Easy Vegan Sourdough Discard Gingerbread Cookies (Refined Sugar-Free)
It’s hard to get away from sugary treats around the holiday season. They are bound to pop up in the office, at friend’s homes, and pretty much around every corner you turn. That’s why it’s so nice to have healthier options within reach to satisfy your sweet tooth. These Easy Vegan Sourdough Discard Gingerbread Cookies are made without refined sugar or butter, instead using maple sugar, monk fruit sweetener and wholesome almond butter. Best of all, they taste delicious! Read on to discover why you’re going to love this recipe!
Why You’ll Love Them
Refined Sugar-Free
I don’t know about you, but I never feel good about eating sugary treats. They taste great but I know they’re not good for me, or my kids.
I don’t feel that way when eating these cookies. They are made with monk fruit sweetener, maple sugar, and molasses, all better choices than refined sugar. Monk fruit is a gut-friendly sweetener that does not disrupt the balance of the gut microbiome. Maple sugar and molasses, while still composed of sucrose, are not highly refined and retain nutrients such as iron, B vitamins, and calcium.
Made with Almond Butter
Another great healthy swap in this recipe is the almond butter for butter. The almond butter gives the cookies richness and provides nutrients such as vitamin E, magnesium, and protein. It’s also high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, and fibre which supports digestion and overall gut health.
The almond butter makes the cookies softer and chewier; if you prefer a crispier cookie, or if want to keep the recipe nut-free, substitute with butter (or plant-based butter to keep it vegan).
Made with Spelt
If you have a mild gluten sensitivity, then you may be able to tolerate these cookies better than those made with modern wheat. The gluten structure in spelt is more fragile making it easier to digest. If you’d like to make these cookies even healthier, you can substitute half or all the flour with whole grain spelt flour which is full of nutrients such as B vitamins, protein, and fibre.
Uses Sourdough Discard
If you’re like me, you’re often looking for recipes to use up sourdough discard. This is a great recipe if you don’t need to use up a lot of discard.
What’s great is if you opt to leave the dough in the fridge overnight, it long ferments, breaking down gluten and making the cookies easier to digest.
Kid-Friendly
This is such a great holiday activity to do with the kids. They love cutting out the cookies, arranging them on the baking sheets, and of course, decorating them! My kids enjoy making these cookies so much that they ask every year when we are going to make gingerbread. It’s become a family tradition that they look forward to.
Tools Needed
- Stand mixer (optional)
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutter(s) – classic gingerbread man or any shape you have
- Baking sheets
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- Light Spelt Flour – all-purpose can be substituted (see notes)
- Baking soda
- Ground ginger
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- All-spice
- Salt
Wet Ingredients
- Sourdough discard
- Almond butter – or substitute with plant-based butter
- Maple sugar
- Monk fruit sweetener
- Molasses
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Vegan Sourdough Discard Gingerbread Cookies
Mix Wet Ingredients
Cream the almond butter, monk fruit sweetener, and maple sugar in the stand mixer.
Add the sourdough discard, molasses, and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
Combine Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Add the dry ingredients gradually to the wet ingredients. Mix until a stiff dough forms.
Chill Dough
Divide the dough in two and shape into discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Roll & Cut
Preheat the oven to 350 F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
On a floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutter(s).
Bake
Transfer cookies to baking sheets, leaving a little space between them.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. The edges should be firm but the centres will still be soft.
Allow to cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring cookies to a cooling rack.
Decorate (optional)
Decorate cookies with a dusting of powdered monk fruit sweetener or with vegan refined sugar-free royal icing.
Vegan Refined Sugar-Free Royal Icing
- 3 cups powdered monk fruit sweetener
- 3 tbsps aquafaba
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
Beat aquafaba and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
Gradually add in powdered monk fruit sweetener, beating until well incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl until to ensure everything is combined.
Add in vanilla extract and beat.
Note: If the icing is not thick enough, add cornstarch or arrowroot powder, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.
If the icing is too thick, add plant-based milk 1/2 teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Optional: add in a natural food colouring, such as Watkins, and beat until well combined.
Notes
- Chilling the dough before rolling it out makes it easier to cut it into shapes and helps to prevent spreading during baking.
- For a nut-free option, use plant-based butter in place of almond butter.
- Be careful not to over-bake the cookies. When ready, the centres will be soft but firm up as they cool.
- Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Easy Vegan Sourdough Discard Gingerbread Cookies (Refined Sugar-Free)
Equipment
- Stand mixer optional
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie cutters
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- ¼ cup almond butter or plant-based butter
- ⅓ cup cooking molasses
- ¼ cup Monk fruit sweetener
- ¼ cup maple sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup sourdough discard unfed
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups light spelt flour or substitute all-purpose (see notes)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ⅛ tsp salt
Vegan Refined Sugar-Free Royal Icing
- 3 cups powdered monk fruit sweetener
- 3 tbsp aquafaba chickpea brine
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
Mix Wet Ingredients
- Combine the sourdough discard, molasses, monk fruit sweetener, maple sugar, almond butter, and vanilla in a stand mixer or large bowl. Mix until smooth.
Mix Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, spices and salt.
Form the Dough
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until you have a stiff, but not crumbly, dough. If the dough is too dry, add a tablespoon of maple syrup or plant-based milk. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more spelt flour.
Chill the Dough
- Divide the dough into two discs and wrap each disc in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
Roll & Cut
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out the chilled cookie dough on a floured surface. The dough should be 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
Bake
- Transfer the cookies to the baking sheets leaving a little room between them.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are firm. The centres will be a little soft; they will firm up as the cookies cool.
- Allow cookies to cool a little before transferring to a cooling rack.
Decorate (optional)
- Decorate the cookies by dusting them with a little powdered monk fruit sweetener or with Vegan Refined Sugar-Free Royal Icing
Vegan Refined Sugar-Free Royal Icing
- Beat aquafaba and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add in powdered monk fruit sweetener. Beat until well incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is combined.
- Add in vanilla extract and beat mixture.
- Note: if the icing is too runny, add cornstarch or arrowroot powder, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved. If icing is too thick, add plant-based milk, 1/2 tsp at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
- Optional: add in a natural food colouring, such as Watkins, and beat until well combined.
Notes
- All-purpose flour can be substituted for light-spelt flour. Start with 2 cups and only add more if needed.
- If not available, monk fruit sweetener can be replaced with more maple sugar. Maple sugar can also be replaced with more monk fruit or coconut sugar.
- For a nut-free option, almond butter can be replaced with plant-based butter.
- These cookies will keep for up to one week at room temperature or up to 3 months in the freezer.