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Healthy Ginger Snap Recipe + Paleo Christmas Cookies

This healthy Ginger Snap Recipe, tastes even better than Grandmas and is quick, easy and Paleo friendly! Perfect for healthier Christmas baking!

Paleo Gingersnaps - Completely butter free, gluten free and grain free, you will be amazed that these Christmas cookies taste better than Grandmas! Seriously, the best! | Foodfaithfitness.com | @FoodFaithFit

It’s that time again! Time to team up with my all star blogging ladies to bring you some Healthy, Paleo Friendly Christmas Cookies! I’m excited that Kelly from Nosh and Nourish is joining the holiday fun today!

Paleo Holiday Cookie Roundup - Your favorite Christmas cookies, gone healthy! | Foodfaithfitness.com | #recipe

Here’s what these awesome chicas have baked up for ya:

Paleo Holiday Cookie Roundup - Your favorite Christmas cookies, gone healthy! | Foodfaithfitness.com | #recipe

Kelly made you guys some INANELY delicious looking shortbread cookies…I mean, check out the chocolate! Click to get the Paleo Shortbread Recipe!

Paleo Holiday Cookie Roundup - Your favorite Christmas cookies, gone healthy! | Foodfaithfitness.com | #recipe

Davida made you guys a classic…GONE HEALTHY! Totally in awe of the chocolate goodness in these Crinkly Cookies! Click to get the Paleo Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe!Paleo Holiday Cookie Roundup - Your favorite Christmas cookies, gone healthy! | Foodfaithfitness.com | #recipe

The talented Lee is bringing some more chocolate goodness. We all know hot chocolate is better in cookie form! Click to get the Paleo Hot Chocolate Cookies Recipe!

Paleo Holiday Cookie Roundup - Your favorite Christmas cookies, gone healthy! | Foodfaithfitness.com | #recipe

Lexi. That girl. She makes her own healthy Nutella! And she’s stuffing it in a healthy cookie for some salty/sweet action! Click to get the Sea Salt Nutella Thumbprint Cookie Recipe!

AAAANNND I’m bringing you a classic Christmas treat – the Ginger Snap!

I have been trying for YEARS (read: It’s may have only been a few days) to get three AMAZING recipes from my Grandma: her Easy Gluten Free Stuffing, her Paleo Pecan Pie Bars  and her Ginger Snap Recipe.

As you know, I got the stuffing and pecan pie bars out her at Thanksgiving.

BUT SHE WOULD NOT BUDGE ON THE COOKIES. They’re just HER THANG.

Until I told her how it would benefit my blog so much to have a paleo friendly version of everyone’s favorite Christmas treat.

And, you guys, I finally did it. No grandma can resist the thought of helping her granddaughter OUT.

HOLD UP THOUGH. My grandma did NOT make us any paleo Ginger snap recipes growing up, lemme finish.

I got it out of her…and then I changed eryyythang about it.

Except they still have Molasses. And baking soda. And salt.

So…there’s that?

Paleo Gingersnaps - Completely butter free, gluten free and grain free, you will be amazed that these Christmas cookies taste better than Grandmas! Seriously, the best! | Foodfaithfitness.com | #recipe

I don’t really know why I am trying to, UGH what’s that word?! I CAN’T THINK OF IT RIGHT NOW.

Oh yeah, JUSTIFY.  I don’t know why I am trying to justify these to you because, well….

They’re better than Grandma’s.

SORRYGRANDMAPLEASEDON’TNOTBAKEMECOOKIESATCHRISTMAS.

That’s the problem with having super hip and urban grandma’s. They know how to read these blog things.

Now I’m really not getting any whipped gluten free shortbread cookies. And she is DEFINITELY not making me any sugar cookie recipes.

We should move along before I end up being banished to the floor to share kibbles with my puppy during Christmas dinner.

 

So. Ginger snaps.  What’s your take on them? Do you like how snappy and crackly they are? (No pop – not Rice Krispies. Kapeesh?)

Paleo Gingersnaps - Completely butter free, gluten free and grain free, you will be amazed that these Christmas cookies taste better than Grandmas! Seriously, the best! | Foodfaithfitness.com | #recipe

Or are you more for the super soft, melty in your mouth, airy bites of sweet kind of gluten free cookies?

I can’t lie to you. I usually lean towards option B, HOW-EV-ER, Ginger snaps are the only cookie that I deem it 100% A-Ok to include a snappy, crunchy factor.

Especially because they look COOL.  I mean, look at all those crevices and valleys.  Ginger snaps are like the Grand Canyon of the cookie WURLD.

Whatever that means.

These babies took quite a few tests because I am of the thinking that a ginger snap recipe needs to 1. Taste like ginger. OBVI.  AND 2. It NEEDS perfect crackly tops.

Which was no easy feat without the gluten and general easiness that comes with baking with wheat flours.  But, you guys, we got there.

And not like the getting there when you’re on a road trip and your parents tell you that WE’RE HERE, but really they only meant that you’re at the gas station pit stop which TOTALLY crashes all your hopes and dreams of EVER getting out of the car.

Paleo Gingersnaps - Completely butter free, gluten free and grain free, you will be amazed that these Christmas cookies taste better than Grandmas! Seriously, the best! | Foodfaithfitness.com | #recipe

We got there, as in we reached the END GOAL.

And it has crunchy, sweet, crackly perfection, WITH my 6 favorite letters.

H E A L T H

Side note: I just used my fingers to count how many letters that was.  Someone shoot me.

Now. Mr. FFF is, what I like to call, a pinky-up Ginger snap eater.

Which means he is PICKY about his ginger snapety snap-er-oos.  He is a regular connoisseur. <— Big word.

AND, he agreed that they tasted EXACTLY like any unhealthy ginger snaps recipe out there.  He couldn’t even TELL they were good for him.

And, in man world, that is basically reaching the cookie mecca.

Paleo Gingersnaps - Completely butter free, gluten free and grain free, you will be amazed that these Christmas cookies taste better than Grandmas! Seriously, the best! | Foodfaithfitness.com | #recipe

You get it.

5 from 1 vote
Print

Paleo Gingersnaps

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 18 Cookies
Calories 134 kcal
Author Taylor

Ingredients

  • 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil melted
  • 1 Cup Coconut sugar lighty packed + more for rolling
  • 1 Egg white
  • 1 1/2 Cups + 1 Tbsp Almond Flour * 5.4 oz
  • 1/4 Cup + 1 tsp Coconut Flour * 1.2 oz
  • 1 3/4 tsp Baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 2 tsp Ginger powder
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp Molasses

Instructions

  2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

  3. In a large bowl, beat together the melted coconut oil, coconut sugar and egg white until well mixed. Set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, stir together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Stir until everything is very well mixed and there are no little clumps of flour.
  5. Stir the flour mixture, along with the molasses into the oil mixtures and stir until a slightly sticky dough forms. Place the dough into the refrigerator for 10 minutes, just to allow to coconut flour to absorb some of the moisture.
  6. Once the dough has chilled, Roll 1 Tbsp sized balls and roll the balls around in coconut sugar. Place onto the prepared baking sheet and slightly flatten down.
  7. Bake until the edges begin to go darker brown and top is nice and crackly, about 19-20 mins. (SEE NOTE ***) The cookies will feel VERY soft, but they will crisp up A LOT once cooled.
  8. Let cool completely on the pan and then DEVOUR.

Recipe Notes

* I know the measurements are very exact, which is why I HIGHLY recommend using a scale to weigh your flour. Due to varying sizes of measuring cups, you may get a different amount, causing your cookies to not be as perfect.
**Parchment paper is VERY important here. If you don't use parchment paper, your cookies will NOT come off the pan.
*** I baked my cookies on a light colored baking sheet. I also tested them on a dark baking sheet, and they only took about 10-11 minutes. So watch closely for the edges to begin to darken.

FOR THIS RECIPE, I RECOMMEND:

Nutrition Facts
Paleo Gingersnaps
Amount Per Serving
Calories 134 Calories from Fat 66
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7.3g 11%
Saturated Fat 3.1g 16%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.2g
Sodium 72.4mg 3%
Potassium 42.3mg 1%
Total Carbohydrates 16.9g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1.5g 6%
Sugars 14g
Protein 2.2g 4%
Calcium 2.3%
Iron 3.7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
(Per 1 cookie)

If you make these cookies, please tag #foodfaithfitness and share them on Instagram! I LOVE seeing your recipe re-creations! 🙂

AND, Don’t forget to enter My Favorite Things Giveaway AND The Adobe Creative Cloud Giveaway!

Paleo Holiday Cookie Roundup - Your favorite Christmas cookies, gone healthy! | Foodfaithfitness.com | #recipe

Want more Christmas treats?

FG2 Vegan Rum and “Egg Nog” Ice cream

FS1

Skinny Almond Joy Truffles

BFS

Skinny Peppermint Chocolate Biscotti

Paleo Gingersnaps - Completely butter free, gluten free and grain free, you will be amazed that these Christmas cookies taste better than Grandmas! Seriously, the best! | Foodfaithfitness.com | @FoodFaithFit

 This post may contain affiliate links, but I only recommend products that I actually use and <3. Thanks for supporting FFF! 

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Comments

  8. FABBBBB recipe and photos. PER USUALLLLL. I’ve actually never made gingersnap cookies….so this would be a good one to try. Maybe as the cookies in an ice cream sammich?!

    Reply

  9. Isaac and I love gingersnap cookies!! I just made a version with quinoa flour but I love the combo of almond flour and coconut flour too. Might have to try these. 🙂

    Reply

    • RIGHT?! Ginger and molasses go so well! P.s You need to come back Saturday then 😉
      Thanks for the love and pin Cyndi!!

      Reply

  15. I was in need of some gingersnap cookies recently for a pie crust so I bought some at the store. Ach! Don’t tell anyone I did that. Anyway, they were awful. I mean, they were fine crushed up as a pie crust. But as a stand alone cookie? Not so much. I’m SO glad to have this recipe and can’t wait to dig in!

    Reply

    • Haha…hey, you could totally start a new trend right!!
      I hope she does, it ain’t Christmas without her cookies! Thanks Arman!

      Reply

  18. Lookit these things! I want every last one of them. Any time I see/hear the word, “paleo,” I’m all, “I’muh eat the whole thing,” because: healthy. So these cookies wouldn’t last but 3 seconds in my house. Love the gingersnap, girly! Very tasty looking indeed!

    Reply

  19. So freaking good!!! Kinda funny I jut posted a gingersnap cookie too but I am totally going to have to try your variation. They look delicious. Your cookie line up is amazing! I think Gingerbread are one of the top holiday cookies.Just the smell…so holiday-ish..

    Reply

  20. That cookie in milk shot … truest photo I’ve seen!
    YES that perfect crackly top is life. It makes the cookie. I don’t think I’ll ever get my grandma to change her Christmas cookies but I know what I’ll be making for pre Christmas snacking (that’s a thing right?) Pinned

    Reply

    • Thank you lovely!!
      Pre Christmas snacking is totally a thing. lets be real, as food bloggers, we have to pre-PRE- Snack 😉

      Reply

  26. These gingersnaps look wonderful. Definitely going to have to share this with my sister in law who loves my gingersnap recipe but has recently gone mostly paleo. And I might just have to do a hybrid of the two. Taste testing- my favorite perk.

    Reply

  29. So, obviously ginger snaps are not that complicated to prepare as my wife said. Well, now at least i’ll cook them on my own. Thank you @Taylor Kiser

    Reply

  30. These ginger snaps look mouth watering good! All month long I am featuring different holiday cookie creations for my cookie countdown to Christmas! I would love it if you stopped by to check it out! 🙂
    Cathy

    Reply

  37. Healthy cookies?! Yes, please! Pinning this. I also wanted to tell you that I just found your blog through SITS girls link up. It’s just lovely! I look forward to following.

    Reply

    • Thank you SO SO much Tricia! I hope you love them and find more recipes that you love! I hope that you had a great weekend!

      Reply

  40. Taylor, love all of these paleo-friendly cookies!! and congrats to you for making the perfect crackly tops on these awesome ginger snap cookies!!! ginger snaps are my fave christmas cookie!! and maybe you can make these for your grandmother? 🙂 Happy holidays!!!

    Reply

  41. I pinned this when I first saw it – just pulled them from the oven…spectacular!! I love ginger snaps & these are the best I’ve ever made. Thank you for a great recipe!

    Reply

      • Have to tell you that the texture the next day was still great! I often find gluten free baked goods lose their texture (usually turn soft) so quickly & I don’t like that.

        On another note – I was on Foodgawker today & saw a recipe almost indentical to yours. Not sure how that works, but it was so close I thought it was the same recipe at first.

        Reply

        • YAY! So glad to hear that!
          Thank you bringing that to my attention! I found it on Foodgawker, and you’re right. Unfortunately, it does look way too similar to mine… Thanks again!

          Reply

  42. These look amazing!!! We’re on GAPS (and thus, limited to only honey as a sweetener,) do you think I could sub honey for the sugar here successfully?
    Thanks!
    Jac

    Reply

    • Unfortunately, you really can’t 🙁 Baking with nut flours is so temperamental and the liquid ratio is important, and honey would add too much liquid – I am so sorry!! But thank you!

      Reply

  46. Thank you for this FABULOUS recipe! I just made them and they taste amazing!! I will be making these again 🙂

    Reply

  47. These. are.amazing! Seriously, we made 7 different kinds of cookies for Christmas and my husband and I both picked this as our favorite. The kids, not as much…but I think they just don’t like ginger stuff.

    I don’t eat cookies, or really sweets in general, but these have me hooked. Such a unique taste!

    Any idea on the nutritional counts on these things?

    . Because trust me, I could eat the entire batch myself in one sitting. Holy smokes.

    Reply

    • Yay, I am SO SO glad you love them – you made my day – thanks!
      Unfortunately, as I am a recovered anorexic and counting calories is a trigger for me, I don’t allow myself to calculate nutrition – I am SO sorry! But http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ may help you! Thanks again!

      Reply

  48. These look delicious!! I’m wondering if I could sub the coconut sugar for Splenda brown sugar as my husband is diabetic. Always on the hunt for grain-free, dairy free & sugar-free recipes.

    Reply

    • To be completely honest, I really don’t think they would turn out the same. However, I can’t say for sure as I haven’t tested it myself! I think it would taste good, but the texture would be off, as Splenda doesn’t make things as tender as real sugar. I hope that helps! I’m sorry! If you do try, please let me know!

      Reply

  49. Is there something else I can use in place of coconut flour? Having an extremely hard time finding it in my area!

    Reply

    • Unfortunately, coconut flour does not react the same as anything else in baking, I am sorry!! Have you looked online? Or in bulk food stores? That is where I get mine! At Winco.

      Reply

  50. Just made these gingersnap cookies and they are AWESOME! I like mine less crispy, so baked them for 10 minutes, and let cool 1 minute before removing to a cooling rack. I used a silicone baking sheet instead of parchment paper and they turned out perfectly! I weighed the ingredients as suggested (on a really old scale). Since I’ll be making these often, I asked for a digital scale for Mother’s Day! 🙂 Looking forward to looking at your other recipes as this is the first one I’ve tried.
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • I always use a baking mat, but I assumed most people don’t have one 😉
      I am so glad you love them! And thank you for weighing the ingredients, it really makes a difference!!! 🙂 It’s so great to have you here, and I hope you find more recipes that you love – please let me know!!! I hope your weekend is great Sandy!

      Reply

  51. I used regular organic cane sugar in place of coconut sugar, but it was still nothing short of delicious. I cooked it for 18 minutes to get them perfectly done. Sosososo good! I highly recommend this to anyone.

    Reply

    • I’m glad you like them!! However, I do own the copyright of my recipes, so they can’t be fully shared elsewhere. Can you please include a link within your video description to my post to get the recipe? Thanks! 🙂

      Reply

    • Hi Lis! I havent! My gut tells me it wont work because, as you can see in the photos, like all good gingersnaps these cookies have crackly tops. I think your men might be crackly! Plus, I’m not sure how “roll-able” the dough is. BUT, if you do try it, PLEASE let me know!! Thanks and Merry Christmas!

      Reply

  56. I just made these! They are so legit! This is my first grain-free Christmas, and I was preparing myself to never have a wonderful gingersnap! But luckily, I can barely taste a difference in these from my moms normal recipe. I would like to add however, I think you should include with the baking time the information about the dark baking sheet… or specify because sadly I didn’t see the dark baking sheet instructions until I was 2/3 through baking the batch. I noticed it was too much time, so I reduced it, but it still wasn’t enough. So, just a thought 🙂 Thank you for this recipe!

    Reply

  57. Can you clarify the amount of ginger powder? The capital “T” in the recipe threw me off, so I just wanted to double check 🙂

    Thanks!!

    Reply

  58. So glad I found this recipe! It’s delicious! And I may or may not have bought a kitchen scale last night at the grocery store specifically for these cookies. I really, really wanted them to turn out … and they did! I’m curious how I should store them. I don’t want them to lose their crispness. Any tips on that?

    Reply

    • I am SO SO happy that you bought a kitchen scale! Seriously, they are SO key to gluten free baking! I’m also SO happy you love the recipe – yay! Thanks for letting me know!
      I haven’t made these in awhile but, if memory serves me right, they stayed pretty crispy just in an air-tight container on the counter! I THINK they would also stay crisp if you froze them and then took one out to thaw at room temp when you wanted to eat one? You could try freezing one to see? I hope that helps!
      Thanks!

      Reply

  59. OH.MY! I made these cookies last night & they are SO DELICIOUS! They came out perfectly – crunchy on the outside & soft on the inside and only took 10 minutes to bake so you really do need to keep an eye on them while they are in the oven. If I hadn’t baked these myself, I would never know they are good for you. This recipe is definitely a keeper. No waiting for Fall or Christmas for these yummy cookies in my house! Thank you, Taylor! I’m just starting my Paleo journey & immediately bookmarked your site. I’m a fan for sure!

    Reply

    • I am SO happy that you loved these as much as I do! Gingersnaps are TOTALLY not just for Christmas anymore…I say eat them all year round!
      Thanks so much for letting me know and for bookmarking, seriously that means the world!! Thank YOU! <3

      Reply

  60. Thanks for the recipe Taylor. Whole family is enjoying them. My 9 y.o. who helped me roll them (turns up for the best bit) even set the table with candles for “dessert”. Mine took a bit longer to cook, but I think that’s just my oven.

    Reply

    • That is SO cute that he set the table with candles, I love it!
      Yeah, I think my oven runs a little bit hot, but I am so glad you love them! Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply

  61. Taylor, I’m sure I will try these with or without the egg white. However, I was wondering if you know or have heard from anyone if they would turn out okay using a chia or flax egg instead? I am not supposed to eat eggs, but grain-free (not supposed to eat wheat, barley, or rye either) ginger snaps are really tempting!
    I’m happy to have found your blog. Thanks!

    Reply

    • I am happy you’re hear Tammy!
      I have not heard of anyone having luck with chia or flax egg and I really dont think it’s going to make them nice and crispy. I’m sorry!

      Reply

  62. WOW! These were GOOD! Perhaps I set my expectations too low with most new recipes, but the comment about the cookies tasting like “normal” ones was enough to go through the effort of making them. IT WAS WORTH IT!!! My 9 year old’s comment was that he can’t believe the recipe came out in 2014 and we didn’t make this earlier! We don’t have coconut sugar so I used 3/4c brown sugar and 1/4c white sugar as a substitute for the coconut sugar. Everything else was the same. I think these might be the best cookies I’ve ever had (of ANY cookies!) and will certainly be a go-to treat when we’re supplying dessert for our grain loving friends. Baked on a dark cookie sheet on parchment paper and they were done in 10 min!

    Reply

  64. Just made these and am waiting for them to completely cool! How am I suppose to wait from devouring them already?!!! Thanks for the recipe…can’t wait to dunk them in my coffee!

    Reply

  66. Thank you Taylor! These cookies hit the spot. Because I was in a hurry to get these gems in my mouth, I did use a whole egg. They turned out delicious!!!!

    Thank you for shating 🙂

    Reply

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