Crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, Vegan Ginger Cookies made with aromatic spices and molasses. This is a gluten free recipe and uses extra virgin olive oil in place of vegan butter, a much healthier alternative.
Quick and delicious Vegan Ginger Cookies – think aromatic spices (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla), pure maple syrup with those lovely caramel notes, mineral-rich blackstrap molasses, and a dash of the ever flavorsome pure ginger essential oil (a totally wicked but optional addition).
These are not regular cookies – they’re mega cookies. 12 big suckers. Best served with a hot drink – I’m thinking my homemade Masala Chai or Chaga Mushroom Hot Chocolate.
They’re also incredibly wholesome – gluten free and made without vegan butter, which is common in recipes like these.
[bctt tweet="Vegan Ginger Cookies with aromatic spices - find them here!" username="laurenglucina"]
What’s wrong with vegan butter?
Vegan butter alternatives typically contain canola and soy bean oils. Unless stated otherwise, both are notoriously genetically modified in order to improve yield and resistance to pests. Further, both are somewhat high in omega-6, which can be pro-inflammatory in the body if not balanced out with adequate omega-3 fatty acids.
The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is 1:1, however it’s not uncommon for those following a standard Western diet to have a ratio of around 15:1 [1].
These vegetable oils are also often highly processed, undergoing exposure to high temperatures and chemicals to bleach and deodorize the oil, particularly to hide rancidity.
Healthier Alternatives to Vegan Butter
So what to use instead? There’s really no straightforward answer as it really depends on the individual recipe. However, for our vegan ginger cookies – a combination of almond butter and extra virgin olive oil has worked a treat.
Can you use coconut oil instead?
Yes – and if you do, it seems firm coconut oil works best. You’ll notice from here on in that I’m consciously reducing the amount of coconut oil used in my recipes, because recent evidence seems to suggest that it can actually contribute to intestinal permeability (aka ‘leaky gut’), whereas olive oil does not.
Vegan Ginger Cookies – nutritional highlights
- Gluten free: sorghum flour is an easy alternative to regular wheat flour, making it Celiac friendly
- Homemade almond butter is naturally low in sodium, yet high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats
- Ginger is a super therapeutic spice – a natural circulatory stimulant, it has anti-inflammatory properties, calms the gut and helps encourage intestinal motility
- Blackstrap molasses is a bit of a health tonic in its own right, high in vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese and selenium [2]
- Flax meal is not just a binder in lieu of egg, but a great boost of fibre
- Extra virgin olive oil is rich in anti-inflammatory phenolic compounds
Vegan Ginger Cookies: Step by Step
You’ll need two bowls for this.
1 / Sift the sorghum flour, spices and baking soda into a bowl, then add flax meal and salt, stir to combine.
2 / Combine almond butter, maple syrup, molasses, olive oil, vanilla and doTERRA Ginger essential oil (if using) in a second bowl, mix to combine.
3 / Add the dry ingredients to the wet, use a spatula to bring together. Initially the mixture is going to look beyond dry – don’t worry – keep mixing – it will eventually turn into a really nice dough.
4 / Transfer the dough to a board dusted with flour, shape it into a log, then cut into quarters. Shape each quarter into a log, then cut into thirds.
5 / Roll each piece of dough into a ball, flatten very slightly in the palm of your hand, then coat in coconut sugar on a plate.
6 / Repeat until finished – you’ll be able to fit all 12 cookies on a single baking sheet lined with baking paper.
7 / Bake at 175˚C / 347˚F, middle rack, for 9-10 minutes. Once cooked, let cool entirely so the cookies harden. Try not to scoff all at once!
Q+A’s for cookie perfection:
- Can I substitute sorghum for something else? Yes – buckwheat flour if it still needs to be gluten free. I experimented with rice flour and it is just too crumbly.
- Can I use store-bought almond butter? Yes – but it will likely be salted, so omit adding any extra sea salt.
- Can I use coconut oil instead of olive oil? Yes!
- Can I make these a smaller size? Absolutely! Have tried – works.
- Mine weren’t spicy, how come? You probably used stale spices. Check the expiry!
- How to store them? In an airtight container on the kitchen bench.
If you make and enjoy this recipe, please leave a rating below. And better yet – leave me a comment to tell me how you got on, or just say hi – I LOVE hearing from you. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest to see more of my everyday recipes and wellness tips.
If you’d like to chat with me about essential oils, or book in a class, you can do that here. If you’re after a Naturopathic consult, read more here.
📖Recipe
Vegan Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup sorghum flour
- 1 tablespoon flax meal
- 1 tablespoon ginger ground
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg ground
- ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup almond butter homemade
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup blackstrap molasses
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-3 drops doTERRA Ginger essential oil optional but YUM
- coconut sugar to coat
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 175˚C / 347˚F.
- Sift the sorghum flour, spices and baking soda into a bowl, then add flax meal and salt, stir to combine.
- Combine almond butter, maple syrup, molasses, olive oil, vanilla and doTERRA Ginger essential oil (if using) in a second bowl, mix to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, use a spatula to bring together. Initially the mixture is going to look beyond dry – don’t worry – keep mixing – it will eventually turn into a really nice dough.
- Transfer the dough to a board dusted with flour, shape it into a log, then cut into quarters. Shape each quarter into a log, then cut into thirds, so you have 12 even pieces.
- Roll each piece of dough into a ball, flatten very slightly in the palm of your hand, then coat in coconut sugar on a plate.
- Repeat until finished – you’ll be able to fit all 12 cookies on a single baking sheet lined with baking paper.
- Bake at 175˚C / 347˚F, middle rack, for 9-10 minutes. Once cooked, let cool entirely so the cookies harden. Try not to scoff all at once!
Notes
- Sorghum can be replaced with buckwheat flour but not rice flour
- If your cookies aren’t spicy – check the expiry of your spices, it’s essential they’re fresh
- Sugar (whether white, brown or coconut) can’t be substituted for the liquid sugars - which are needed to help bring the mixture into a dough
- If using store-bought almond butter (salted), omit the coarse sea salt
- Coconut oil can be used in place of olive oil
- The essential oil is optional, but if using, please stick to the doTERRA brand as they are safe for use as a food flavoring (love to purchase? See here)
- These cookies don’t spread much so if making 12 you can fit them all on a single tray
- You can make 24 smaller cookies if you like
- Cookies are best eaten warm – drool
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature
Spider
These are super yummy - all those spices taste fantastic with the dark molasses flavour carrying them. I used tahini instead of almond butter as i buy it in bulk. And 1 cup buckwheat flour with 1/4 cup starch, as I always have the problem of GF biscuits falling apart - these ones hold together well.
Kelly Olorenshaw
Lauren, these biscuits are the BEST! I've just made my first batch and they are divine. I used buckwheat flour and omitted the essential oil and they turned out perfectly. I feel like I have not had a biscuit like this since going plant based and gluten free - it's amazing how crunchy they are on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside!
Lauren Glucina • BNatMed, AdDip NutMed
Hey Kelly - I'm so sorry I missed your lovely comment - but YAY! Can't have you being cookie deprived can we! L.x