13 Dec Vegan ginger cookies: A festive recipe for the holidays!
Ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg are the perfect ingredients for a festive vegan or gluten free ginger cookie. The spices not only taste great but also have lots of health benefits too! These vegan ginger cookies are vegan, gluten-free and contain almond meal and brown rice flour, both of which are lower in carbohydrates than regular bakers flour. They also use coconut sugar which has been found to be better for our blood sugar levels than regular white sugar. This recipe will make about 15 medium-sized cookies that can last up to two weeks if stored in an airtight container. These Christmas ginger cookies are perfect to give to friends, neighbours, colleagues and family as gifts.
Ingredients in the vegan ginger cookies
- Almond meal – a nutritious substitute to baker’s flour
- Brown rice flour – another substitute for the gluten-rich baker’s flour
- Baking soda – will make the cookies expand and rise
- Salt – preferably iodised
- Ground ginger – you could use fresh ginger here, but ground ginger is more potent and will make your cookies taste great!
- Cinnamon spice – another great tasting spice that has a lot of festive connotations
- Ground nutmeg spice – adds a lovely flavour to your cookies
- Rice bran oil – or you could use another neutral oil – just steer clear of sunflower oil which is not great fo your brain health
- Coconut sugar – depending on the brand, coconut sugar can have half the Glycaemic Index (GI) as regular sugar and will have less of an impact on your blood sugar levels.
- Maple syrup or molasses – delicious flavours for your cookies
- Non-dairy milk – oat or rice milk would work well here. Almond milk works too, but it is not as great for the environment as the others.
History of Christmas ginger cookies
The history of ginger cookies dates back to the medieval era when they were known as ‘gingerbread’. Back then, the recipe didn’t contain any vegan or gluten-free ingredients, but it was still a popular festive treat. Ginger cookies became more popular in America during the 1800s and have been a staple of Christmas celebrations ever since!
Nutritional value of the ingredients
Nutritional value of almond meal
Almond meal is made from ground almonds, which are a great vegan source of protein. They also contain healthy monounsaturated fats and vitamin E – you can see why almond meal would be an excellent substitute for gluten-rich bakers flour! Almonds are also rich in magnesium, copper and manganese.
Nutritional value of brown rice flour
Brown rice flour has a lower GI than regular gluten-rich bakers flour as it is made from brown rice. Brown rice is vegan, full of fibre and also contains B vitamins which are great for energy production amongst other things! It is a great substitution for your gluten free ginger cookies.
Nutritional value of coconut sugar
Coconut sugar usually has half the GI as regular white sugars so will have less of an impact on your blood sugar levels. It is vegan and has a low GI, so it would be considered to have diabetic-friendly properties!
Nutritional value of molasses
Molasses contains vegan-friendly iron, calcium and magnesium. If you are vegan you might want to consider buying molasses instead of maple syrup – it is vegan friendly!
Nutritional value of rice bran oil
Rice bran oil has a lower GI than other oils so will have less impact on your blood sugar levels. It is also a vegan-friendly oil that is high in antioxidants!
Nutritional value of ground ginger
Ginger is a great spice to add to your vegan ginger cookies as it not only tastes great but has lots of health benefits too! Ginger can help with nausea, indigestion and circulation. It is also high in antioxidants!
Cinnamon spice
Cinnamon is another great tasting spice that has a lot of festive connotations. Not only does it add flavour to your vegan ginger cookies, but cinnamon has also been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and can help regulate blood sugar levels!
Ground nutmeg spice
Nutmeg is a great addition to your vegan ginger cookies as it gives them a lovely flavour. Nutmeg is high in antioxidants and has anti-microbial properties.
How to make vegan ginger cookies
It is as simple as combining the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately, then adding wet to dry and letting the mixture firm up in the fridge for an hour.
Storage of Christmas ginger cookies
The recipe makes about 12 – 15 gluten free ginger cookies, so you may want to double the batch – especially if you are planning to make these Christmas ginger cookies for gifts. They will keep in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.
One thing to be careful of if you are giving them as gifts or storing these delicious cookies is not to give them in paper bags. Instead, use a cellophane bag or something that is airtight. This is an issue because the recipe contains rice bran oil that can bleed into the paper bag and they won’t last.
We are pretty sure that your friends will love these vegan ginger cookies though!
Vegan ginger cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond meal
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp iodised salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/3 cup rice bran oil
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 3 tbsp maple syrup or molasses
- 2 tbsp non-dairy milk
Instructions
- Combine almond meal, brown rice flour, baking soda, salt and spices in a large bowl.
- Mix sugar and maple syrup or molasses with the rice bran oil in a separate bowl using a wooden spoon until well mixed and then add the dairy milk and mix again.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix lightly until just combined, with no visible dry flour.
- Cover and put into the fridge for an hour
- Preheat oven to 190C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge and take tbsp amounts and roll them into balls, flattening them with your hands before you put them on the tray.
- Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 5 - 10 minutes on the tray then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Credits
This recipe has been very lightly adapted from a recipe in the Friends of the Earth 2021 Calender.
Nutrition information
Did you make this vegan ginger cookies recipe? Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #myhealthzest
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