These Paleo Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies are going to be your new holiday favorite!! They're made with simple ingredients, low in sugar, and have the perfect kick of spice. Great for anyone who is gluten-free or dairy-free!
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Why these cookies are healthier
I created this recipe with taste, and HEALTH in mind. My dessert recipes are carefully formulated with simple ingredients, the least amount of sugar possible, and they ALWAYS have to pass a family taste test.
You would think that molasses is loaded with sugar, but it's actually quite bitter. I chose to use Organic Blackstrap Molasses which is higher in vitamins & nutrients compared to traditional molasses. For sweetener, I used my all time favorite.. organic coconut sugar because it's unrefined and lower glycemic. All in all, this recipe is filled with wholesome ingredients, lower in sugar, and tastes amazing!
🍴Ingredient Notes
- Eggs - I have not tested this recipe with an egg replacement.
- Organic Blackstrap Molasses - Any molasses will work, but this is my favorite kind to bake with!
- Coconut Sugar - You can also sub with Lakanto Golden Monkfruit for a lower sugar option. I also like using half and half. (¼ cup of each.)
- Almond Flour - Almond flour is a great gluten-free flour alternative. My favorite brands are Bob’s Red Mill, and Blue Diamond. Both have a finely ground blend that doesn’t come out clumpy! Make sure it’s almond FLOUR and not almond MEAL. They have completely different textures.
- Spices - I used a mix of all the classic gingerbread spices for this recipe! Clove, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
🍴Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Making the cookie dough
- Start by adding the almond flour, baking soda, salt, and spices into a mixing bowl. Use a whisk or fork to blend until fully combined. (Make sure to break up the almond flour chunks.)
- Next add the eggs, molasses, vanilla extract, and coconut sugar into a separate bowl. Blend with a whisk for about 30 seconds.
Step 3: Chilling
Fold together the dry and wet ingredients until a sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour. (Overnight is best.)
Step 4: Baking
Once the dough has chilled, roll it into 1+½ inch balls and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Gently press down on each ball to flatten them into thick disks. Bake at 325 degrees for about 12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, and then transfer each cookie to a cooling rack.
Baking Tips
- When preparing the cookies, I like to roll them into balls first, and lay them out on my non-stick baking sheet. (You can also line your baking sheet with parchment paper.) Once they're laid out, gently press down to flatten them into round disks.
- You can make the cookies whatever size you want, but just know that they will not expand too much in the oven!
- They will still be pretty soft when you take them out, so make sure to let them rest on the tray for one minute before transferring to a cooling rack.
- When measuring the almond flour, make sure to shake the bag around first so it's not tightly packed together. Scoop the flour and take a butter knife to scrape the excess flour off. You can also spoon the flour into the measuring cup. DO NOT PACK the flour into the measuring cup.
Frequently Asked Questions
I would not recommend swapping the almond flour for any other flour for this recipe. I'd also like to note that the quality of almond flour you buy is extremely important! Some brands are more grainy than others. My favorite brands are Blue Diamond and Bob's Red Mill. Both can be found on Amazon!
Yes! Compared to traditional gingerbread cookies, this recipe has very simple ingredients, and significantly lower in sugar. (About 6 grams of sugar per cookie!) I also used coconut sugar, which is a lower glycemic option. If you want to make them completely sugar free, just swap the coconut sugar for Lakanto Golden Monkfruit. (My favorite sugar-free alternative!) You can also do a ¼ cup of each.
You must chill the dough for at least an hour in order to roll them into balls! It's very sticky from the molasses, so it's important to let the dough set in the refrigerator to firm up. I usually make the dough the night before, but as long as it's not too sticky, it should work just fine!
How to store leftovers
You can store leftover cookies at room temperature. After a couple days, I would move the container into the refrigerator to keep them fresh for longer. You can also store the cookies in a freezer bag or air tight container in the freezer! PRO TIP: Frozen cookies are actually really delicious! If you don’t want to bake all of the cookies at once, you can store the dough in the freezer for a rainy day! (That's usually what I do!)
More cookie recipes!
- Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Lemon Blueberry Thumbprint Cookies (Paleo)
- Almond Flour Sugar Cookies
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookies (Paleo)
After you make these Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies, make sure to leave a comment & rate the recipe! Your feedback is helpful for me, and for anyone planning to try this recipe. I hope you love them as much as I do!
Recipe
Paleo Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 2 Eggs
- ⅓ Cup Organic Blackstrap Molasses
- ½ Cup Coconut Sugar You can also sub with Lakanto Golden Monkfruit.
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Dry Ingredients
- 3 + ½ Cups Almond Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- ¼ Teaspoon Ground Clove
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Making the Dough
- Start by adding the almond flour, baking soda, salt, and spices into a mixing bowl. Use a whisk or fork to blend until fully combined. (Make sure to break up the almond flour chunks.)
- Next add the eggs, molasses, vanilla extract, and coconut sugar into a separate bowl. Blend with a whisk for about 30 seconds.
- Fold together the dry and wet ingredients until a sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour. (Overnight is best.)
Baking
- Once the dough has chilled, roll it into 1+½ inch balls and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Gently press down on each ball to flatten them into thick disks.
- Bake at 325 degrees for about 12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, and then transfer each cookie to a cooling rack.
Notes
Baking Tips
- When preparing the cookies, I like to roll them into balls first, and lay them out on my non-stick baking sheet. (You can also line your baking sheet with parchment paper.) Once they're laid out, gently press down to flatten them into round disks.
- You can make the cookies whatever size you want, but just know that they will not expand too much in the oven!
- They will still be pretty soft when you take them out, so make sure to let them rest on the tray for one minute before transferring to a cooling rack.
- When measuring the almond flour, make sure to shake the bag around first so it's not tightly packed together. Scoop the flour and take a butter knife to scrape the excess flour off. You can also spoon the flour into the measuring cup. DO NOT PACK the flour into the measuring cup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I swap almond flour for gluten-free 1-1 flour?I would not recommend swapping the almond flour for any other flour for this recipe. I'd also like to note that the quality of almond flour you buy is extremely important! Some brands are more grainy than others. My favorite brands are Blue Diamond and Bob's Red Mill. Both can be found on Amazon! Are these gingerbread cookies healthy?
Yes! Compared to traditional gingerbread cookies, this recipe has very simple ingredients, and significantly lower in sugar. (About 6 grams of sugar per cookie!) I also used coconut sugar, which is a lower glycemic option. If you want to make them completely sugar free, just swap the coconut sugar for Lakanto Golden Monkfruit. (My favorite sugar-free alternative!) You can also do a ¼ cup of each. What if I don't have time to chill the dough?
You must chill the dough for at least an hour in order to roll them into balls! It's very sticky from the molasses, so it's important to let the dough set in the refrigerator to firm up. I usually make the dough the night before, but as long as it's not too sticky, it should work just fine!
How to store leftovers
You can store leftover cookies at room temperature. After a couple days, I would move the container into the refrigerator to keep them fresh for longer. You can also store the cookies in a freezer bag or air tight container in the freezer! PRO TIP: Frozen cookies are actually really delicious! If you don’t want to bake all of the cookies at once, you can store the dough in the freezer for a rainy day! (That's usually what I do!)Nutrition
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Wow!! Will be making again.