These deliciously chewy and healthy soft baked gingersnap cookies are an absolute staple for the holiday season. Without a doubt these cookies make it to the cookie baking list every Christmas. They are gluten free, dairy free and lower in sugar. Be sure to read through for substitutions!
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I am a huge fan of the ginger and molasses combination. Without a doubt, I have requested these cookies every year since I was a child. While I will not turn down the classic, I made it a mission to make these a little healthier. However, you would never be able to tell!
Testimony to these cookies?
I decided to bring these healthy soft baked gingersnap cookies to my office last Christmas without mentioning it was my own recipe and that it was made with healthier ingredients. As I passed them around, everyone loved them. Yes, everyone – including those who do not necessarily eat “healthier” foods! Even better, the recipe itself was requested. I would definitely call that a true testimony to how incredible they are.
SO… what will you need to make these soft baked gingersnap cookies?
- Almond Flour
- Egg
- Coconut Oil
- Molasses
- Maple Syrup
- Coconut Sugar
- Almond Butter
- Cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Allspice
- Vanilla
- Baking Soda
- White Sugar (for coating)
Major key to baking these cookies:
When you are going for a slightly chewy texture in cookies, it can be a fine line between perfect and dry. Cookies have a very short oven time so it is important to take these out prior to being fully cooked to allow them to cool on the pan for an additional 10 minutes. The cookies will continue to bake while they are on the pan!
Do I have to place in the fridge before baking?
For this specific recipe, it is highly recommended, if not necessary. By chilling the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes, it allows the ingredients to really combine and stick together. The batter will be less sticky and will be more malleable when rolling into 1″ balls to place on the pan.
Can I make any substitutions or add more ingredients?
- Almond Flour: I personally cannot recommend an equal substitute to almond flour, as it is a denser flour compared to oat or all-purpose because of the almond’s fat content. If you do want to test with another flour, please let me know in the comments!
- Coconut Sugar: any granular sugar will work but the best substitute is a mix of white and brown sugar, as it will mimic the coconut sugar texture. If you like a sweeter cookie, feel free to increase the amount of sugar.
- Almond Butter: any nut or seed butter will work but I chose almond butter as it has a mild flavor profile. Other nut or seed butters may produce a different flavor, such as peanut butter. However, make sure it is a RUNNY nut/seed butter. This recipe is based off a runny consistency and will be dry if you use a thick, pulp-like consistency butter.
- Egg: you can use a flaxseed egg or 1 small mashed banana to replace making a vegan cookie
- White Sugar: this is an optional coating but highly recommend for that classic soft baked gingersnap cookie. You can also use coconut sugar but it will not have that white sugar coating effect.
Need more healthy desserts? Check these out!
- White Chocolate Pistachio Oatmeal Cookies
- White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
- Vegan Gluten Free Carrot Cake
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Healthy Soft Baked Gingersnap Cookies
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Mixing Bowl x 2
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp almond butter sub any nut butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 2 tsp baking soda
- white sugar (to coat)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg, coconut oil, molasses, maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla extract and almond butter until you have a smooth mixture
- In a separate bowl, combine almond flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice and baking soda
- Add wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl and combine using a spatula.
- Once you get a thick dough-like ball, cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit while the dough is chilling
- When the dough is done chilling, use a cookie scoop or spoon and roll each piece into 1 inch dough balls
- Roll each dough ball in white sugar (can use coconut sugar but it will not be white on the outside)
- Place each sugar coated dough ball on a parchment paper or silicone mat baking sheet. Make sure there is at least 3 inches between each dough ball. Then using a spatula or your hand, lightly flatten the dough ball.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Cool down on the baking sheet for at least 10 more minutes so that the cookies continue to bake.
Notes
- you can substitute an egg with 1 flax egg
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