Vegan oil-free gingerbread cookies, made with coconut flour and chia seeds (no chilling)! They are nut-free, grain-free, gluten-free, Paleo-friendly, and can also be made keto with sweetener swaps.

Coconut Flour & Chia Gingerbread Cookies

Christmas isn’t Christmas without gingerbread cookies, so I decided it was time to develop a new version using coconut flour.

In order to make my gingerbread coconut flour cookies work without nuts, eggs, oil/fats, or other flours, I reached for my new favorite ingredient: ground chia seeds! I love the results and hope that you will, too.

Recipe Benefits

• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Oil-free
• Nut-free
• Gluten-free
• Grain-free
• Paleo
• Keto friendly (with sweetener swaps)
• No chilling (of the dough) required
• Fast & easy
• Made in one bowl
• 37 calories per cookie

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.

• Coconut flour
• Chia seeds, ground in fine flour (chia flour–how to in recipe card)
• Coconut sugar (options are in the recipe card, below)
• Dark molasses (options are in the recipe card, below)
• Spices: Ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
• Baking soda
• Optional: DIY Coconut Sugar Powdered Sugar

You will also need a small amount of water and some salt (however, the salt is always optional/adjustable).

Step by Step Directions

Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.

Step One: Prepare a Baking Sheet

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).

Step Two: Whisk the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk the coconut flour, chia flour, coconut sugar, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves and salt until blended.

Step Three: Add the Wet Ingredients

Stir in the molasses and water until completely blended. You do not have to worry about over-mixing because there is no gluten in the recipe, so stir away! If the dough seems a touch dry add a few more dribbles of water.

Using your hands, gather the dough into a smooth ball.

Step Four: Roll Out the Dough

Roll out the dough on a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper to an even 1/8-inch thickness. I know that sounds thin, but it is what works best for these cookies.

The dough is only the slightest bit sticky, so there is no need to add flour to the rolling pin or board while rolling out the dough.

Step Five: Cut Out Shapes

Using 2- to 3-inch (5- to 7.5-cm) cookie cutters, cut out shapes from the rolled dough. You can use large or smaller shapes, but do all of one size (no matter the size) per baking sheet for even baking.

Step Six: Transfer Shapes to a Baking Sheet

Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookie shapes to the prepared baking sheet, spacing two inches apart.

Re-roll the dough and cut out more shapes, repeating until all of the dough has been used.

Step Seven: Bake the Cookies

Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes until the surface of the cookies looks dry and the edges look a bit crispy.

Step Eight: Cool the Cookies

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes and then use a spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack and cool completely. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.

Texture of the Vegan Oil-free Gingerbread Cookies

The cookies are tender with a some crispiness at the edges when first baked. The combination of the chia flour and coconut flour creates a uniquely satisfying texture unlike traditional flour cookies. The cookies remain soft after storage.

Taste of the Cookies

The flavor of the coconut and chia flours is neutral, allowing the bold flavor of the spices and molasses to shine through.

The cookies are lightly sweet–just enough to make them cookies, but minimal enough that you can definitely justify eating a few of these for breakfast or as a pre- or post-workout snack (I have done all three!).

The amount of sweetener (coconut sugar and molasses) may sound like a lot, relative to the amount of flours. Keep in mind, though, that 1/2 cup coconut flour is the equivalent of about 1 and 1/2 cups of almond flour. Together with the chia flour, seven tablespoons of sweetener sounds more than reasonable, yes?

Decorate the Cookies as Desired

You can decorate the cookies any way you like! I made a simple powdered sugar-water icing using my DIY coconut sugar powdered sugar (it is grain-free).

It only took about 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar, plus a few drops of water (add just enough to make a drizzling consistency), to decorate all of the cookies with some minimal decorations (I did not want to add too much more sugar).

Place the icing in a small zip-top bag, snip off the end, and add a few cute details.

FAQ

How Do I Make the Cookies Keto Friendly?

It’s easy! Replace the coconut sugar with the keto-friendly, measure-for-measure, granulated sweetener of your choice and the molasses with keto-friendly, measure for measure liquid sweetener.

Is there a Substitute for the Coconut Flour?

Alas, no, not for this particular recipe. But you might want to try my Grain-Free Cassava Flour Gingerbread Cookies as an alternative.

How Should I Store the Cookies?

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

Can I Double the Recipe?

Yes! You can double the cookie dough to match your needs (sharing, gift-giving, etc.).

Can I Make the Dough Ahead of Time?

Yes! Cover and refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days in advance, tightly wrapped in an airtight container). Bring the dough to room temperature before rolling.

Is There a Substitute for Ground Chia Seeds?

Yes, you can most likely substitute flaxseed meal. Keep in mind that I have not tested the recipe with flaxseed meal.

Substitute 40 grams of flaxseed meal, which is about six tablespoons. You may want to consider finely grinding the flaxseed meal, as I do in my 2-ingredient flax bread and 1-ingredient flax tortillas.

Happy Baking!

Related Recipes

• Vegan Gluten-Free Oat Gingerbread (oil-free)
• Vegan Oil-Free Gingerbread Blondies (GF)
• Gingerbread Chickpea Flour Muffins (V, GF, Grain-free)
• 100% Chia Breakfast Cookies (V, GF, Oil-Free)
• Vegan Coconut Flour Gingerbread Blondies (Oil-Free, Nut-Free, GF)

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