The Ultimate Healthy Gingerbread Cookies {Video Included!}

 
One December during my middle school years, my aunt flew out from Arizona to visit us for the holidays. On her first full day at our house, she suggested that we made gingerbread cookies as an afternoon project, and since Mom usually lacked the patience for baking anything besides boxed mix brownies, my brother and I immediately agreed.  

We found a recipe in one of our faded old cookbooks and quickly set to work measuring and mixing together the ingredients. After rolling out the dough and slicing it into fun shapes with our eclectic collection of cookie cutters, everything from candy canes and Santa’s sleigh to Mickey Mouse and the Pillsbury Dough Boy, we popped the trays into the oven to bake.
 

 
A couple of hours later, we sat down at the kitchen table to decorate our treats. Instead of mixing up traditional royal icing, we just stirred together milk and powdered sugar in a handful of small bowls, then squirted in a few drops of food coloring to dye them pastel shades of pink, green, yellow, and blue.

When we finished icing the cookies, we arranged them on large dinner plates and safely tucked those away on top of the refrigerator. Our golden retriever could easily jump up on the counters and eat anything in sight!
 

 
That evening, I slipped into the kitchen to sneak a cookie before dinner when Mom wasn’t looking. After grabbing a small star, I hastily slid the plate back on top of the fridge and brushed the crumbs off my fingertips, but when Mom opened the refrigerator door a few minutes later to pull out some vegetables…

That plate tumbled down and shattered on the kitchen floor, sending broken pieces of stoneware and cookies into every nook and cranny. Whoops!
 

 
Ever since then, I’ve thought of my aunt and that little refrigerator incident whenever I’ve eaten gingerbread cookies… But since she passed away six years ago, I haven’t actually baked any homemade ones. However, I decided to change that this year, so I set out to create this recipe for the Ultimate Healthy Gingerbread Cookies. They’re full of the same cozy flavors as traditional recipes, but without any butter, refined flour or sugar, they come with none of the guilt. And I know my aunt would’ve loved these!

(And I stashed the leftover cookies on a shelf in the pantry this time, not the top of the fridge!)
 

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY GINGERBREAD COOKIES

To make these healthier gingerbread cookies, you’ll start with white whole wheat flour. That sounds a little contradictory, doesn’t it? Normally white flour and whole wheat flour are two totally different things! However, white whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of white wheat, whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. This gives white whole wheat flour a lighter taste and texture, similar to all-purpose flour, but it still has the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour (like extra fiber!).

The gingerbread flavor comes from two main sources: ground ginger and molasses. I’m sure you guessed the first of those ingredients! The molasses provides the deep, rich, cozy undertones, and it’s absolutely crucial when making gingerbread cookies. Don’t skip it! Molasses is inexpensive, shelf-stable, and keeps for ages. This is the kind that I buy, and you can find it at most grocery stores near the honey or maple syrup.

In addition to the molasses, you’ll sweeten these cookies with one of my favorite ingredients: vanilla crème stevia. Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that’s clean eating friendly, and it’s very concentrated. A little goes a long way—you just need 1 teaspoon for this entire batch of cookies! This is the kind that I buy because I love its warm vanilla flavor and don’t notice any strange aftertastes like with some other stevia products. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, but I usually buy mine online here because that’s the cheapest price I’ve found. (And you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too!)
 

 
I have a special trick to share with you about how to easily roll out cookie dough with absolutely NO mess… You’ll roll it out between two large sheets of plastic wrap! With this trick, you don’t need to flour your work surface OR the cookie dough OR the rolling pin. It works like a charm for pie crusts and my sugar cookies, too! (Bonus: Your rolling pin won’t get dirty, so you don’t have to wash it!)

Here’s another pro tip for how to create perfectly shaped cut-out cookies… After pressing down the cookie cutters into the dough, peel the extra dough away from those shapes. (If you pull the cut-out cookie dough away from the extra dough, it usually stretches and turns misshapen!) Then slide a knife underneath the cut-out cookie dough to loosen it from the plastic wrap, and transfer it to your baking sheet. Ta da! Perfectly shaped cookies!

Then after a quick trip to the oven…
 

 
Time to pour a glass of milk and enjoy your cookies! Although with how much my family loved these, you may need to bake a second batch to make sure you have enough for Santa on Christmas Eve… 😉

And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your ultimate healthy gingerbread cookies!

The Ultimate Healthy Gingerbread Cookies

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 21 cookies

These cookies taste just like traditional recipes—lots of cozy spices and irresistible sweetness—but they come with none of the guilt! Leftover cookies without icing will keep for at least five days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Leftover cookies with icing will keep for at least a week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

4.95 from 20 votes

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Ingredients 

FOR THE COOKIES

• 1 cup + 6 tbsp (165g) white whole wheat flour (measured like this)
• ¾ tsp cornstarch
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (60mL) molasses (not blackstrap!)
• 1 tsp vanilla crème stevia (see Notes!)

FOR THE ICING (optional)

• 10 tsp confectioners’ style erythritol (see Notes!)
• 2 tsp nonfat milk (or adjusted to achieve your desired consistency)

Instructions

• To prepare the cookies, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir in the molasses and vanilla crème stevia. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Transfer the dough to the center of a large sheet of plastic wrap, and shape into a 1”-tall rectangle. Cover the top with another large sheet of plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
• Leaving the cookie dough between the sheets of plastic wrap, roll it out until ⅛” thick. Lightly flour your cookie cutter, and press it into the dough, making sure each shape lies as close to its neighbors as possible to minimize unused dough. Peel the unused dough away from the shapes, and place them onto the prepared baking sheets. Reroll the unused dough, and repeat.
• Bake the cut out cookie dough at 325°F for 8-10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• To prepare the icing, stir together the confectioner’s style erythritol and milk in a small bowl. Spoon into a zip-topped bag, and snip off the corner. Pipe onto the cooled cookies.

Notes

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s extremely important to measure the flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much flour will dry out your cookie dough and give your cookies a cakey, bready, or crumbly texture.

 

IMPORTANT ROLLING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: I recommend re-rolling the scraps of cookie dough only once. If you re-roll the scraps too many times, the cookie dough becomes tough and the baked cookies won’t have the same soft and chewy texture.

 

CHILLED COOKIE DOUGH NOTE: The cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to two days. If the cookie dough has been chilled for longer than an hour, it may need to “thaw” a little on the counter for a few minutes before rolling.

 

COOKIE CUTTER NOTE: This was the exact gingerbread man cookie cutter that I used.

 

ICING NOTE: As written, the icing recipe only yields enough for a “minimalist” decorated appearance. If you like more icing, feel free to make more!

 

FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: Whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour. Regular whole wheat flour may be substituted in a pinch, but the cookies will have detectable “wheat-y” taste.

 

MOLASSES NOTE + ALTERNATIVES: The molasses is essential to create the gingerbread flavor, so I do not recommend substituting for it! This is the kind I use, and it’s inexpensive, shelf-stable, and keeps for ages. I don't recommend substituting blackstrap molasses because it has a more bitter flavor.

 

In a pinch, you can substitute pure maple syrup, honey, or agave, but the cookies will no longer have that classic gingerbread taste.

 

STEVIA NOTE + ALTERNATIVES: I highly recommend using the vanilla crème stevia! I usually buy it online here. (It's one of my favorite ingredients, and you'll use it in all of these recipes of mine too!) Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they’re not necessarily 1-for-1 substitutes for each other. For the best results, use the same liquid stevia that I do. 

 

You cannot substitute additional molasses, pure maple syrup, honey, or agave for the vanilla crème stevia because cookies require a precise balance of wet and dry ingredients.

 

However, you may substitute ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (120g) coconut sugar (or granulated sugar, if you aren’t concerned about keeping these cookies clean eating friendly) for both the molasses and stevia. The cookies will appear “speckled” if using coconut sugar because it doesn’t dissolve as well.

 

MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.

 

ERYTHRITOL NOTE + ALTERNATIVE: I generally buy my confectioners' style erythritol online here. Regular powdered sugar (confectioners' style sugar) may be substituted for the confectioners' style erythritol. However, regular powdered sugar isn't as absorbent, so start with ½ teaspoon of milk in the icing and add more as needed to achieve your desired icing consistency.

 

GLUTEN FREE OPTION: Many store-bought gluten free flour blends will work as a substitute for the white whole wheat flour, if measured like this. I like this one from Bob's Red Mill. For the best results, make sure your gluten free blend includes xanthan gum!

 

DAIRY FREE OPTION: Use the coconut oil option or stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one), and use your preferred non-dairy milk in place of the nonfat milk.

 

{clean eating, low fat, low calorie, lower sugar, gluten free option, dairy free option}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also enjoy Amy’s other recipes…
♡  Soft-Baked Ginger Cookies
♡  Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies
♡  Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
♡  Classic Gingerbread with Maple Glaze
♡  Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Mini Muffins
♡  Gingerbread Protein Overnight Oats
♡  Single-Serving Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Mug Cake
♡  Baked Gingerbread Donuts with Maple Glaze
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s healthy cookie recipes and healthy holiday recipes!

Note: The recipe video was sponsored by SweetLeaf®. As always, all thoughts, text, photos, videos, and recipes are my own.