Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies (Men, Women, People!)

It’s time for some delicious sweet and spicy Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies. I mean who doesn’t love these treats that always make their appearance at Christmas time!

This recipe first appeared on my friend Linda Etherton’s site (formerly Gluten-Free Homemaker). Some of you may recall that Linda graciously gave me permission to share some of her fantastic recipes (e.g., Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake, Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles) when she retired her site a while back.

This particular recipe is actually an adaptation of a recipe from another good friend, Vicky Rockcliffe of Gluten-Free SCD and Veggie.

I’ve always said that one good recipe leads to another and that is proven time and time again. I’m happy not only to share this recipe but also to think of both these good friends and how much they have added to the gluten-free community with their recipes and information over the years!

These cookies are made from almond flour, dates, honey (or molasses), spices, olive oil (or coconut oil), baking soda, and salt. They are slightly soft and chewy.

I love gingerbread cookies that are soft and chewy versus hard and crispy. (You know what I mean on the latter.)

To make these cookies darker in appearance and to create a much deeper flavor, you’ll want to use a darker honey (such as buckwheat) or the molasses option. But rest assured that both versions are great—dark or light in appearance or mildly or deeply flavored!

Of course, you can bake these cookies any time. And you should, because gingerbread cookies are always special.

Just know that whenever you bake them, your house will smell like Christmas. That’s always a good thing!

More Gluten-Free Ginger, Gingerbread, and Other Holiday Recipes

~ 30 Gluten-Free Christmas Recipes You’ll Want to Make Right Now!

~ 100+ Gluten-Free Gingerbread Recipes (Including Gingerbread Men and Gingerbread Houses)

~ Blueberry Gingerbread

~ Carrot Ginger Muffins

~ Ginger Cream Muffins

~ Over 20 Last-Minute Gluten-Free Food Gifts for Christmas!

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies (Men, Women, People!) Recipe

Yield: 10 gingerbread people

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies (Men, Women, People!)

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These Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies are made from almond flour, dates, honey (or molasses), oil, and spices. That makes them soft and chewy and sweet and spicy. Perfect for Christmas but you'll enjoy them all year long and whenever you bake them, your house will smell like Christmas!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 9 minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 59 minutes

Ingredients

• 10 dates (made into date paste; see instructions and notes)
• 1/3 cup honey or molasses
• 1 1/2 Tbsp ground ginger
• 1/2 Tbsp (1 ½ tsp) ground cinnamon
• 1/3 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 3 Tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 cups almond flour

Instructions

1. To make the date paste, soak the pitted dates in water that’s been brought to a boil until soft (about 20 to 30 minutes). Drain. Place dates in food processor or blender and blend until smooth. If necessary, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of water to create a smooth paste. See notes.
2. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
3. Add honey, spices, and two tablespoons of the date paste to a large saucepan and heat over medium heat until the edges begin to bubble slightly. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the oil until absorbed.
4. Add baking soda.
5. Add salt to mixture, then slowly stir in almond flour. If necessary, use your hands to roll into a smooth, moist ball of dough. Allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate if desired to speed things up.
6. Roll out dough between two pieces of parchment paper until about ¼ inch thick. Cut out gingerbread men, women, people, or desired shapes. Collect extra dough, re-roll, and cut out additional cookies until all dough has been used up.
7. Bake on parchment-lined baking sheet for 7 to 9 minutes. Time will vary based on the size of your cookies, so keep an eye on them. Cookies are done when they feel firm to the touch and a light touch leaves no imprint.
8. Allow to cool on tray for 15 to 20 minutes, then remove to cooling rack.
9. Enjoy!

Notes

This recipe leaves you some extra date paste that is great for sweetening smoothies or other baked goods. If your food processor is small enough, you only need about 5 dates for this recipe; otherwise, you will need about 10 to chop it fine enough.

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