Healthier Gingerbread Cookies 🎄🌟
The holiday baking season is here, and these healthier gingerbread cookies are perfect for celebrating with family. They combine holiday flavor with cleaner ingredients so you can enjoy a treat that feels both festive and nourishing.
Why I love this recipe:
- Gluten-free and refined sugar-free: A rare find in classic roll-out cookies, making them more accessible to many diets.
- Simple and approachable: The dough is easy to work with and uses pantry-friendly ingredients.
- Great flavor: Clean, fresh ginger and a balanced sweetness make these cookies delicious on their own or decorated.
About coconut butter
Coconut butter is not the same as coconut oil. It’s made by grinding the whole coconut meat into a creamy spread—similar to nut butter—and can be made at home in minutes with a high-speed blender or food processor. Coconut oil is produced through different processing methods and is better suited for cooking. For these cookies, coconut butter acts as a baking ingredient and contributes texture and flavor to the frosting.
The amount of sweetener is personal—adjust the raw honey or maple syrup in the frosting to suit your taste.
12 servings
Ingredients:
Cookies:
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup arrowroot flour (or tapioca flour)
- 1/3 cup dark maple syrup
- 1-inch knob of fresh ginger, grated
- 3 Tbsp grass-fed butter, ghee, or clarified butter, melted
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Pinch of sea salt
Frosting:
- 2 Tbsp coconut butter, melted
- 2 Tbsp warmed coconut cream (not coconut milk)
- 1/2 Tbsp raw honey or pure maple syrup, or to taste
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
Place all cookie ingredients in a food processor and pulse until evenly combined. You may need to stop and scrape down the bowl a couple of times to make sure everything is incorporated.
Form the mixture into a ball, wrap it tightly in cling film, and freeze for 30 minutes to firm up the dough.
On a clean work surface, place a large sheet of parchment paper and roll the chilled dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes and transfer them to the prepared sheet pan.
Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the edges are just golden. Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Let them cool for about 10 minutes on the rack, then allow them to cool completely before frosting.
While the cookies cool, whisk together the frosting ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Chill the frosting briefly if needed so it firms slightly and is easier to pipe or spread.
Once completely cool, thinly frost or pipe the frosting onto the cookies as desired. Enjoy fresh—these cookies are best the day they’re baked.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
❤️ Rachel
