Don’t you just love the wonderful smells of cinnamon and vanilla wafting through the house at Christmas time? Afraid you can’t have the same smells in your house unless it’s from a candle? These Paleo recipes should help change your mind. From Gingerbread men to peppermint cookies, a variety of tastes awaits the intrepid baker!
Paleo Gingerbread Men Recipe
My favorite Christmas cookie has always been gingerbread men, but with Paleo, it’s been difficult to find a good recipe, since most will let the dough spread and the point is to have men, not blobs. I found this one that works.
For the Dough:
1 ½ cups almond flour
¾ cup tapioca starch
¾ teaspoon ground ginger*
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon coconut oil
2 ½ tablespoon pure maple syrup
3 tablespoon molasses
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper
- In a mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients and mix well
- Add the wet ingredients and beat until well blended and a thick dough forms
- Place the dough between two sheets of parchment and roll out to ¼ ” thickness. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes
- Peel off the upper parchment paper and cut out your gingerbread men using a cookie cutter. Place on baking sheet about 1” apart and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool and place in airtight container.
- Decorate with the desired icing, etc and enjoy! Makes approximately 12-15 gingerbread men.
*Now, I’ve always liked a bit of ginger in my gingerbread men, so I upped the ginger to 2 full teaspoons and also added 1 teaspoon nutmeg. But you can add whatever spices you like, play with the spice amounts until you have your very own gingerbread man recipe.
No Bake Pecan Snowballs
This recipe is a variation on the Mexican wedding cookies or snowball cookies of Christmas traditions. My favorite was the pfeffernuss cookies, which this recipe can easily be adapted for.
For the Dough: *
1 cup pecan halves
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup medjool dates, pitted (approx 10)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup arrowroot or tapioca starch
Extra Arrowroot for dusting or coconut sugar**
Instructions:
- Place pecans and shredded coconut into a food processor with an “S” blade and process until pecans are crumbly.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients and process further until a sticky dough forms (it should stick together when pressed between two fingers)
- Scoop the dough by the rounded tablespoons and roll between your hands, forming balls. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and put in the freezer for 1-2 hours . For the “snowball” look, roll in a bit of arrowroot powder or tapioca starch. Not a lot is needed as it doesn’t add to the flavor.
- Store in airtight container in the refrigerator for best texture. Unless eaten up before, they will last up to two weeks. Makes about 12 balls
** If a sweeter snowball is desired, use coconut sugar or shredded coconut to roll the balls in. This should be done before putting into the freezer to help the coating stick to the balls better.
*For pfeffernuss cookies just add the following spices to the pecans and shredded coconut before adding the rest of the ingredients:
½ tablespoon white pepper
½ tablespoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ginger
With the coconut sugar coating, these are delicious with a bit of zing!
Paleo Thin Mint Cookies
What is Christmas without peppermint and who doesn’t love Girl Scout Thin Mints? This recipe is a Paleo approved version of their cookie and it tastes very close to the original, but they are cheaper and healthier for you. And you can make them anytime!
For the Dough:
½ cup sifted coconut flour
1 ¼ cups almond flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoon arrowroot starch
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
½ cup pure maple syrup
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
For the Coating:
¼ cup chopped dark chocolate
2 oz unsweetened dark chocolate
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions:
- Place dry ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until well blended.
- Add wet ingredients, except coconut oil and mix with hand mixer.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add coconut oil until mixed thoroughly.
- Place the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and using it as a guide, shape the dough into a 1 ¾” diameter log. Wrap tightly and place in freezer until firm (approx 2 hours)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove dough from freezer and cut the log into ¼” thick rounds.
- Place rounds on two parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake 14-16 minutes or until the middle is firm to the touch.
- Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool.
- Meanwhile, melt the coating ingredients in a double boiler until mixture is smooth all the way through.
- Using two forks, dip each cookie into the coating mixture, returning them to the parchment and refrigerate until chocolate sets. (approx 30 minutes)
- Enjoy! Makes approx 12-15 mint cookies
If you would like something a little simpler, try this peppermint cookie recipe:
Paleo Chocolate Peppermint Swirl Cookies
These are easier to make and they are a wonderful soft “sugar” cookie. You can bring them to a neighbor’s house or to a cookie exchange Christmas party.
[h2] For the Dough:
2 cups almond flour
½ cup coconut flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoon coconut oil
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoon cocoa powder*
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients into a food processor except the cocoa powder and the peppermint extract.
- Process until a smooth dough forms. Remove from processor. Divide dough in half.
- Replace one-half back into the food processor with the peppermint extract. Mix well. Remove and set aside.
- Place the other half into the processor with the cocoa powder. Mix well. Remove
- Place each ball of dough between two sheets of wax paper and roll out to 1/4 “ thickness.
- Remove the top layer of wax paper and turn one of the sheets of dough on top of the other sheet of dough.
- Peel the top layer of wax paper and lightly press the two layers of dough together.
- Roll the dough into a log lengthwise. Chill dough for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- With a sharp knife, cut the dough into ½” rounds and place on the sheet at least 1” apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes and remove from oven. Let cool on the baking sheet.
- Store in air tight container. Makes approx 18 cookies.
*Personally, I add more cocoa and honey to the dough; of course you have to add a bit more almond flour as well, to keep the consistency the same. I love chocolate. And Paleo allows dark chocolate, so I say: “Go for it!”
