The Best Healthy Christmas Cookies (gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free)

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THE BEST HEALTHY CHRISTMAS COOKIES

The only healthy Xmas cookies you’ll ever need

In this post and video, I’m going to show you my easy and healthy Christmas cookie recipe – and I’m going to show you 2 ways that you can make it! I’m also going to share some ways that you can decorate your cookies using some everyday healthy ingredients, and show you how to make the best healthy chocolate icing!

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

It’s the little traditions that make life special

Every year, on Christmas eve, my sister and I bake and decorate Christmas cookies (it’s our little tradition). Of course – as my diet has become healthier over the years, so has my Christmas cookie recipe. I am just obsessed with these Christmas cookies!

I like to make a big batch of Christmas cookies, halve the batter and make 2 different cookie flavors – but it’s really easy to do! I like to make one half of the batter vanilla flavor (it’s so classic), and the other half ginger-cinnamon flavor. Then the best part (and my fave part) is dipping the cookies in healthy chocolate icing and decorating them!

Baking and decorating Christmas cookies is such a fun experience, and (for me) a must-do each year during the festive season. But if you have dietary restrictions or food allergies (or maybe you’re just trying to follow a healthier diet), there is no reason why you can’t join in on the fun – these cookies are what you need!

This recipe is 100% gluten, dairy and refined sugar-free. It also contains whole carbs, a bit of good protein and some healthy fats too.

You can make these Christmas cookies with me in the video below – make sure that you give it a watch!

I hope that you love these healthy Christmas cookies as much as I do!

Liezl Jayne XO

THE COOKIE RECIPE

Ingredients:

-2 + 1/4 cups brown rice flour
-1/2 cup pure coconut sugar
-1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup
-3/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
-1 egg
-pinch sea salt

(makes 25-30 cookies)

*if you’re looking for an alternative to using egg, you can make a chia egg – simple mix 1 Tablespoon chia seeds with 3 Tablespoons water, and leave it to soak for a few minutes

COOKIE FLAVORS

Vanilla flavor:

-1 to 2 teaspoons ground vanilla powder (or vanilla extract)

Ginger cinnamon flavor:

-1 to 4 teaspoons ginger powder, or as needed (depending on how gingery you like them)
-1 teaspoon cinnamon

*choose one of these flavors, and add the ingredients to your cookie batter to give it a little pop of flavor – or you can halve the cookie batter, adding a little vanilla to one half and some ginger & cinnamon to the other half

CHOCOLATE ICING RECIPE

Ingredients:

-1/4 cup coconut oil or cacao butter (melted)
-4 Tablespoons cacao powder
-3 Tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup
-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
-pinch ground vanilla powder (or a drop of vanilla extract)
-tiny pinch sea salt

(enough chocolate to dip all of the cookies)

*if you use coconut oil for the chocolate, the cookies will need to be kept in the fridge to avoid melting – however if you use cacao butter, the chocolate won’t melt at room temperature

SUGGESTED TOPPINGS

Decorating suggestions:

-dried cranberries
-pecan nuts
-desiccated coconut or coconut flakes
-hazelnuts (chopped)
-raw pistachio nuts (de-shelled)
-almond silvers or chopped almonds

THE COOKIE METHOD

Instructions:

-preheat your oven to 180°C/ 360°F
-line a baking tray (or 2) with some parchment paper, and lightly grease the paper with additional coconut oil
-melt the coconut oil by pouring boiling water into a large bowl and a placing smaller bowl into the water (without burning your hands or getting water into the small bowl), then place the coconut oil into the small bowl and wait for it to melt
-mix the brown rice flour, melted coconut oil, coconut sugar, pure maple syrup, egg and sea salt together (using a fork until blended, then give the batter a quick mix with your hands)
-add some vanilla or ginger & cinnamon to your batter (depending on which flavor you like) – or halve the batter and add a little vanilla to one half, and ginger & cinnamon to the other half
-mix the batter again
-using your hands, roll the batter into little balls (roll them between the palms of your hands) and place on the baking tray
-spread the cookie dough balls out on the tray, so that they all have enough space between them
-gently press each cookie dough ball onto the tray to give it a cookie shape
-and then optionally, you can also gently press the back of a fork onto each cookie to give it some cute little lines
-bake the cookies at 180°C/ 360°F for 15-25 minutes (depending on how big you make the cookies and how thick you make them)
-I like to bake my cookies for about 20 minutes
-after baking, remove the cookies from the oven and eave them to cool before decorating
-optional: get ready to make your chocolate icing to dip the cookies in before decorating
-store in an airtight container to keep fresh, or store in the fridge in an airtight container (if dipped in chocolate)

ICING + DECORATING METHOD

Instructions:

-melt the coconut oil (or cacao butter) by pouring boiling water into a large bowl and a placing smaller bowl into the water (without burning your hands or getting water into the small bowl), then place the coconut oil into the small bowl and wait for it to melt
-mix the melted coconut oil (or cacao butter) with the cacao powder, pure maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla and sea salt until well blended
-dip each cookie into the chocolate, so that the chocolate icing fully covers one half of the cookie
-place the dipped cookies onto a sheet of parchment paper, on a tray
-add the toppings to each cookie right after dipping (so that the chocolate doesn’t set before you decorate)
-my favorite toppings to add are dried cranberries, desiccated coconut, pecan nut halves, raw pistachio nuts, chopped hazelnuts and chopped almonds
-place the dipped and decorated cookies in the fridge for 5 minutes to set
-eat, share & enjoy!
-store in an airtight container to keep fresh, or store in the fridge in an airtight container (if dipped in chocolate)

Made with love by Liezl Jayne xo

CAL BREAKDOWN

Calories per cookie example and rough estimate

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FOR A BATCH OF 30 COOKIES:

Calories per cookie (no icing or toppings): 110 cal

Calories per cookie (half dipped in chocolate): 130 cal

Calories per cookie (half dipped in chocolate + 1 pecan nut half): 140 cal

*the calories per cookie will change based on how many cookies your batch makes (these amounts are based on a 30 cookie batch), and how you choose to decorate them

Photos and video by Liezl Jayne Strydom – for liezljayne.com