These zippy ginger molasses crinkle cookies are gluten-free, paleo friendly and filled with holiday spice.
I love the smell of the holidays. We’ve got a few weeks yet to go before the season really gets under way, but I couldn’t resist getting a head start on the festivities with a batch of spicy ginger molasses cookies.
Nothing speaks of holiday cheer like fresh homemade cookies and the sweet, inviting smell that envelopes your home as they come out of the oven. The act of baking is so intimately tied to moments of celebration and joy; the scent of spice, warm and rich, soothes the senses and instantly puts everyone in a cheerful mood. Cookies are certainly the perfume of the holiday season.
With their crackly tops and spicy complex flavor these paleo ginger cookies are high on my list of cold weather favorites.
Soft and chewy thanks to the hint of molasses, they invigorate your palate with a zippy combination of both fresh and dried ginger for a well-rounded, deep spiciness. Pleasantly spicy without being hot, the two layers of ginger create a deeper dimension of heat each building upon the other, quietly supported by the gentle warmth of cinnamon and allspice.
Thankfully they come together in a matter of minutes and are as easy as can be. Just a few minutes of measuring, grating and whisking results in a soft dark dough that’s then scooped by the spoonful onto awaiting baking sheets; puffing up and out as they bake, creating the hallmark cracks of a traditional crinkle cookie but without any gluten or grains.
Time to get baking, the season is nearly here!
More gluten-free holiday cookies:
Chewy Paleo Ginger Cookies
Made with spicy ginger, cinnamon and molasses, these chewy paleo ginger molasses cookies will be a cookie jar favorite.
Ingredients
- 1 cup/256g almond butter (roasted unsalted)
- 3 Tablespoons/45g unsulphured molasses
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger root
- ¾ cup/144g coconut sugar
- ¼ cup/30g coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- A pinch of freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper . Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or by hand, beat together the almond butter, molasses, eggs and freshly grated ginger until smooth.
- Into a medium bowl, sift together coconut sugar, coconut flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper.
- Slowly add the sugar and spice mixture to the almond butter mixture while mixing on low until just combined.
- Drop the dough by the rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until firm around the edges and starting to crack in the center (the cookies will looked slightly puffed but will flatten and crackle more as they cool), about 8 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets out of the oven then transfer the parchment paper with the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Paleo Friendly
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
30Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 94Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 85mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 9gProtein: 2g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Danielle says
These are absolutely wonderful. They are super chewy and tricked my son into believing they were like the bakery non-paleo cookies he begs me to buy. I didn't have coconut sugar so I used maple syrup instead... About half a cup or so. These are delicious!!!!!
Sylvie says
So glad to hear that you and your son enjoyed them!
Lindsay says
We made these tonight! Hardcore Paleo-ers. I also have gestational diabetes and I'm constantly looking for sweets replacements. These were SUPER EASY to make! Suuuuuper easy! They are ridiculously tasty.
My batch made roughly 50 cookies. Dropping dough by the teaspoonful. I calculated 7 grams of carbs/cookie.
So freaking delicious! Wouldn't change a thing about this recipe!
Soooo goooood.
Sylvie says
I love hearing that! Thanks for taking the time to calculate the carb count for everyone.
Reema says
Can you recommend a substitue for coconut flour?
Sylvie says
No unfortunately coconut flour is quite unique in its properties and other flours won't behave the same way.
Christine says
We like to spread the dough out on a cookie sheet to bake, then use cookie cutters to make gingerbread men!
nik says
i just made these and they are AMAZING! i did have to mash mine before i cooked them as they wouldn't spread on their own, maybe i made them too big. but no matter, they are a great texture and delish! thanks!
Sylvie says
So glad you enjoyed them!
Lucy says
This recipe looks amazing. But can you substitute coconut flour with almond flour....? thanks
Sylvie says
Hi Lucy, Unfortunately no the two have very different properties and the final results wouldn't be the same.
robin says
I tried these and they didn't come out like the pictures at all. They were very "cake-like" and not chewy at all. Any ideas?
Sylvie says
Hi Robin, I would guess that either your almond butter was too dry or that there may have been too much coconut flour as those would both make a drier cake-like cookie. Both ingredients can vary greatly according to manufacturer so there may be some variance in the final cookies based on those two items.
Tara Pantera says
They might come out a bit dry if you cook them a minute or two too long...I have made these several times and have noticed that the batches I take out a little earlier than I would normally take them out seem to have a much better texture. Hope that helps!
Holly says
Just sampled one fresh from the oven. Absolutely delicious! No one would ever know these cookies are paleo. I had to bake mine for 12 minutes rather than 8, but the texture is perfectly chewy. Love!
Sylvie says
Glad to hear you like them!
Deb Friesen says
These were delicious! Excellent recipe and so easy to follow! Thanks!
Jennifer says
Just baked these for the first time and the flavor is good, but they are too gooey and sticky to the parchment. I let them cool for 2 hours and they are still gooey and sticky. I think next time I will add a little more coconut flour. The batter did seem very wet to me when I was spooning it out.