This is one of an occasional series of healthy cooking posts.  I started following a gluten/dairy/sugar free diet two years ago as part of my healing from Lyme Disease.  As I have felt better I have experimented with different recipes that are more enjoyable than my usual “survival” cooking.  I cooked these as my Christmas treat.  Every time I bite into one I say, “these cookies taste great!”  So great, I thought I would share them with you.  🙂

ginger-molasses gluten free cookies

Ginger Molasses Cookies (Gluten/Dairy Free)

I don’t know that I would actually call these cookies healthy – but almost.  For sweetener I used coconut sugar and organic molasses, both of which have a lower glycemic index than white sugar and they also contain micro-nutrients that the body needs.  White sugar has a GI of 60 and zero nutrients, molasses a GI of 55 and contains potassium, calcium, iron, vitamin B6 & Magnesium and coconut sugar has a GI of 35 and contains zinc, iron, magnesium, potassium, B Vitamins B1, B2, B3 & B6 and Vitamin C.  So while these sweeteners are not low calorie, at least these aren’t empty calories!

Makes 2 dozen thick and chewy cookies.  Tip: to get the best results, measure by weight.

1 cup (4 ½ ounces) oat flour
¾ cup (4 ounces) white rice flour
¼ cup coconut flour
¼ tsp xanthum gum
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground allspice
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper (yes pepper – don’t be scared!)
¼ tsp fine sea salt
1 stick organic butter (melted and kept warm)
1/3 cup (3.5 ounces) organic molasses
1/3 cup (2.5 ounces) coconut palm sugar
1 large egg (2 ounces out of shell)
1 tsp vanilla extract

For rolling cookies: 3 T cup organic cane sugar or coconut sugar to roll cookies in

In a large bowl stir together melted butter, molasses and coconut sugar.  Whisk in eggs and vanilla.

In a medium bowl sift together flours, b. soda, xanthum gum, salt and spices.  Then stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture.  Stir in well to activate the xanthum gum and to help make your cookies chewy.

Cover the dough and chill 1-2 hours until firm (they say overnight is even better but I couldn’t wait that long to try these out!)

To bake: Preheat oven to 350◦ with oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Put 3T sugar in small bowl to roll cookies in.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls then roll balls in sugar to coat.  Place sugar-coated balls on baking pan 2-inces apart.   Bake 7-10 minutes until the cookies are puffy and cracked and the dough in the cracks appears undercooked.  Cool slightly on pan then transfer to cooling rack.

These cookies were based on this recipe from the Bonjon Gourmet

Tips: While researching a gluten-free cookie recipe, I learned it is especially important to weigh ingredients in gluten-free cooking since differently flours have different densities which effect whether cookies come out flat, thick, chewy or crunchy.   Measuring by weight makes it easier to substitute in different type of flours.   I borrowed our postal scale from the office but am thinking about investing in a scale for baking.