Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies
on Dec 11, 2017, Updated Jul 09, 2024
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These one bowl, easy to make Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies are perfect if you’re wanting a more wholesome holiday treat! Crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside, you won’t be able to resist! (Gluten-free and paleo)
Happy Monday! I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing to be sharing cookies on a Monday. I suppose if you didn’t over-do it on holiday party food and drinks or eat more Christmas cookies (and dough) than one person should eat all month then, you’ll appreciate a new cookie recipe. Luckily, these Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies are on the “nice” list, or at least as nice as any cookie can be.
I hate to call a cookie healthy because then people get confused and think they can eat twice as many. Cookies are dessert and even when they use better-for-you, whole ingredients, they still need to be eaten in moderation. I know moderation is hard to practice this time of year when sweets and rich foods are being thrown at you right and left. But when the new year comes around, think of how much better you’ll feel when you don’t have to think about going on a “detox diet”.
So while I’m definitely all for loosening the strings a little during the holidays, showing some restraint and not going hog wild will leave you feeling much better in the new year.
Now to the real reason you’re here, cookies! These Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies are made without flour, but rather use almond butter instead. They’re a great cookie to have around if you have any gluten-free or paleo friends and family stopping by. I made these Paleo Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies last year, which are also made using almond butter and absolutely loved them.
This spiced gingerbread version is perfect to make this time of year. They texture of these cookies is one of my favorites. They have a wonderful crisp exterior and a soft and chewy interior. The dough is spiced with fragrant cinnamon, ginger, allspice and cardamom. They’re sweetened with coconut sugar, molasses and of course the mini chocolate chips.
They’re made in one bowl without any fancy equipment, making clean-up a breeze! My favorite part about these gingerbread cookies is that they’re rolled in raw sugar for a delicious, sweet crunch when you bite into them. If you’re following the paleo diet, simply omit rolling them in the sugar or substitute with coconut sugar. If you love gingerbread flavor and are looking for a more wholesome ingredient to make, then these are the cookies for you!
Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 6 tablespoons almond butter, use one with a thick consistency like Justin's.
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar, or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips dairy-free or regular
Spiced Sugar Coating
- 1 1/2 tablespoons turbinado sugar use coconut sugar for Paleo or omit sugar coating
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the almond butter, coconut sugar, spices, baking soda, egg, molasses and vanilla. Once combined use a rubber spatula to fold in the mini chocolate chips. The dough will be thick and sticky so you'll have to work them in.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the rubber spatula and form the dough into large ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the spiced sugar coating by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Once the dough has chilled. Scoop out a tablespoon of the dough and roll it into ball between the palms of your hands, then roll it around in spiced sugar until it's coated. Place on the baking sheet, then repeat the process, spacing the dough balls approximately 3 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies on the middle rack of the oven for 7-9 minutes, watching closely. They will appear soft when removed from the oven, but will set up after cooling.
- Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, gently press down on them to flatten slightly. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet to cool for 2-3 minutes before removing them to cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These were great! I made them with Costco almond butter and I don’t regret it. Looking forward to trying different recipes on this site.
Thanks Wyatt! I hope you find some other recipes on the site that you enjoy too.
These sound absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to try them.
Only little problem: I can’t have coconut or vanilla. I’ll leave the vanilla out but I’ll have to substitute the coconut sugar- I presume I can do this with raw sugar or caster sugar?
What can substitute for molasses? I’m thinking it might be similar to what we call golden syrup in Australia. Have you heard of this?
Hi Louise,
You can absolutely sub the coconut sugar with caster sugar and then rolls the cookie dough balls in raw sugar. I think the golden syrup will be a good substitute for molasses if that isn’t available. It will probably make the cookies taste a little sweeter, but there’s nothing wrong with that. ;-)