¼cupcocoa or cacao powdersifted, where to buy cacao powder
cupSweetener of choice: ⅔ coconut sugar for paleoor ⅔ cup erythritol for low carb, where to buy erythritol
½teaspoonbaking sodaor 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 ½teaspoonground ginger spice
1teaspooncinnamon
¼teaspoonnutmeg
⅛teaspoonsea salt
2eggsbeaten
⅓cupbutter or coconut oilmelted, where to buy coconut oil
2tablespoonorganic molasseswhere to buy molasses
1teaspoonvanilla extract(organic GF kind), where to buy vanilla extract
Paleo Royal Icing * optional:
2tablespooncoconut buttermelted, where to buy coconut butter
2tablespooncoconut oil or buttermelted
2teaspoonhoney or for low carb use 1 ½ tablespoon erythritolor ¼ teaspoon liquid stevia, where to buy liquid stevia
⅛teaspoonvanilla extract
⅛teaspoonlemon juice
Melted chocolate for decorating *optional:
1 ½tablespoondark chocolate chips (soy and dairy free kindI use this one) or for low carb use unsweetened chocolate and add sweetener of choice to taste.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F, and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl combine: almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, sweetener of choice (coconut sugar or erythritol), baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt. Mix together thoroughly.
In a medium mixing bowl combine: eggs, melted butter or coconut oil, molasses and vanilla extract. Mix together well.
Add egg mixture to flour mixture and combine thoroughly.
Once dough is thoroughly mixed place bowl of dough in freezer for 8 minutes. Remove from freezer and place between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll dough into a flat rectangle that will fit on your baking sheet.
Peel away top parchment paper slowly and place dough on baking sheet.* we are going to bake before cutting with cookie cutters* this is unconventional, but with this kind of dough it works so much better.
Bake sheet of dough for 10 to 15 minutes, check at 10 minutes or until browned. Remove baking sheet from oven and let cool for only two minutes. Don’t remove gingerbread from sheet.
Lift parchment paper with gingerbread on it off the baking sheet and onto the counter.
Use your cookie cutters now before cookies cool of too much. There will be extra to snack on between cookies. Then place shaped cookies on a plate to cool.
Mix all Icing ingredients together and place in a container and put in the fridge for 8 minutes to thicken.
Once icing is gel like consistency, then use a small, clean paint brush or butter knife to spread frosting on gingerbread men. Let cookies sit until icing dries (can refrigerate to speed up time).
When icing is dry, melt chocolate chips and use a toothpick to draw eyes, mouth, and buttons and to decorate with.
Left overs should be stored in a container in the fridge.
Notes
Nutritional data for Paleo Version with icing (coconut sugar and honey): Servings: 18 cookies, Serving size: 1 cookie, Cal:132, Carbs: 13 g / Net Carbs: 11.4 g, Fiber: 1.6 g, Fat: 9 g, Protein: 2 g, Sugar: 10 gNutritional Data for Low Carb Version with icing ( erythritol and stevia): Servings: 18 cookies, Serving Size: 1 cookie, Cal: 106, Carbs: 5.1 g / Net Carbs: 3.5 g, Fiber: 1.6 g, Fat: 9 g, Protein: 2 g, Sugar: 2 g**Based on smaller sized cookie cutters**all nutritional data are estimates based on the products I used.*