Gingerbread cookies on a plate with Cosmic Crisp apples and milk in the background

‘Tis the season for all the sweet treats and cookies! So.many.cookies. Of course, I had to jump on the cookie polar express (love that movie!) and take a favorite classic and modify it just a tad to make it fit into that healthy cookie category. Say hello to a very special cookie, a first for me–Gingerbread Apple Cookies using a real apple in the cookie dough!

These gingerbread cut-out cookies are so easy to make, they include all the fragrant gingerbread spices that we love and sneak in a Stemilt Cosmic Crisp® apple that’s now in season.

How to Make Gingerbread Apple Cookies

You’ll start by peeling and dicing the apple and combining the diced apple with cinnamon, allspice, ground cloves, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, and water in a saucepan, and heating until the apple is very soft. Then you’ll beat butter and coconut sugar together in a stand mixer (or you can use a hand beater), add two flax eggs and the apple mixture to the bowl, and beat that in, and then add the molasses.

In a separate bowl, you’ll whisk together the baking powder, salt, and gluten-free baking flour (yes, these cookies are also gluten-free!) and then fold the flour mixture into the wet mixture to form the dough. Don’t over mix or the cookies will come out tough.

Most gingerbread cookies call for an egg, but with the use of an apple and the flax eggs, we can skip the egg, making these cookies vegan-friendly too. Using Cosmic Crisp® apples adds the perfect flavor- they are a cross between Honeycrisp and Enterprise apple varieties. You can read all about this exciting apple breed in this blog post!

An overview of the gingerbread apple cookies in tree, house, and candy cane shapesThese Gingerbread Apple Cookies are on the softer side, but if you’d like crunchier gingerbread cookies you can bake for longer until the edges start to brown. Either way, they are so delicious decorated with your favorite cookie icing. I used powdered sugar mixed with water and 4 teaspoons of tapioca syrup. The icing is pretty easy to work with but feel free to skip the tedious decorating and slather it right on unless it’s a fun holiday activity you’d like to do with family and friends. My kids had a blast helping me decorate these cookies, and even more fun eating them 😉

I hope you and your loved ones enjoy these Gingerbread Apple Cookies! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram and come back to this post to rate the recipe if you make them!

Gingerbread Apple Cookies

Gingerbread Apple Cookies

Ingredients

  • Gingerbread Apple Cookies
  • 2 cups diced Stemilt Cosmic Crisp® apple (about 1 large apple)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 5 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 cup plant-based butter
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons flaxseed meal + 5 tablespoons water)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup water (only use if the cookie dough doesn’t stick together easily and it too crumbly)
  • Icing
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 teaspoons tapioca syrup (may sub with corn syrup)
  • 4 tablespoons water

These gingerbread cut-out cookies are so easy to make, they include all the fragrant gingerbread spices that we love, and sneak in a Stemilt Cosmic Crisp® apple.

Rate this recipe:
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  • Yield
    4-6 cookies servings
  • Prep time
  • Cook time
  • Total time
  • Cuisine
    American
  • In Category
    Dessert
  • Level
    Easy

Instructions

To make the cookies:

  1. Peel and dice the apple.
  2. Add it to a small saucepan along with the cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla and 5 tablespoons of water.
  3. Heat the apples on medium heat, stirring occasionally until they start to soften, then turn the heat to low and simmer until the apple chunks can easily be smashed with a fork.
  4. Make the flax eggs by combining the flaxseed meal with the water and let it “gel up” for about 5 minutes.
  5. While the apples are simmering, add the butter and coconut sugar to a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on low speed until combined.
  6. Add the molasses, flax eggs, and then add the apple mixture and beat on low until smooth.
  7. Add the baking powder, salt, and flour to a separate bowl and whisk to combine.
  8. Then fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until the batter forms. Don’t overmix or they will come out tough. If the dough is too dry and crumbly you may add ¼ cup of water.
  9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper and then place another piece of parchment paper on top.
  10. Roll the dough out using a rolling pin until the dough is about 1/4-inch thick. Cut desired shapes out with cookie cutters and place them onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
  11. Bake for 10-15 minutes depending on how crunchy or soft you’d like them to be and allow them to cool completely before icing.

To make the icing:

  1. Add all of the ingredients together in a large bowl and stir to combine with a fork until well combined. The icing will be pretty thick. Ice the cookies as desired.
  2. Store covered in an airtight container on your kitchen counter for up to 3 days.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving

  • Calories: 140
  • Fat Content: 2.7g
  • Cholesterol Content: 7mg
  • Carbohydrate Content: 28.7g
  • Fiber Content: .8g
  • Sugar Content: 16.5g
  • Protein Content: .8g

Gina Fontana

Healthy Little Vittles is a food blog created by recipe developer, food photographer, published author, certified health, Gina Fontana, that focuses on gluten-free, vegan, plant-based recipes that anyone will enjoy! She started her blog after being diagnosed with thyroid disease in hopes to not only inspire others on their own journey to better health but also to help hold herself accountable. Healthy Little Vittles Blog: www.healthylittlevittles.com IG: @HealthyLittleVittles

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