Nothing says Christmas like Ginger Shortbread Cookies. This recipe for grain-free, Paleo Ginger Shortbread Cookies is as quick and easy as it gets. The cookie itself has only six ingredients. You can dip these gluten-free cookies in chocolate and sprinkles (as pictured above), or eat them straight up.
I want to thank all of you who chat with me over on my Facebook page for letting me know that you appreciate the simplicity of my grain-free recipes. Did you know that I’ve been grain-free and Paleo since 2001. I’m often asked why I follow a strict grain-free diet, if you’d like to know more about that I recommend taking a look at my post on creating a healing plan for yourself –diet is a big part of my self-care program.
Now back to cookies. And the fabulousness that is ginger. Ginger is not only a fantastic flavor, it is an extraordinary herb that we use for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Did you ever wonder how this came to be? According to both Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine ginger has (among its many amazing benefits) warming properties; it’s also a detoxifying herb, but that’s a topic for another post entirely. In any event, given that the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays fall during some of the chilliest times of year, an herb that warms your constitution is not only delicious, it is functional. So there you have it, that’s why we have a tradition of eating ginger during the winter holidays.
I have lots of recipes that use ginger –here’s a recipe for Ginger Licorice Tea which will warm you to the bone on a chilly day. And here are my famous Ginger Shortbread Cookies. Well, at least they’re famous among the boys and their friends.
Ginger Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ cups blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons palm shortening
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 ounces chocolate chips
- 1 package gluten-free sprinkles
Instructions
- In a food processor combine almond flour and salt
- Pulse in baking soda and ginger
- Pulse in shortening and honey until dough forms
- Scoop batter 1 tablespoon at a time onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet
- Flatten dough with the palm of your hand
- Cut out (or trim) circles of dough with a 2 inch cookie cutter
- Bake at 350°F for 7-10 minutes until golden brown
- Let cool on the baking sheets
- Melt chocolate over very low heat
- Dip each ginger snap halfway into the chocolate
- Let excess chocolate drip off into pan
- Cover with sprinkles if desired
- Place cookies on baking sheet and let chocolate harden
- Serve
This month I’ve been doing quite a bit of grain-free baking for the holidays. My children and their friends are really enjoying the treats that I’ve been testing. And I’m enjoying that they’re eating real food without crazy ingredients and odd preservatives. Here’s to hoping the holidays are bringing happiness to your home as well!
Here are some other grain-free chocolate cookie recipes that are perfect for the holidays:
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Andolika says
I’m allergic to almonds. What can I use instead of Almond Flour?
Elana says
Hi Andolika, unfortunately I don’t know of a 1:1 substitute for almond flour. You may want to check out my nut-free recipes. Here’s that link for you:
https://elanaspantry.com/diets/nut-free/
Good luck!
Elana
lucille d'realle says
Dear Elana-
Thank you for being real! Thank you for not being a paleo stepford wife. Happy new year!
QueenJellyBean says
Great comment! Great movie too. :-]
Vanessa says
I substituted the shortening with butter. Life is just better with butter! It worked out just fine, although I haven’t tried them the way the recipe is written. I also added some grated fresh ginger– I think it could take a lot more!
Caroline says
We just finished drizzling chocolate all over these beauties!! I was able to get 18 perfect sized cookies, I used a lid from a sippy cup to cut my circles. They look wonderful!
Aleesha Banks says
These are really beautiful. Just so simple and stylish. Thank you so much for sharing these darlings with us.
ciara ni mhurchu says
Please find an alternative to Vegan Shortening. Anything made from palm oil is detrimental to the survival of Orangutans in Borneo and Indonesia. Virgin rainforest is being burned to make room for palm oil plantations.
Orangutans will be extinct in 10 years if the rate of palm oil plantation stays as it is.
Vegan shortening is NOT vegan. It may not be made from animal produce but it IS made by killing animals.
Your recipes are amazing and have changed my attitude to food. You have also got me cooking and baking.
Thanks!
SebbieDue says
There are sustainable sources for palm oil. You must do your research to find them, though.
Janice says
This is the same message I wanted to leave. I will not buy Nutela because they also add palm oil. My daughter spent 2 years working with the women and people of Indonesia and thier forest are clear cut for these palm plantations. Do not support this destruction to us all.
Meg Berthold says
Thank you so very much for that enlightenment. Please consider a broader way to reach the masses with this information. If anyone has seen documentaries on the plight/abuse/torture of these beautiful, warm, extremely intelligent beings, Orangutans,with highly developed emotions, replacing palm oil would be a given. The preservation of those sustaining forests is also an integral part of global ecology. We tend to ignore that we do not live in a vacuum; geographical borders do not contain or isolate ecological repercussions.
I’ll be more diligent about reading labels as well. Nix the Nutella. Making your own is tastier anyway..
Shari from NC says
Does anyone know if the dough be rolled between two sheets of parchment paper and then cut with 2″ cookie cutters (like Elana’s Girl Scout cookies)?
Thanks,
Shari from NC
jillian says
making these tomorrow…allergic to eggs so very happy for this recipe.
Stephanie says
I made these with maple syrup (I was out of honey) and coconut oil and they came out amazing!!
Matthew @ Lasik for Your Surgeon says
Awesome! New favourite