Easy Vegan Sourdough Discard Gingerbread Cookies (Refined Sugar-Free)
These Vegan Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies are a delicious way to use up extra starter while staying refined sugar-free. Flavoured with warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, and naturally sweetened with monk fruit, maple sugar, and molasses, they're perfect for the holiday season. A wholesome twist on a classic treat!
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.