Tis' The Season For... Gingerbread Cookies

gluten free - dairy free - soy free - paleo option

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Hello my lovelies! 

With this being a very busy year that included renovating our new home, moving into said home, buying a new business, growing our current ones and raising and homeschooling a busy toddler, I have intentionally decided to slow waaaay down in December. 

It has felt so good.

It's hard for me to lay things down. Especially when they feel like they are 'good' things. Yet I had so many balls in the air that I just couldn't handle all I was juggling and I was starting to get sick more often (which hasn't been the case in our home since we went more natural), and I was just run down and on edge and I finally said, no more. 

Our month has looked a lot like more intentional family time, date nights, traditions new and old, a lot of Christmas movies and baking. All. The. Baking.

We have some exciting news announcing in January, and it's sure to be a new season of busy, so for now I will bake and ice to my hearts content and enjoy every moment of peace this season of our Savior offers my weary heart. 

These Gingerbread Men are gluten-free, dairy-free, extra moist and subtle. 

We served them to family before a night of looking at lights and we got an overwhelming response of these being the "best gingerbread cookies ever!"

So, not to toot my own horn, but I've heard these are pretty good. ;) 

If you're looking for a Paleo/Grain-Free version, you can swap the All-Purpose Flour for Almond Meal. 

Gingerbread Cookies 

Ingredients

• 2/3 c. molasses
• 1 large egg
• 2/3 c. vegan butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 c. coconut or maple sugar
• 3 1/2 c. all-purpose GF flour (almond flour for paleo)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 TBSP. ground ginger
• 1 TBSP. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves 

optional: royal icing or allergen-friendly, dye-free white icing. 

Directions
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• In a large bowl beat butter for 30-60 seconds with a hand mixer until creamed. 
• Add coconut or maple sugar and molasses and mix again until blended. 
• Beat in the egg and vanilla on high speed for 1-2 minutes. Scraping bowl as needed. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk your GF flour, baking soda, salt and spices until mixed well. 
• Add the dry mix into your wet ingredients and bear on low until combined. Your dough will be very sticky.
• Divide dough into two halves and wrap each in plastic wrap, forming into a thick disc. 
• Refrigerate for a minimum of four hours, overnight is best. We did ours for six hours. 
• Once chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a few baking sheets with parchment. 
• Remove one disc of your dough and on a generously floured surface roll out 1/4 inch thick. Use your cookie cutters to make your desired shapes and transfer to your sheets.
• Bake for 10 minutes for medium shape cookie cutter cookies, for smaller cookies, bake for 8 minutes and for oversized or large cookies bake for 12 minutes. 
• Allow to cool for ten minutes before transferring to cooling rack. 
• Allow cookies to cool completely before decorating.  
• Enjoy your little festive friends!