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Homemade Gingerbread Cookies

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Homemade Gingerbread Cookies are full of yummy spices, delicious aroma and are the perfect food to create holiday baking memories with.  These gingerbread cookies can be made with whole wheat goodness and coconut oil for a hint of that yummy flavor and a dairy free cookie!

Delicious gingerbread cookies on plate, closeup

Holidays are all about traditions for me.  One thing that brings memories, family togetherness, and fun together is food!  I think Holiday baking with your kids is one of the best ways to create these traditions and memories with your kids.   Gingerbread is not only delicious, but is so fun to make and decorate with your kids!

How to Make Gingerbread Cookies

To make these cookies, first mix your dry ingredients in a medium size bowl and whisk together.  I love the stainless mixing bowls that have silicone on the bottom because then your bowl stays in place.  When my kids are helping me mix, this is a major plus!  These cookies are really soft, but if you use all whole wheat then they will have a lot of substance.  If your family isn’t used to eating a lot of whole wheat, they may prefer a ratio of whole wheat to all-purpose flour in these cookies.  It may be a good idea to start out 2 cups AP to 1 cup WW.

delicious homemade gingerbread cookies on wooden table with flour in a bowl

Mix your coconut oil, brown sugar, and vanilla in a stand mixture and beat until smooth and creamy.  Then add your molasses.  After the molasses is combined, then you will mix the dry and wet ingredients together.  Sprinkle some flour on a clean surface and roll out your dough. If your dough feels too sticky, use extra flour to roll them out. Then let your kids help you cut out different shapes with cookie cutters.

Lay out your cookies on a parchment line baking sheet. This is my very favorite parchment paper. It is pre-cut to fit baking sheets, helps your cookies bake more evenly, prevents them from sticking, and makes cleaning your pan super quick!

Different shapes of homemade gingerbread cookies on a wood table

Decorating Your Gingerbread Cookies

My kids love helping to make the cookies, but their favorite part is decorating them.  There are a lot of kids out there that are sensitive to food dyes, and colored frosting and sprinkles can make that difficult. I actually prefer the look of plain white frosting on a gingerbread cookie, but if you like colored frosting then a good option is Maggie’s natural food coloring and sprinkles. They use all natural plant, fruit and vegetable extracts to color their products and so you can feel good knowing there are no artificial colors or food dyes in their products.

Delicious homemade gingerbread cookies on wooden plate with a red and white gingham napkin underneath.

I like to use royal icing because it is easy to work with when decorating and it hardens so that your designs will stay. After I make my icing, I put it into a squeeze bottle with a small tip and then it is easier to make designs on your cookies. I think it is easier than working with frosting in a bag with a tip, especially for kids.

These are fun to make and also fun to giveaway!  My girls loved making and decorating them and then giving them to friends and neighbors.

Delicious homemade gingerbread cookies on plate, closeup
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3.8 from 48 votes

Homemade Gingerbread Cookies

These gingerbread cookies can be made with whole wheat goodness and coconut oil for a hint of that yummy flavor and a dairy free cookie!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24 cookies, 1 1/2 cups icing
Calories: 133kcal

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cookies

  • 3 cups flour combo of whole wheat + all-purpose
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves, ground
  • 6 tablespoon coconut oil or butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2/3 cup molasses
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Royal Icing

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 5 tbsp warm water
  • 3 tbsp meringue powder

Instructions

Cookies

  • Preheat oven to 375 deg. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.
  • In a stand mixer, beat softened coconut oil (or butter), brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until almost whipped. Add molasses, and vanilla and continue to mix until well blended.
  • Gradually stir in dry ingredients until smooth.
  • Place your dough on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin.
  • Roll dough to about 1/4-inch thick. Cut out cookies with your favorite cookie cutter and place cookies on baking tray about 1 1/2 inches apart.
  • Bake for 7-10 minutes (the lower time will give you softer cookies)
  • Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack. Once your cookies are cool, you can decorate!

Icing

  • Add all ingredients to a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 5-7 minutes until peaks begin to form. Scoop your icing into a squeeze bottle with a small tip or a piping bag with a small tip.
  • You can create designs with lines and dots, or you can also create areas of smooth frosting. To do this, first outline the border, then fill in the middle and let the frosting settle until it has filled in that area. Use a toothpick to fill in any gaps by spreading the icing around, then tap the cookie on the counter a few times to help the icing settle into a smooth, even layer.

Notes

** If you aren’t making the cookies immediately, divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate.  It can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, but needs to return to room temperature before rolling out.

Nutrition

Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 72mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g
Keyword : Whole Wheat Gingerbread Cookies {Dairy Free}

www.superhealthykids.com

Natalie Monson

I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.

Learn More about Natalie

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37 Comments

I’m sure that this dough can be frozen then defrosted overnight in fridge, but wanted to check to see if you tried it? And if so did they come out the same?

I’m really trying to get myself, my family, and my home healthier in every way. These tools look like a great way to help.

I tried making the whole wheat gingerbread cookies and the dough came out crumbly and would fall apart. I follow the recipe exactly? What happened?

4 stars
I substituted coconut sugar and added an extra egg. After rolling out the first bit got dry so I added a tiny bit of water.

Hi! These look yum! I’d like to ask what ratio of whole wheat : all purpose flour you used? I’m afraid the outcome would be different.

I tried making this and measured everything to the T. But my dough wasn’t pliable and was rather moist even though I popped it in the fridge.
If I add more flour then the flavours will get subdued.

This recipe didn’t work for me at all! I followed it exactly and the dough was so crumbly I couldn’t roll it out. Very disappointed.