A few weeks ago, an old college friend flew down to Southern California for a special weekend work event. After their Saturday morning meeting, he and a few coworkers went out to lunch, and with that as his only free time, he invited me to join.
When I arrived at the place in the neighboring city, my friend walked out to greet me and introduce me to his coworkers. But instead of leading me into the restaurant on the left, we turned right…
And walked into the batting cages just across the hall! They were taking turns standing inside the turf batter’s box and testing out different aluminum bats, taking big cuts at each pitch that flew out of the ball machine. My heart felt so happy… I’ve been going through baseball withdrawals and had already started counting down the days until Spring Training!
After meeting each person in the small group (and desperately making mental notes of their names—not my strongest suit!), I handed my friend a bag of baked goodies, which he promptly ripped open to sample and share with his coworkers. Everyone dug in and started reaching for seconds almost as soon as they finished their first!
They all agreed—these Ultimate Healthy Gingersnaps were their favorite! They loved the sweet coating and cozy spice flavors… And my friend purposely waited until after everyone ate them to mention my cookies contained no refined flour or sugar. Nobody believed it!
“Seriously??” one guy asked incredulously. “I never would’ve known! They’re incredible—just like regular cookies!”
That’s the best compliment I could’ve ever asked for… Saying my healthy treats taste just like normal, traditional, indulgent recipes!
To make these healthy gingersnap cookies, you’ll start with white whole wheat flour (like this!) and four spices: ginger (always a necessity in gingerbread and gingersnaps!), cinnamon (this kind is my current obsession!), nutmeg, and cloves. I promise it’s worth buying and using all four! They create a deep, rich, well-rounded flavor profile, which makes these cookies so irresistible.
As for the white whole wheat flour… I know it sounds like an oxymoron, but it actually exists! And it’s not a combo of all-purpose (aka “white”) flour and whole wheat flour. White white whole flour earned its name because it comes from a special type of soft white wheat, whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. They’re made the same way and have the exact same health benefits! White whole wheat flour just has a lighter taste and texture, which is perfect for letting the soft and chewy texture of these cookies shine.
To sweeten your cookies, you’ll skip the refined sugar and use two key ingredients instead. The first is molasses (like this!). Molasses provides the other half of the iconic gingerbread and gingersnap flavor. Deep, rich, comforting… The way I imagine a big bear hug or cuddling up in a fuzzy blanket in front of a fire would taste. Don’t skip or substitute for it! Molasses is shelf-stable and keeps for ages. You can typically find it on the baking aisle near the honey, and this is the kind I use!
The second ingredient is vanilla stevia. If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you know how much I ♡ it! Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that contains nothing refined or artificial (aka it’s clean-eating friendly). You’ll use just over 2 teaspoons in your cookies… Which is the equivalent of 1 cup of sugar! ? This is the kind I use because I love its warm flavor. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, but I 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!)
Gingersnaps are famous for their crunchy sugar coating, and we’re not skipping that! But instead of granulated sugar, you’ll use granulated stevia (this kind!). It has the same flavor and texture as regular sugar—but none of the calories!
Just before popping your tray of cookies into the oven, remember to flatten your cookie dough. It doesn’t spread at all while baking! I use the flat bottom of a wide glass. Because of their sweet stevia coating, the cookie dough shouldn’t stick to the glass at all!
How perfect do those look?? I have a feeling my family will be eating them all holiday season! ⛄️? 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 gingersnaps and feature them in my Sunday Spotlight series!
| The Ultimate Healthy Gingersnaps | | Print |
- 1 ¾ cups (210g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 ½ tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 ¾ 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
- 1 large egg white, room temperature
- 2 ¼ tsp vanilla stevia
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60mL) nonfat milk, room temperature
- ¼ cup (60mL) molasses
- 3 tbsp (45g) granulated-style Swerve (or more, as needed)
- Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg, vanilla stevia, and vanilla extract. Stir in the milk and molasses. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated.
- Divide the dough into 18 equal portions, and roll each into a ball. Working with one sphere at a time, roll in the granulated-style Swerve until coated. Place onto the prepared baking sheet. Flatten to the desired width using the flat bottom of a drinking glass. (These cookies don’t spread while baking!)
- Sprinkle the flattened cookie dough with a little more granulated-style Swerve, and gently press it down into the cookie dough with your fingertips. Bake at 325°F for 8-10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.
It's incredibly 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 make your cookies dry and cakey or crumbly.
The cornstarch helps keep the cookies soft and chewy. Don’t skip it!
Any type of milk can be substituted for the nonfat milk.
I do not recommend substituting anything for the molasses! Along with the ground ginger, it’s what creates the iconic gingersnap flavor: deep, complex, rich, and cozy. This is the kind that I use, and it’s completely shelf-stable. You can generally find it near the honey on the baking aisle, and you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine too!
I highly recommend using the vanilla stevia! It’s one of my favorite ingredients, and you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too. Although you can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, I buy mine online here because that’s the cheapest price I’ve found.
If you prefer not to use the vanilla stevia, then substitute 1 cup (192g) of coconut sugar, brown sugar, or granulated sugar AND omit the milk. If using this substitution, chill the cookie dough for at least 1 hour after Step 2. After chilling, if the cookie dough is still too sticky to roll, then using a spoon and spatula (or a cookie scoop), drop one portion of cookie dough into rounded mounds in the bowl of granulated-style Swerve (or sugar). Rotate it until it’s fully coated; then roll it between your palms into a ball. Drop it back in the granulated-style Swerve (or sugar), coat again, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Do not flatten the cookies; they should spread fairly well while baking.
This is the granulated-style Swerve that I use! It measures cup-for-cup like granulated sugar (and basically tastes like it too!). If you prefer not to use the granulated-style Swerve, then substitute coconut or granulated sugar.
These cookies are on the smaller side. If you prefer to make around 12-14 cookies instead so they’re bigger, that’s perfectly fine! They may need to bake for an extra 1-2 minutes. The cookies will be done when the centers still feel slightly underdone. (They’ll continue to cook through on the warm baking sheet at the end of Step 4!)
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, lower sugar}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Gingerbread Cookies
♡ Healthy Soft-Baked Ginger Cookies
♡ Healthy Morning Glory Gingerbread
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Sugar Cookies
♡ Healthy Iced Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Healthier Eggnog Snickerdoodles
♡ Healthy Chocolate Chip Gingerbread
♡ Healthier Christmas Sugar Cookies
♡ Healthy Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies
Amy, if I hadn’t tried it I wouldn’t have believed it. Rolling cookies in granulated stevia totally works!! This is a game changer as far as I am concerned. Thank you!!!
I’m so glad you loved these cookies Susan! That means a lot to me! 🙂
Actually, what you refer to as Granulated Stevia is erythritol, a natural sugar alcohol, and has no connection to Stevia. The label ingredients clearly state the ingredient as erythritol and not stevia.
Thanks for catching my typo Judy! I was so excited to share this recipe that I typed “stevia” instead of “swerve.” They both start with s and have zero calories — but you’re right, they’re not the same thing! 😉 I’d love to hear what you think if you try these gingersnaps!
Gingerbread is one of my favorite holiday flavors, as well – these look perfect and I love that they don’t have any of the refined ingredients! Win!
Thanks so much Melissa! 🙂
These cookies. Not want, NEED. Cannot get over how good they look- def trying soon!
Aww thank you SO much Karly! That means a lot, coming from you who’s such an incredible baker! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try these cookies!
These cookies look so perfect. I love chewy gingerbread and these ginger snaps look chewy but still slightly crunchy. Perfect !
Thanks so much Jenna! You’re exactly right about these gingersnaps. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try them!
How do you know exactly what one serving is? Could you leave exact serving for example ounces in your recipes that would be very helpful thanks!!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Emily! The full nutrition information, including the serving size, is included directly beneath the recipe. It can be easy to miss! 😉 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these gingersnaps if you try them!
These look to die for! Would it work to substitute all purpose flour, or regular whole wheat flour, instead of the white whole wheat flour?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Megan! I’ve actually covered that already in the Notes section underneath the Instructions. It can be easy to miss! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these gingersnaps!
Hi Amy,
These look just what I’m looking for Christmas gifts for my family. Can you use any sweetener we have Canderel in the house?
Many thanks
I truly appreciate your interest in my recipe Viveka! I’m so honored that you’d want to make these for your family. Since I’m US-based, I have no experience with Canderel. For the best results, I recommend using the exact products that I link to in my recipe (the links are the pink text!). 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try these cookies!
Hi. Is there a specific reason why only the egg white is used in this recipe? I’m just curious and haven’t seen this before. Kind of curious if it’s a fat or calorie issue or if there is a chemistry-like reason. Thanks!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Marla! No chemistry reason — mostly because of the fat and cholesterol! I have certain family members who LOVE Christmas cookies but are really trying to lower their cholesterol, so I wanted them to be able to enjoy some holiday treats too. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try these cookies!
Hi Amy, this is one of many sweet delights I made for Christmas. Gingerbread cookies are synonymous with Christmas. These are delicious in every way possible. I may just have to make them year round! Thank you as always! 🙂
As always, the pleasure is all mine! 🙂 I’m truly honored that you made these as part of your holiday celebrations. I hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas! (And I’m right there with you — I’d eat these all year round too! 😉 )
I’m interested in making for my newly diagnosed husband with liver disease. Eating very limited. Is stevia ok. What is Erythritol and its difference to stevia.? I was told Eryth……was best for liver. He just wants a ginger snap cookie. I want to make these as healthy as I can for him. Thanks for this recipe.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Cathy! Your husband is so lucky to have you to make him homemade goodies that work for his new diet. Since I’m not a healthcare professional, I’m not sure whether stevia is okay for people with liver disease. That’s probably something his doctor would be able to determine — maybe it’s worth a phone call to that doctor’s office to check? 🙂 Erythritol and stevia come from different natural plant sources and are different molecules. Both are no-calorie and should have no effect on blood sugar levels. Does that help, at all?