Soft and chewy cardamom spiced ginger cookies. Made in one bowl and ready in under an hour, these spiced cookies are grain, dairy, and nut free.
If I had a life motto, it would probably be something as simple as: bake cookies.
Bored? Bake cookies.
Sad? Bake cookies.
Celebrating? Bake cookies.
Last minute gift? Bake cookies.
When I lived at home with my parents, I used to always bake cookies with my little brothers whenever it came time to babysitting. It got to the point where my little brother, Matthew who was about 5 0r 6 at the cookie baking peak, would ask my parents to go run errands just so that we would bake cookies.
I’d divide up the tasks and eggs (because cracking the eggs is the most fun part) between both my younger brothers, Matthew and Michael, and put them to work. Despite their constant brotherly bickering, it was a time when both little boys put aside their differences to work together for the greater good: cookies.
The great thing about baking cookies, is that there are always ways to make it new with different flavors, add ins, toppings, whatever. I’ve already shared a grain free ginger cookie on my site, but these ginger cookies are a whole new kind of delicious. I based this recipe off of Caroline’s Paleo Gingersnap cookies making a few slight changes here and there until I ended up with these cardamom spiced ginger cookies.
I won’t be offended if you are after a more traditional ginger snap and jump on over to try Caroline’s recipe because they are really amazing. They aren’t just good grain free cookies – they are just good plain and simple. However, if you’re open to trying something new please do stick around because these cardamom spiced ginger cookies really are something special. If chai spiced cookies and traditional gingerbread got together and had delicious cookie babies, these are the cookies that would result from it. Because I reduced the amount of coconut sugar and cut out the maple syrup completely these don’t have that traditional snap that gingersnap cookies usually have. Instead they have more of that melt-in-your-mouth kind of cookie characteristic which is always welcome.
Only a few weeks left now until I get to fly to Arizona and spend Thanksgiving with my family. I’m looking forward to getting to bake again with my younger brothers – I don’t think I can still call Michael my little brother seeing as how he’s way taller than me. If he’s not already 6 ft he will be soon – and by the way he’s only 13. At least I’m still taller than Matthew. He’s been thinking up recipes and planning baking itinerary’s for the past several months. I should probably go make more of that spicy sweet potato and kale salad now and save room for all upcoming cookies.
What’s your favorite Christmas cookie? Any recommendations for me to pass along to Matthew?
Cardamom Spiced Ginger Cookies
Soft and chewy grain free cardamon spiced ginger cookies. Grain, nut, and dairy free
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup | 108 grams coconut oil, melted
- 3/4 cup | 135 grams coconut sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup | 150 grams tapioca flour
- 3 tablespoon | 21 grams coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom*
- 3 tablespoon raw cane sugar for rolling the cookies, (optional)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, with an electric mixer beat together your melted coconut oil and coconut sugar. Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Once combined add your tapioca flour, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom to the egg mixture. On a medium speed, beat until everything is fully mixed together.
- Cover the dough and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This time in the fridge helps the cookies set to prevent them from spreading too much while baking.
- Heat your oven to 325°F/160°C and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop out 1 tablespoon of the chilled dough and roll into a ball.
- Optional: Roll the cookie dough ball in a bowl of cane sugar
- Place the cookie dough balls on your lined baking sheet and leave at least 2 inches on all sides so that the cookies have room for spreading. Press the dough down slightly so that you get less of a rounded top on the cookie and then bake for 8-10 minutes. Less time in the oven will result in a chewier cookie, more time will make for a crispier cookie. They should be a golden brown color when you take them out of the oven. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
Notes
You can use pre ground cardamom or cardamom pods. If you used the pods, you'll need to remove the seeds from about 5 pods and crush the seeds in a mortar and pestle
Brie Martin says
The taste was delicious, but my cookies spread out into more of a cookie sheet. How do I fix that for my next go around?
Thank you!!
Sarah Nevins says
Hi Brie! You probably need a little bit more coconut flour – coconut flour can be a tricky flour to measure out correctly without using weights. If you were to try making these again I recommend adding 1-2 extra tablespoons of coconut flour and that should make a huge difference. Hope that helps!
cecilia says
I love ginger cookies and these have a real kick. Mine worked out. The texture is a bit different (melt in your mouth) but they hold together well like a regular cookie. I didn’t melt the coconut oil although it’s 35 degrees here today (sweltering) so it was half melted anyway. Spicy good.
Sarah Nevins says
Yay! Glad you enjoyed them! Thanks Cecilia!
Kira says
I made these cookies 3x already in the past 2 weeks! I love them a lot and so does my boyfriend& other friends who have tried them! <3 Thanks for sharing 🙂
Sarah says
That makes me so happy to hear! Thanks Kira!
Becs says
Baked these cookies this evening & they came out super dry 🙁 the flavour was yummy tho 🙂
Sarah says
Glad you liked the flavour!
Laura says
The recipe states 1 1/2 cups tapioca flour, but the Pinterest preview shows 5 1/2. Could you clarify? I tried the recipe tonight with 1 1/2 cups and they were super spicey. I had to throw them away 🙁
Sarah says
Hi Laura – the one that pinterest brings up is wrong. I’m not sure why it does that, but I’ve noticed it brings up strange measurements on recipes that don’t belong to me. Sorry they were to spicy for you!
Holly says
I made these cookies this weekend because my husband LOVES Gingersnap cookies. I was happy to make him a much healthier version than the ones I buy at the grocery store. I was super excited that these came out perfectly! The taste was sooooo much better than those hard cookies at the grocery store. I don’t need to look any further for the perfect Gingersnap. And I love that it has cardamom spice. I’ve been looking for more ways to use this spice. Thanks for a great recipe!
Sarah says
Thanks so much Holly! 🙂
Caroline @ A Whole New Twist says
So glad you like my recipe! The cardamom is a great idea, can’t wait to try your version!
Sarah says
Thank YOU for sharing such a great recipe in the first place! Hope you like my spin off 🙂
Miz Helen says
I would sure love to have one of these cookies right now! Your recipe is awesome, I have pinned it. We really enjoy you sharing with Full Plate Thursday and hope to see you again soon!
Miz Helen
Sarah says
Thanks, Helen! I so appreciate that!
Sarah says
Thanks, Paige!
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says
Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful cookies at Savoring Saturdays! I’ll be featuring them tomorrow at this week’s party. Hope you’ll join us again!
Sarah says
Thanks so much, Emily! I definitely will be 🙂