This easy recipe for almond flour ginger cookies is a healthy twist on gingerbread. Featuring many of the same ingredients as classic spice cookies, including molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice, each cookie is so flavorful and chewy while being gluten free, grain free, paleo, and vegan.
If you love gingerbread and/or spice cookies but want something a little healthier, you have to add these almond flour ginger cookies to your holiday baking agenda! They’re so rich and flavorful, with a soft, chewy texture to boot. I couldn’t help going back for seconds (and thirds!) after they came out of the oven.
The almond flour in these cookies makes them grain and gluten free while adding protein, fiber, and healthy fat. They’re made without refined white or brown sugar, relying instead on maple syrup and molasses for sweetness, and have other wholesome ingredients like olive oil and chia seeds.
I highly recommend baking a batch to enjoy this season, but rest assured knowing they are delicious at any time of the year. Who says you can’t make a healthy cookie that actually tastes good?!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Almond flour: Use superfine (AKA extra fine) blanched almond flour, not almond meal. This is the best kind to use in baking.
- Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
- Molasses: I personally prefer to use unsulphured blackstrap molasses for almond flour ginger cookies. However, some people find blackstrap molasses to be too bitter and instead like to bake with light or baking molasses. It’s up to you.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Sub avocado oil or melted coconut oil if needed. I personally like the spicy notes that olive oil provides for these cookies.
- Chia “egg”: Made from chia seeds mixed with water. Sub a flax egg made with 1 tablespoon milled flaxseed and 3 tablespoons water if that’s what you have, or use a real egg if you don’t care about the cookies being vegan.
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Ground ginger, cinnamon, and allspice
- Vanilla extract
Equipment
Baking with almond flour is not the same as using regular flour, so there are a few things to consider when making this recipe. I recommend using a dark colored baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Dark baking sheets absorb heat fast and can sometimes cause the bottoms of cookies to get too brown or cook too fast.
However, for almond flour cookies, this is actually preferred since the almond flour may cause the bottoms to cook too slow. I first made the cookies on a light aluminum baking sheet with a silicone mat and the bottoms were not cooked. That’s why I recommend parchment paper instead of a silicone mat.
Instructions
The full recipe card for almond flour ginger cookies is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos to guide you.
Make the chia “egg” and let it sit for 10 minutes to thicken. Whisk together the wet ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Stir together the dry ingredients in a measuring cup or bowl, then fold into the wet ones. Cover and put in the fridge for a half hour to chill.
Scoop out 2 tablespoons and roll into a ball using slightly wet hands to prevent sticking. Place on the baking sheet, gently press down with your palm, and repeat until you have 12 cookies spaced 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until browned and slightly firm on top. Let them cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before enjoying.
Storage
Refrigerator or room temp: Keep almond flour ginger cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper separating layers at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Over time, the cookies will get softer and more cake-like. This is because almond flour is a very “thirsty” ingredient and absorbs moisture. I personally like the texture best immediately after baking or when enjoyed within the same day, but they still taste delicious days later even when they are cake-like.
Freezer: Place almond flour cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container with parchment paper between layers. Seal tightly. If using a bag, lay it flat in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months. Enjoy straight from frozen.
More Healthy Cookies
If you love these almond flour ginger cookies, check out some more healthier sweet treats:
📖 Recipe
Almond Flour Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds - to make a chia "egg" – can sub a regular egg
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons unsulphured blackstrap molasses - use light or baking molasses for sweeter taste
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.75 cups superfine blanched almond flour - 157 grams
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the chia seeds and water. Let this sit to thicken, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes while you gather the other ingredients.
- In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Measure the almond flour with the "spoon and level" method or by weighing it on a digital scale for best results.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chia "egg" after it has thickened, olive oil, maple syrup, molasses, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients to this mixture, gently folding them in using a rubber spatula until the batter is just combined.
- Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/178℃. Line a dark colored baking sheet with parchment paper. (Using a light colored sheet and/or a silicone mat will prevent the bottom of the cookies from baking evenly.)
- Wet your hands under running water and very gently pat dry so that they are still slightly damp/wet. This helps prevent the batter from sticking to your hands. Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of the batter. Roll it into a ball between your damp hands.
- Place the ball on the lined baking sheet. Gently press it with your palm to flatten to roughly ½-inch thick and 2 inches across. Repeat the process with the rest of the batter until you have 12 cookies spaced about 2 inches apart from each other.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the tops are browned and slightly firm. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper separating layers at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the cookies for up to 3 months and enjoy straight from frozen.
- Keep in mind that almond flour cookies get softer and more cake-like over time due to the nature of almond flour absorbing moisture. They will still taste delicious but they are firmest (yet still chewy!) when enjoyed right after baking.
- A regular egg can be subbed for the chia “egg” if desired.
- I do not recommend making this dough too far in advance and/or freezing it then trying to bake the cookies. It’s best if you let it chill for at least 30 minutes and up to a few hours.
Jody
Easy recipe and kid approved.
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
So glad to hear it! Thanks for your review, Jody!
Leslie
What one can use in place of molasses. I am diabetic
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Leslie, you could try monk fruit or stevia if you have access to that. However, the molasses does provide some of the rich flavor that’s typical of spice cookies. So to get some of that flavor, a possible option would be to replace most of the molasses but still mix in a little bit. Keep in mind that you will need less monk fruit or stevia than the listed amount of molasses. You could probably do about 1/4 teaspoon of stevia for each tablespoon of molasses (so about 1/2 teaspoon total). For monk fruit, sub about 1/3 teaspoon for each tablespoon of molasses (so about 2/3 teaspoon total). Then, mix in a little bit of molasses for flavor. If you are using powdered monk fruit or stevia, mix it with a little water to get a liquid consistency like molasses. There is also maple syrup in this recipe, so you may consider substituting monk fruit or stevia for that too.
Gina
What about subbing some of the almond flour with tapioca starch or arrowroot. Would that keep them chewier longer, you think? Love the prominent ginger flavor here.
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Gina, I love the strong ginger flavor too! I think using some tapioca starch or arrowroot would probably help keep them chewier longer. I’d recommend to start with subbing 1/2 cup of the almond flour with tapioca to see if it works (so you’d use 1 and 1/2 cups almond flour and 1/2 cup tapioca instead of 2 cups almond flour). Let me know if you try it! I’ll try to experiment with that combo at some point too.
Michele Fruits
Love ginger and appreciate the almond flour use. I will definitely try these ( minus the chia concoction 😂). Thanks!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hope you enjoy them, Michele! A regular egg is a great sub for the chia concoction!
Carol K
I made these cookies! I really like the flavor and their appearance but I find they are extremely soft. What can I do to give them a little more firmness?
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Carol, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! These cookies do tend to be soft for a couple of reasons. Almond flour does not have gluten like regular flour, which is part of the reason the cookies are really soft. It also absorbs a lot of moisture, making the cookies softer over time. If you want them to be a little firmer, I’d recommend using 1/2 cup tapioca starch and 1 and 1/2 cups almond flour (instead of 2 cups almond flour). Tapioca is a binding agent and also absorbs moisture. Let me know if you try the recipe with this combination of flours!