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AIP Gingerbread Cookies
If you thought you would have to give up your favorite desserts when you started an AIP diet, then you’ll love my AIP Gingerbread Cookies recipe.
This recipe has all of the delicious taste of traditional gingerbread cookies but with AIP ingredients!
That’s right, no modifications or substitutions are needed to make these cookies. I’ve done all of the hard work for you.
And even better, all of the ingredients are pretty easy to find in-store or online. And you might even have most of the ingredients in your AIP stocked pantry already!
So, turn on your favorite holiday music and start baking.
How I Made This Recipe AIP-Friendly
Honestly, AIP baking can be a bit tricky, but it’s not impossible once you learn which ingredients to use and how to use them.
First, I used cassava flour and coconut flour to replace traditional all-purpose flour used in non-AIP gingerbread cookie recipes.
Cassava flour is made from the entire cassava root, which is peeled, dried, and grounded into flour.
Cassava flour is mild in flavor but has a tendency to be gummy, which is why it works well with cookies and other small-sized baked goods.
However, cassava flour is often mistaken for tapioca flour (often called tapioca starch) because it is made from the cassava root as well.
Coconut flour is the dried meat from a coconut that is grounded into flour. Coconut flour is high in fiber, which means it absorbs quite a bit of moisture. This is why I used a lot of liquid ingredients and why the gingerbread dough is drier than traditional cookie dough.
Gelatin powder is a protein powder and is used as an AIP-friendly egg replacement. But be sure that you purchase gelatin powder and not collagen since you need the gelatin to firm into a gel when mixed with water.
In addition, many of the traditional spices and flavorings in gingerbread are actually AIP. Ginger powder and ground cloves are naturally AIP-friendly, which made it quite easy for me to replicate the classic gingerbread flavor.
Blackstrap molasses and maple syrup are great AIP-friendly natural sweeteners that give the cookies a deep, rich flavor.
Coconut oil is a common AIP-friendly substitute for butter or ghee. However, I highly recommend using refined coconut, which has a more mild flavor. On the other hand, unrefined (or virgin) coconut oil will likely overwhelm your cookies with coconut flavor.
Unsweetened coconut milk is a great soy-free and dairy-free AIP-friendly milk replacement. However, it is best to use homemade coconut milk or store-bought brands that don’t contain stabilizers, gums, and other non-AIP ingredients.
Other AIP Cookie Recipes
If this recipe has you hungry for more AIP-friendly cookies, then I have you covered!
My AIP Sweet Potato Cookies are made with just a few easy-to-find ingredients and are loaded with nutritious sweet potatoes.
And if you want even more cookie recipes that are loaded with nutritious vegetables, you need to try my AIP Sweet Beet Cookies.
If you miss chocolate, then you have to make my AIP “Chocolate” Cookies to help satisfy your chocolate cravings.
And if you want more holiday-inspired cookies, then check out my 25 AIP Christmas Recipes That Will Make You Jolly.
But if you just want all of the best AIP cookie recipes that you can find, then here are 33 AIP Cookie Recipes To Keep Cravings At Bay.
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Description
Golden, spicy classic gingerbread cookies made with all AIP ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 g) cassava flour (plus additional for dusting)
- 1/2 cup (56 g) coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) ginger powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) baking soda
- 1 gelatin egg* (see notes)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup
- 3 Tablespoons (45 ml) unsulfured blackstrap molasses
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 2 to 4 Tablespoons (30 to 60 ml) unsweetened coconut milk
For the icing (optional):
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut butter, melted and cooled
- 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Line two cookie sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk to combine the cassava flour, coconut flour, ginger powder, ground cloves, salt, and baking soda.
- Add the gelatin egg, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix thoroughly to combine.
- Add 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) of coconut milk to the bowl and combine until the mixture forms a dry dough that can be pressed into a ball. If needed, add the remaining coconut milk, as needed, until the dough can be formed into a ball.
- Lightly dust your work surface with cassava flour. Place the dough on the work surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough to about 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) thickness. (This dough is tricky to work with and it crumbles, but it presses back together really easily. A mixture of rolling and pressing flat with your hands works well to flatten the dough.)
- Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired shapes and carefully place on the prepared cookie sheets about 1-inch (2.5 cm) apart. (Place all smaller cookies on one sheet and bigger ones on another as the smaller cookies take 2 to 3 fewer minutes to cook than the larger cookies).
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookies are golden.
- Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let cool for 2 to 3 minutes before carefully transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- If desired, prepare the optional icing by whisking the melted coconut butter, melted coconut oil, and maple syrup until completely combined. Pipe or drizzle the icing on the cooled cookies to decorate before serving.
Notes
For the gelatin egg: In a small bowl, mix 1 Tablespoon (6 g) of gelatin with 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) of lukewarm water and let sit for 1 minute. Add 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) of hot water and whisk until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes before using.
All nutritional data are estimated and based on per serving amounts.
Net Carbs per serving: 8 g
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 small cookie
- Calories: 111
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
Prep Time:
Yield:
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