingerbread Cookies are made with almond flour, pure maple syrup and unrefined coconut oil, making them a delicious treat that's both healthier and that those with sensitivities can enjoy.

You can even decorate them with homemade, naturally coloured icing!

Are Gingerbread Cookies Healthy?

While these Almond Flour Gingerbread Cookies are still a sweet treat and should be consumed in moderation, they are made with whole food ingredients, making them a healthier option.

They are lower in sugar, rich in fibre and are a good source of healthy fats. Plus, they're seasoned with warming spices that are also rich in immune-supporting properties.

How to Make Gingerbread Cookies without Molasses

These healthy homemade Gingerbread Cookies are sweetened with pure maple syrup instead of molasses, which offers a similar syrupy texture and richness in flavour with deep caramel-like notes.

Plus, this is a no-fuss recipe that's perfect for the busy holiday season! Made with simple, whole-food ingredients, these cookies only require about 15 minutes of hands-on time and 8 - 10 minutes in the oven.

What You Will Need

Equipment

• Oven to bake the cookies.
• Baking sheet to bake the cookies on. A 13" x 18" baking sheet will hold one batch of these cookies.
• Mixing bowl for combining the ingredients.
• Whisk or wooden spoon to stir the ingredients and form the dough.
• Flat spatula for easy transfering.
• Rolling pin to roll out the dough.
• Cookie cutters to cut out festive shapes. You can also use a cup or small-mouth jar to cut out circles.
• Unbleached paper (optional) to line the baking sheet, plus 2 extra pieces to roll the dough.

Ingredients

• Almond flour is a grain-free alternative that's full of nutrients and offers a subtle nutty flavour.
• Arrowroot flour is a gentle, gut-loving starch that helps to bind the dough in these gluten-free cookies.
• Unrefined coconut oil is a gut-loving, heart-healthy, and dairy-free fat that replaces the butter typically used in traditional cookies.
• Pure maple syrup offers natural sweetness with a rich caramel-like flavour.
• Pure vanilla extract offers an uplifting taste and natural sweetness that balances the earthy and spicy flavours of gingerbread.
• Gingerbread spices, including ground ginger, cinnamon allspice, cloves and nutmeg, create that traditional, warming and festive flavour.
• Aluminum-free baking soda acts as a leavening agent, giving these cookies a delicious outer crunch with a soft and chewy inner texture.
• Natural mineral salt (optional) such as Himalayan, Celtic or Sea salt helps to bring out the sweetness and other flavours.

Step 1: Mix Dry Ingredients

First, preheat your oven to 350° F. Then, grease a baking sheet with coconut oil or line with unbleached parchment paper.

Next, place the coconut oil in a small saucepan and heat over low until it is melted.

In a large bowl, mix the almond flour, arrowroot flour and baking soda. Use a whisk to break up any large clumps. Then stir in the ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and a pinch of salt.

Step 2: Mix In Remaining Ingredients

Pour the melted coconut oil into the flour mixture along with the vanilla extract and pure maple syrup.

Mix well and keep folding the dough until it forms into a large ball or clump. Then, knead it with clean hands, pressing and rolling it into a ball.

Step 3: Roll the Dough

Next, roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thick. You can do this by placing the dough on a well-floured surface and keeping the rolling pin well-floured. Or, since this dough can be sticky, an easier option is to place it between two pieces of unbleached parchment paper.

Rolling the dough to ¼ inch thick and cutting it into palm-size cookies will yield about 24 cookies. If you make them thicker or larger, it may yield 15 - 20.

Step 4: Cut Out Shapes

Use cookie cutters to cut out festive shapes. I like to do a mix of gingerbread men, candy canes, Christmas trees, and snowflakes. However, you can use any shape of your choice. You can also use a cup or a small-mouth jar to cut out circles.

Carefully transfer the cut-out shapes to your baking sheet either with your hands or a flat spatula.

Gather the leftover dough, form it into a ball, and roll it out to cut out more shapes. Keep repeating until all the dough is used up.

Step 5: Bake

Space the cookies about ½ an inch apart until the baking sheet is full. Then, place it in the oven and bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.

Step 6: Decorate (Optional)

These Gingerbread Cookies can be enjoyed plain or decorated with icing. I love leaving some without icing for a low-sugar treat to dunk in tea or hot chocolate.

But, as a festive treat, I always decorate some with homemade, naturally coloured cookie icing. This is also a fun step for the kids to help with.

Make sure the cookies are fully cooled before icing so your designs hold and harden quickly.

Substitutions and Variations

Grass-fed butter or ghee can replace the coconut oil if you do not need your cookies to be vegan or dairy-free.

Oat flour can be used instead of almond flour for a nut-free version.

Honey can be used as another natural sweetener to replace the maple syrup. However, you may have to add an extra tablespoon of coconut oil, as it isn't quite as runny as maple syrup.

For thicker, softer cookies, roll the dough to ½ an inch thick instead of ¼. You can also adjust the almond flour and arrowroot flour ratio. Adding more almond flour flour and less arrowroot will yield softer, less crunchy cookies. I find adjusting it to 2 cups of almond flour and ½ cup of arrowroot flour usually does the trick. However, if you want even softer cookies, you can use 2 ¼ cups almond flour and ¼ cup arrowroot flour.

My Top Tips

Use a wooden rolling pin and surface that flour sticks well to. For an easier way to prevent sticking, roll the dough in between two pieces of unbleached parchment paper.

Use organic ingredients to avoid harmful pesticides.

Use pure spices to avoid additives like fillers, preservatives and sugars.

Storing and Saving

These Gingerbread cookies will last 3 - 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature. I like storing them in a glass container as I find they stay fresher for longer and don't take on that stale, plastic flavour.

These cookies can also be refrigerated for 7 - 10 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

If freezing or refrigerating, thaw them at room temperature for a few hours before serving. Since they are already crunchy, make sure they are fully thawed before eating, as they can become harder after freezing or refrigerating.

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FAQs

If you try these Crunchy Almond Flour Gingerbread Cookies, let me know how they turn out by leaving a comment and rating below. Also, make sure you're following along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for more wildly nutritious recipes!