The Healthy Gingerbread Cookie Recipe You Have To Try

The holiday season wouldn’t be complete without your favorite festive treat. For some it’s shortbread cookies, for others it might be candy canes or chocolate. Whatever your guilty pleasure – there’s no denying that gingerbread cookies are on top of everyone’s holiday indulgence list.

Lucky for you – we have a gingerbread recipe for you that contains natural and healthy ingredients so you can satisfy your sweet tooth – guilt-free!

INGREDIENTS:
1 large egg
1/3 cup coconut oil (melted at room temperature)
1/3 cup maple syrup or raw honey
1/4 cup unsulphured organic molasses
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp dried ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups organic whole wheat flour (or gluten free flour blend)

OPTIONAL:
Cookie toppings: Ground nuts, seeds, candies or powdered icing sugar.

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
3. Lightly beat egg in a separate bowl, adding wet ingredients until well-combined.
4. Slowly add dry ingredients (about 1/4 cup at a time) to wet ingredients, mixing with a spatula or wooden spoon first. The consistency may be different if you choose a gluten-free flour mixture. Once the dough mixture thickens, knead and mix it with clean hands until it forms a thick consistency.
5. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and add excess flour to a rolling pin.
6. Roll out dough with a rolling pin until approximately 1/2 inch in thickness.
7. Cut out cookies using your favorite festive-shaped cookie cutters.
8. If you decide to garnish the cookies with candy sprinkles or ground nuts/seeds, this is when you would decorate the cookies as you wish. For a powdered sugar finish see step 10.
9. Place cut out cookies on a parchment paper-covered baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies should rise slightly.
10. Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool completely at room temperature.
11. Once cookies have cooled, sift powdered sugar over top of cookies.
12. Store in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks. Makes approximately 1 dozen cookies depending on cookie cutter size.

Do you have a favorite holiday treat? Tell us in the comments below.

This post was written by Christine Pike from Eminence Organics.
You can find their blog here