Holiday Gingerbread Cookies

When the holiday season rolls around, so do the festive holiday treats!  Holiday goodies can be packed with sugar, fat, and also be high-calorie. 

Not ideal when you are trying to be your best self. Today’s recipe is a soft Gingerbread Cookie sweetened with Monk Fruit, that is also Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, and Dairy Free. 

With no refined sugar, this recipe is perfect for maintaining a healthy balance in your diet during the holiday season.  With the smell of nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger in the air, this recipe is sure to put you in the holiday spirit!

Monkfruit Gingerbread Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes + freezing time

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes + freezing time

Serves: 16 cookies

Ingredients: 

• 1 ½ cups almond flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp almond butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp monk fruit syrup
• 1 teaspoon of monk fruit sugar
• 1 large egg

Cream Cheese Icing (optional):

• 60 grams light cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp monk fruit syrup
• 1 tbsp low-fat yoghurt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 320°F and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Place the flour, baking soda, ground spices and salt into a medium bowl and mix until combined. Set aside.
3. Place the almond butter, vanilla, monk fruit syrup and monk fruit sweetener into a food processor and process until smooth. Add the egg and process until just combined. 
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, then gently stir until just combined and a soft dough forms. Do not overmix. Cover the dough with plastic film and place in the freezer for an hour. This will make the dough easier to handle and prevent the cookies from spreading on the baking sheet.
5. To make the cream cheese icing, place the cream cheese, vanilla extract, monk fruit syrup and yoghurt in a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Set aside.
6. Lightly flour your rolling pin and kitchen bench for rolling out the dough. Roll out the dough mixture until it is about 1 cm thick. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters and place on the prepared baking tray. Remaining dough can be rolled out again to make more cookies. Continue until all dough is used. 
7. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes or until the cookies start to change color and firm slightly. Leave to cool for 2-3 minutes on the tray before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. To serve the soft gingerbread cookies, fill a piping bag with the cream cheese icing and decorate them as you wish. Enjoy!