Iron-rich molasses, heaps of anti-inflammatory spices, and protein from almond butter make this cookie a reasonable, yet sweet, holiday treat. Growing up, my mom’s famous molasses cookies were an unspoken part of every Christmas. This recipe was an easy one to re-invent, using my Sneaky Snickerdoodles as a starting point, simply swapping out the maple syrup for molasses and tossing in a few more spices. The result is crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, and now a new part of my Christmas!
Although molasses isn’t considered a refined sugar or among the “white devils” it still contributes a fair amount of sugar in these cookies. They are sweet enough without frosting, but if you are serving these to anyone with a hole in their sweet tooth, this egg nog buttercream frosting is a delicious addition. These no longer keep the cookie dairy-free or refined sugar-free, but it does make it look festive!
Egg Nog Buttercream Frosting (Optional)
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 cups powered sugar
- 2 teaspoons egg nog
- Dash nutmeg
Mix all together in a mixer until sugar is dissolved and frosting looks glossy. Spread a thin even layer on top of cookies and sprinkle a dusting of nutmeg to decorate.
Molasses Spice Cookies
Ingredients
Molasses Spice Cookie Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups almond flour or almond meal
- 3/4 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup almond butter*
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon all-spice
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
*Runny almond butter is best! A jar is usually the runniest when newly opened. If you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel on your almond butter, add an additional 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil to the recipe.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, add all ingredients in the order given. Mix just until all ingredients are incorporated.
Scoop 1 inch round balls of dough onto prepared cookie sheet. You may choose to roll them in your hands or use a cookie dough scoop for more consistency. Using the bottom of a glass jar or cup, flatten the balls into round cookies, about 1/4″ thick.
Bake for approximately 10 minutes. If you like a gooier cookie, pull them out sooner, around 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire wrack to cool completely. Store them in a tightly sealed container for up to a week in the refrigerator or 3-6 months in the freezer.
Photos and Content Copyright © Jaclyn Beaty Nutrition, 2019
Jaclyn Beaty Nutrition 