Gluten-Free, Vegan Gingerbread Holiday Cookies! Sweet, Healthy Recipes!

Christmas time is a great time for baking! Filling the house with sweet smells, it's aroma therapy! Holiday get togethers, giving your baked tasty creations as gifts, to have with coffee and snacks, put that holiday music on and it really is a fun time! For those who are looking for sweet baking, let's look at some healthier options. You may need gluten- free or vegan option for baking. Keep on reading! We looked for those and found two awesome recipes on EatWell. There are more great holiday healthy baking recipes @ eatingwell.com


Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies 

Gluten-free flour stands in for regular flour in these crisp, festive cut-out cookies that taste amazing. To decorate, dust cookies with sanding sugar before you bake them or drizzle and pipe on royal icing once they've cooled.
Hilary Meyer
Source: EatingWell.com, October 2018 Ingredients
Ingredient Checklist 3 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened
⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1 large egg
Finely grated zest of 1 orange

Instructions Checklist 

Step 1 

Whisk 3 cups flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, cloves and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, molasses, egg and orange zest in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until well blended.

Step 2

With the mixer on low speed, then medium speed, beat about half the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until incorporated. Beat in the remaining flour mixture until just incorporated. Let the dough stand for 5 minutes. It should be somewhat firm, but not at all dry. If it seems overly sticky, stir in up to 2 additional tablespoons of flour.
Step 3 

Divide the dough into thirds. Place 1 piece on a 12-inch-long sheet of parchment paper and shape into a disk. Top with a second sheet of parchment. Roll the dough out between the parchment into an 8-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick. Place the parchment with the rolled-out dough on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough, stacking each disk on top of the previous one. Freeze on the baking sheet until cold and firm, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.
Step 4 To shape and bake cookies: Position a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 or 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 5 Working with one piece of dough at a time, remove from the freezer. Remove the top sheet of parchment and cut out cookies with 2 1/2- to 3-inch cookie cutters. Transfer the cookies to a prepared baking sheet with a wide, thin spatula, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining dough. (If the dough gets too soft, freeze until firm again. As you cut out cookies, set aside the scraps. Shape all the scraps back into a disk and reroll between parchment. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before cutting out.) Step 6 Bake the cookies on the center rack, one baking sheet at a time, until browned on the bottom, 6 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate as desired.
Tips
To make ahead: Prepare dough through Step 3 and freeze for up to 1 day. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 cookie
Per Serving:
373 calories; protein 4.9g; carbohydrates 63.3g; dietary fiber 5.8g; sugars 29g; fat 11.4g; saturated fat 6.5g; cholesterol 47.6mg; vitamin a iu 346.7IU; vitamin c 1.7mg; folate 3.4mcg; calcium 111.5mg; iron 2.7mg; magnesium 46.6mg; potassium 533.7mg; sodium 139.1mg; added sugar 4g.
Exchanges: 1/2 fat, 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1/2 starch

Vegan Gingerbread Cookiies 

Coconut oil stands in for butter in this dairy-free, eggless cookie recipe for completely mouthwatering gingerbread cut-outs. Decorate cookies with a simple vegan icing or sanding sugar.
Carolyn Casner
Source: EatingWell.com, October 2018
Recipe Summary test
Active:
1 hr 30 mins
Total:
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings:
50
Nutrition Profile:
Heart Healthy
Low-Calorie
Low Carbohydrate
Low Fat
Dairy-Free
Diabetes Appropriate
Vegetarian
Vegan
Low Sodium
Nut-Free
Soy-Free
Low Added Sugars
Nutrition Info
Ingredients
Ingredient Checklist 1 cup white whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup coconut oil, at room temperature (not liquid)
½ cup sugar
½ cup molasses (not blackstrap)
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract Directions

Instructions Checklist 

Step 1 

Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.

Step 2 

Cream coconut oil and sugar together with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light. Add molasses, water and vanilla and beat until mixed thoroughly. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating at low speed until just combined.

Step 3 

Divide the dough into thirds. Place one third of the dough on a 12-inch-long sheet of parchment paper and shape into a disk. Top with a second sheet of parchment. Roll out the dough between the parchment to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Place the parchment with the rolled dough on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, stacking each piece of parchment with rolled dough on top of the previous one. Freeze on the baking sheet until cold and firm, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.

Step 4 

To shape and bake cookies: Position a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 or 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 5 

Working with one portion of dough at a time, remove from the freezer. Remove the top sheet of parchment and cut out cookies with 2 1/2- to 3-inch cookie cutters. Transfer the cookies to a prepared baking sheet with a wide, thin spatula, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining dough. (If the dough gets too soft, freeze until firm again.) As you cut out cookies, set aside the scraps. Shape all the scraps back into a disk and reroll between parchment. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before cutting out.

Step 6 

Bake, one baking sheet at a time, until cookies are browned around the edges and somewhat firm in the center, about 10 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Decorate as desired.
Tips
To make ahead: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 cookie
Per Serving:
55 calories; protein 0.6g; carbohydrates 8.3g; dietary fiber 0.4g; sugars 4.4g; fat 2.2g; saturated fat 1.8g; vitamin a iu 0.4IU; folate 4.6mcg; calcium 19mg; iron 0.6mg; magnesium 8.6mg; potassium 54.3mg; sodium 57.6mg; added sugar 2g.
Exchanges: 1/2 fat, 1/2 starch

Find more healthy, tasty recipes @ link below!

wnctimes Marjorie Farrington