1. Gingerbread cookies
This unique aroma will transport you into the heart of Christmas right from the doorstep! And it’s all thanks to the magic of cloves and cinnamon... these gingerbread cookies are bound to win over everyone’s taste buds.
Ingredients to make about 25 gingerbread cookies:
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil,
- 3/4 cup brown sugar,
- 1/2 cup applesauce,
- 1 egg,
- 1/3 cup date or maple syrup,
- 3 cups wheat or spelt flour,
- 1 teaspoon baking soda,
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger,
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon,
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice,
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.
Blend coconut oil (at room temperature; it should be at least malleable) with brown sugar and applesauce. Mix in the egg and syrup until fully combined. In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients and then add the applesauce mixture. Knead the dough and divide it into two portions. Put them in the fridge for at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Using a rolling pin, roll out one portion of the dough on a floured surface, to a thickness of around 3 mm. Cut out any shapes you like and place the cookies on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake the cookies in the oven for about 10–12 minutes.
2. Almond cookies
Almonds are a staple ingredient in many Christmas recipes. They may be calorie-rich, but they shouldn’t be feared, as they provide essential nutrients like fiber, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Pure essence of health!
Ingredients to make about 20 cookies:
- 2 1/4 cups almond flour,
- 2 tablespoons oat flour,
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda,
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder,
- pinch of salt,
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon,
- 1/2 cup refined coconut oil (at room temperature),
- 1 cup erythritol,
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract,
- 1 egg.
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine coconut oil (at room temperature) with vanilla extract. Add the egg and mix again. Next, add the mixed dry ingredients in batches, beating them until the mixture becomes smooth. With a silicone spatula, form a ball of dough in the bowl. Wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge for two hours.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper. Take the mixture out of the fridge and, using your fingers, tear off pieces about the size of walnuts. Form them into small balls, place them on a baking tray and flatten slightly.
Bake for about 12–15 minutes. Take the cookies out of the oven and let them cool down.
3. Christmas oatmeal cookies (vegan)
These cookies make for a great lunchtime bite. You can enjoy them as a post-workout snack, but they’re also great as a coffee accompaniment. But most importantly, they’re packed with valuable nutrients. Cheers!
Ingredients to make about a dozen cookies:
- 2 cups rolled oats,
- 2 ripe bananas,
- 3 tablespoons sunflower or coconut oil,
- 1 teaspoon baking powder,
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon,
- finely grated zest of orange,
- pinch of salt.
Grind rolled oats lightly in a blender (not to flour consistency). In another mixing bowl, mash the bananas to a pulp. Combine the pulp with ground rolled oats along with oil, baking powder, cinnamon, orange zest, and salt.
Shape the mixture into flat cookies and arrange on a baking tray. Bake for about 15 minutes at 200 degrees until golden brown.
Read also: “A vegan Christmas Eve – traditional dishes in a vege version”.
4. Vegan gingerbread cookies
Delicious and melt-in-your-mouth, they’re in no way inferior to traditional gingerbread cookies! Once baked, you can store them for up to several weeks. You can also use them to decorate your Christmas tree or give it to someone as a festive gift.
Ingredients to make a few dozen cookies:
- 2 cups wheat flour,
- 1 cup rye flour (grade 720),
- 1 cup icing sugar (grind xylitol or brown sugar),
- 2 heaped teaspoons gingerbread spice mix,
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder,
- 1 teaspoon baking powder,
- 1 teaspoon baking soda,
- 2/3 cup sunflower or canola oil,
- 2/3 cup plant milk (for example soy milk).
Put all dry ingredients into a bowl and mix. Combine them with oil and plant milk. Use your hands or a food processor to mix the dough. When pressing the finished dough, your fingers should come off cleanly.
Roll out the dough straight away, without chilling it in the fridge before. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them on a baking tray. Bake for about 8–10 minutes at 180 degrees.
5. Peanut butter cookies
Nutritious, delicious... and suitable for a vegan diet! They will vanish fast, so consider making two batches instead of just one. Buy peanut butter without any additional ingredients (for example, salt, sugar or palm oil), or use one of our recipes for homemade alternatives to store-bought products. You will find them HERE.
Ingredients to make about a dozen cookies:
- 1/3 cup refined coconut oil,
- 1/3 cup almond milk,
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract,
- 1 cup peanut butter,
- 2/3 cup xylitol,
- 1 1/2 cups wheat flour,
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda,
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder,
- 1/2 teaspoon salt.
For the glaze:
- half a bar of vegan dark chocolate.
Combine coconut oil, vanilla extract, and milk in a saucepan. Heat and stir to combine the ingredients. Transfer to a large bowl and add peanut butter. Mix thoroughly. Add all the dry ingredients and mix them together using a spatula. Put the finished dough in a bowl, wrap it in cling film, and refrigerate it for an hour.
Take the dough out of the fridge and, using your hands, make walnut-sized balls. Place them on a baking tray. Use a fork to flatten each of them twice, creating a lattice pattern. Bake for about 15 minutes at 200 degrees. Take the cookies out of the oven and leave them to cool down.
When the cookies are cool, melt the chocolate in a water bath and decorate the cookies by drizzling melted chocolate using a spoon in a thread-like pattern.
How can you decorate Christmas cookies?
The best icing for decoration is made from traditional icing sugar. For the so-called ‘royal icing’, you’ll need only three ingredients:
- 300 grams icing sugar,
- 3 tablespoons aquafaba (starchy liquid from chickpeas),
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
Put the ingredients into a bowl and mix them thoroughly with a whisk, using gentle circular motions. Apply the icing using a fine icing tip or a teaspoon.
Read also: “12 effective dietitian's tips on how to eat to not put on weight at Christmas”.
Enjoy healthy and delicious Christmas feasts!