Deeply delicious, shortbread-like tiger nut flour ginger cookies are perfect for nibbling any season. They are vegan, grain-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and Paleo.

Healthy Gluten-Free Baking with Tiger Nut Flour

I am a fool for just about any ginger or gingerbread type of baked goods all year round, but especially Ince the winter holidays roll around.

If you fall into the same category , you simply must try my ginger cookies made with tiger nut flour. They are cookies that just about everyone on your baking list can savor and love!

What is Tiger Nut Flour?

First up: what the heck is tiger nut flour?

Tiger nut flour is faintly sweet, gluten-free flour made from finely ground tiger nuts (also known as chufa nuts). The "tiger" eponym comes from the tiger-pattern exterior of the nuts. The nuts make a great snack on their own, too.

Tiger Nuts are NOT Nuts

Despite their name, tiger nuts are not nuts, nor are they related to any kind of nuts. Instead, tiger nuts are tubers that grown of the yellow nutsedge plant. They are a sustainable, allergen-free crop that can be enjoyed by just about everyone!

Where to Buy Tiger Nut Flour

Tiger nut flour can be found at health food store and online, but I recently found it right here, in my smallish Texas town, in the gluten-free baking section of my local superstore. It was well below half the price of an equal mount of almond flour.

Recipe Benefits

Whether you are novice, an expert, or anywhere in between when it comes to baking with tiger nut flour, I know that one thing is certain: you will LOVE these cookies. They are:

• Quick & easy to make
• Vegan (egg-free & dairy-free)
• Gluten-free
• Grain-free
• Nut-free
• Seed-free
• Paleo

Ingredients for the Cookies

To make the cookies, you will need the following:

• Tiger nut flour
• Tapioca flour
• Coconut sugar (I have alternatives in the recipe card, below)
• Vegetable oil (I used avocado oil)
• Ground spices (ginger, cinnamon, cloves)
• Salt
• Water

Recipe Accuracy: Weigh Your Ingredients

Tiger nut flour is unique, but it is much like other alternative gluten-free and grain-free flours and meals when it comes to measurement: it is easily mis-measured if it is packed into the measuring cup. Weighing the flour ensures that the correct amount goes into the recipe, every single time.

For the best (and most consistent results), I recommend weighing the ingredients with a digital kitchen scale. It is one of my favorite, and most-used, baking tools!

Step by Step Instructions

I am all for baking and eating ginger cookies at all times of the year. If you are making a batch of these cookies during the winter holidays, you'll be happy to know that they can be assembled an baked with ease, regardless of baking skill.

Step One: Preheat the Oven & Prep a Baking Sheet

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) before mixing the cookie dough. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step Two: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk the tiger nut flour, tapioca flour, coconut sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt until blended.

Step Three: Add the Wet Ingredients

Add the warm coconut oil and water to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until completely combined into a dough.

Step Four: Shape the Cookies

Roll 10 equal portions of the dough into balls (I use my small cookie scoop for even portioning, but a tablespoon measure of dough will also work well).

Use your fingertips or the flat bottom of a glass to flatten the dough into an even circle.

Step Five: Bake the Cookies

Bake the cookies in a preheated oven for 8 to 9 minutes until just set and the edges of the cookies appear crispy and dry.

Step Six: Cool the Cookies

Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.. It's a hard ask, I know. But believe me, these ginger-y gems are worth the wait!

Texture of the Cookies

The cookies are slightly fragile while still warm. They are more durable once cooled and, if chilled, they are very firm. The cookies are tender and crisp, like sandies or shortbread.

FAQ

How should the cookies be stored?

Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 3 days, the refrigerator for 1 week or the freezer for up to 6 months.

Can I use another flour in place of the tiger nut flour?

Not without some experimentation. I specifically designed this recipe using tiger nut flour, for which there is no ready substitute.

I have many other cookie recipes on my site using coconut flour, almond flour, chickpea flour, flaxseed meal, and more. Use the search function and type "cookies" to find a recipe that uses the flour you prefer or have on hand.

Can I leave out the oil?

Technically, yes, but the cookies will have a different texture. The oil in this recipe leads to tender cookies with a crisp texture that is similar to shortbread.

If the oil is replaced with something like applesauce, water, or nondairy milk, the texture will be soft instead of crisp.

Is there a substitute for the tapioca flour?

I have only tested this recipe using tapioca flour. However, an equal amount of potato starch or arrowroot should work well as substitutes. If you are ok with cornstarch, that should work, too.

Happy baking, friends!

Related Recipes:

• Tiger Nut Flour Pie Crust {grain-free, vegan}
• 3-Ingredient Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies
• 3-Ingredient Flax Shortbread Cookies {vegan, GF, keto option}
• Vegan Oat Shortbread {Gluten-Free}
• 3-Ingredient Coconut Flour Shortbread {vegan, keto option}