Grain-Free Ginger Heart Cookies

Gluten free. Grain free. Vegan. Nut-free version.

I usually make ginger cookies during the holiday season, but this week I was inspired by our upcoming Valentine's Day to make a slightly different version and would like to share it with you today.

Even when I eat sweet treats like these, I'm careful to choose ingredients that help reduce inflammation in the body...the star in this recipe of course is GINGER! Ginger is one of the most powerful medicinal foods available and has been used for centuries to help support digestion, reduce inflammation, aid in healing, and increase circulation.

In fact, because it can helps to increase circulation,  ginger has been touted as a powerful aphrodisiac...making it perfect for a Valentine's Day celebration with your significant other or friends! Check out this simple recipe...

Grain-Free Heart Shaped Ginger Cookies (PRINT RECIPE)
Makes about 16 cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour/almond meal (substitute cassava or tiger nut flour for nut free version)
2-3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (sub avocado oil or organic ghee)
1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup or organic cassava syrup
1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1. Combine 2 tablespoons oil, maple or cassava syrup and blackstrap molasses in a medium bowl and mix to combine well. Then add the dry ingredients and mix until a thick batter is formed. Add extra tablespoon of oil if batter is too dry. 
2. Chill the batter for 20-30 minutes in the fridge.
3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Dust your counter or a silicon mat with some flour or even coconut sugar.
5. Dump your batter onto the counter/mat, cover it with plastic wrap or parchment and use a roller to help flatten the batter to ¼ thick.
6. Use a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies, then transfer to prepared baking pan. Reuse dough and roll out again, and repeat steps until you’ve used all your batter.
7. If you’d like a sugar topping, try sprinkling a bit of coconut palm sugar lightly on top of each cookie before placing in the oven.
8. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are barely firm and the rest of the cookie is very soft. (NOTE: This cooking time will result in a softer, chewier cookie. If you want more of a ginger snap, crunchy cookie, cook for 11-13 minutes.)
9. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. 

I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as my family and I do. Happy Valentine's Day! Let me know what you think by commenting below - I'd love to hear your feedback!

~Billie