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4.8 from 213 votes

Healthy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

These healthy Gingerbread Cookies are just as delicious as the traditional version, only they are made with gluten-free almond flour. They are vegan, dairy-free, and so fun to decorate!

Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 103 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups almond flour (almond meal works, too)
  • ¼ cup arrowroot or tapioca starch
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl combined the almond flour, starch, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder and stir to combine. Add in the coconut oil, maple syrup and molasses and stir again until a sticky dough is formed.
  2. To make cut-out cookies, place the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes to help it firm up, or in the fridge for up to 2 hours. (Alternatively, you can skip the cut-out cookies and just roll the dough into tablespoon-sized balls, roll them in a bit of coconut sugar, and flatten them on the baking sheet with your hand.)
  3. Once the dough has been chilled, place the dough in the center of a large piece of parchment paper, then place another piece of parchment paper on top. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a flat layer, about 1/4-inch thick. Pull away the excess dough to reveal each shape, and re-roll the dough to create more shapes. You should end up with 12 to 15 cookies, if use use cookie cutters about the size of the palm of your hand.
  4. Bake the cookies at 350ºF for about 10 minutes for cookies with a soft center, or 12 to 14 minutes for a more crisp cookie. (The edges should brown for a crispier cookie.) Allow them to cool completely on the pan before icing and serving. They will firm up as they cool.
  5. Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week in the fridge, or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.

Notes

  • Nutrition information is for 1 of 12 large cookies. You may get more cookies from this batch, and in that case, they will have fewer calories. This information is calculated using generic ingredients, so it's just an estimate not a guarantee.
  • Simple Powdered Sugar Frosting: Combine 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of water in a medium bowl. Stir well, and add another teaspoon of water, if needed to thin the texture even more. Spread the frosting on cooled cookies, then let them dry on a cooling rack.
  • For a Sweeter Cookie: Reduce the molasses to only 1 teaspoon, and increase the maple syrup by adding 2 extra teaspoons.
  • Update Note: This recipe was updated in December 2022. I swapped the baking soda for baking powder (since this recipe doesn't call for eggs or an acid, like lemon juice or vinegar, the baking powder makes more sense), and I added a pinch of ground cloves for extra spice. Feel free to stick to the original recipe if you prefer.

Nutrition Information

Calories 103kcal (5%) Carbohydrates 8g (3%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Sodium 38mg (2%) Potassium 16mg (0%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 4g (8%) Calcium 30mg (3%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 103

% Daily Value*

Calories 103kcal 5%
Carbohydrates 8g 3%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Sodium 38mg 2%
Potassium 16mg 0%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 4g 8%
Calcium 30mg 3%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.