In the land of all things healthier, is there room for an ingredient that’s never going to be healthy?  Well yes.  Why?  Because CHRISTMAS!  And because gingerbread cookies HAVE to have black treacle (aka molasses to our across the pond readers).  It’s the thing (other than the ginger of course) that gives them all their gingerbready-ness.  Soft, melt in the mouth cookies and a flavour that is treacle’s alone.

Nothing else can substitute.

So I had to be super virtuous with the rest of the ingredients.  And I think I’ve done it – and did I mention they’re also vegan and gluten free?!  I call that a gingerbread win!

Add to that just how good for you ginger is and I think we can safely categorise these cookies as a health food right? ?

There’s also a whole boat load of goodies in them other than the ginger:

• almond butter – unsaturated fats that help improve cholesterol and provide energy
• coconut oil – helps convert the ‘bad’ cholesterol into ‘good’ cholesterol in our bodies
• coconut flour – high in fibre and protein and free from wheat and grains
• coconut sugar – whilst its vitamin, mineral and phytonutrient content is only in small amounts, it’s still double that of granulated sugar

Can we get a hallelujah for the coconut?

And as it’s officially the first week of Christmas – yes it is – get that tree lit, slap on an apron and some Christmas choooons and start baking.  Because you’ll want to make these more than once.  I mean you’ve got a whole tin of treacle now right?  And because YUM.

Make these for your friends, your family, your co-workers or heck, just for yourself.  Christmas deserves a whole month of celebration and nothing says Christmas louder than the smell of these gingery nibbles fresh from the oven.

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