The holidays are here and I’m so excited to celebrate with one of my favorite desserts: gingerbread cookies! They’re perfectly soft in the centers, lightly crunchy on the edges, sweet, and full of festive flavors. This Healthy Gingerbread Cookies Recipe is truly one of my favorites and I know that your friends and family will love it, too!
Whether you’re making this recipe for a holiday gathering or just for a healthy Christmas dessert, this is a cookie recipe you’ll want to keep on hand. Get the kids involved with decorating or keep the icing decor simple – either way, these holiday gingerbread cookies will definitely get you in the Christmas mood!
RELATED: 20+ Healthy Christmas Treats
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need for making healthier, soft gingerbread cookies:
- Whole Wheat + Oat Flour – I used a mixture of whole wheat flour and oat flour for this recipe. You can use just whole wheat flour (adding more to make up for the oat flour in the recipe), but this may result in a dried cookie texture. Another option is to use all-purpose flour!
- Coconut Oil – These healthy gingerbread cookies call for coconut oil instead of butter. If you prefer butter, feel free to substitute the oil (lightly melted butter is best)!
- Molasses – Using molasses in gingerbread cookies is a total must! It adds so much flavor, depth, and the right touch of sweet.
- Brown Sugar + Maple Syrup – To sweeten the cookies, I used a mixture of brown sugar and maple syrup. So delicious!
- Gingerbread Spices – A mix of cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg makes for perfect winter gingerbread flavors in these soft gingerbread cookies!
How to Make Healthier Gingerbread Cookies
Making healthy gingerbread cookies is actually very easy! Simply:
- Combine the ingredients, mix together, then roll the gingerbread dough into a ball.
- Flatten the dough on a flour-dusted surface, then cut out the desired shapes.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 12-15 minutes.
- Lastly, decorate with icing or add a dusting of powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Cutting Out the Shapes
The options here are limitless! From gingerbread men (and women), to snowflakes and Christmas trees, there are many ways to make shapes using cookie cutters. Another option is to simply make round gingerbread cookies by rolling the dough into several 1″ sized balls and flatting into cookie rounds on the baking sheet!
P.S: Have you seen these NINJAbread cookie cutters? Or these yoga pose gingerbread cookie cutters? I’m obsessed!
Decorating the Cookies
Decorating healthier gingerbread cookies can be as simple (or detailed) as you want it to be! Piping a simple royal icing on to the cookies is one of the easiest ways to take them up a notch. Another option would be to simply dust a layer of powdered sugar over the cookies using this shaker.
How to Store Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread cookies can sit at room temperature for 2-3 days. They can also be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days!
To freeze gingerbread cookies, let cool completely and place in an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months!
More Holiday Cookies You’ll Love
- Soft Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Favorite Gluten-Free Almond Cookies Recipe
- The BEST Chocolate Chip Healthy Cookie Recipe
- Spiced Eggnog Cookies
More Gingerbread Recipes
- Healthy Gingerbread Oatmeal Pancakes Recipe
- Gingerbread Cookie Overnight Oats
- Gingerbread Loaf
- Easy Gingerbread French Toast Bake
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to give it a rating below and tag your photos @jar.of.lemons!
Healthier Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cookies
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup coconut oil (lightly melted)
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Royal Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 Tablespoons almond milk (or water)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix the whole wheat flour, oat flour, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix the remaining ingredients together in a separate mixing bowl.
- Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and mix until the dough is smooth.
- Roll half of the dough into a ball, then flatten on a flour-dusted surface using a rolling pin.
- Cut out the desired shapes and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Take the leftover dough and the remaining dough in the mixing bowl, roll into another ball, and repeat the flattening process.
- Repeat steps 6-7 until all of the dough is gone.
- Bake the cookies for about 12-15 minutes.
- Let cool, decorate, and enjoy!
Jennifer Banz says:
We used this gingerbread cookie recipe for my kids to decorate and they were soft and delicious!
SHANIKA says:
OMG! These Gingerbread cookies look so cute! I love how easy your steps are and how simple the decor! Makes it less intimidating to try!
Jenni LeBaron says:
I love the look of this healthy gingerbread cookie recipe! The oat flour must make them nice and soft! Perfect for Christmas snacking!
Jacque Hastert says:
Just in time for the holidays. These are a Christmas tradition at our house on Christmas Eve for Santa. I can’t wait to give these a try!
Jamie says:
I love how these are made with oat flour! I love trying out healthy cookie recipes since I can eat more of them! 😀 I’ll be adding this to my baking list this holiday season!
Denise says:
Gingerbread cookies are a must for a cookie tray! Yours look so cute and festive too.
Shelley says:
These are just gorgeous – and what lovely photos! I so enjoyed this post, and loved your idea that these would be even more fun and wonderful if I host a cookie party and invite people over to help bake and decorate! That’s really the holiday spirit! I also appreciate the simple idea of just dusting with powdered sugar if there’s no time to pipe royal icing – sometimes, during the busy holidays, you just need a great shortcut, right?!? 😉
Danielle says:
Perfect cookies and perfect timing! 🙂 I really like how they look. They could be easily used separate, as a gift or part of a bigger dessert even. Delicious!
Veena Azmanov says:
These are so cute and decorative and easy too. I want to plan making these yummy and delightful cookies with my kids.
Pavani says:
Your gingerbread cookies look absolutely adorable 🙂 My doctor has been asking me to make these and I think I’ve found the perfect recipe. Thank you for sharing.
GUNJAN C Dudani says:
I love the flavor of ginger in cookies.You gingerbread man cookies looks beautiful.
Melanie @ Bon Appét'Eat says:
I love any Christmas cookies when there are soft! Also, super cute, you can’t resist! Love your photography too 🙂
Natalie says:
I love that you used whole grains here. These cookies sounds delicious and they are so healthy. I must make them this Christmas.
Angela says:
Gingerbread cookies are my favorite! This version sounds amazing, can’t wait to give it a try!!
Deborah Brooks says:
I love gingerbread cookies and I have not made them in years. May need to change that this weekend