These healthier chocolate chunk molasses gingerbread cookies are chewy, soft and filled with the flavors of the holidays.
*Post updated 12/6/2017 to include a video on how to make these healthy chocolate chunk molasses gingerbread cookies. Photographs and content below are original to when this was published in December 2012. This cookie recipe is a personal favorite. As someone who isn’t super keen on gingerbread, the addition of chocolate chunks to this cookie completely transforms the classic combination of gingerbread and molasses into a cookie worth eating: soft, chewy and with just enough holiday spice. Hope you enjoy some this holiday season! SCROLL DOWN TO WATCH THE VIDEO!
Up until last Friday I was positive that I would never like the whole molasses gingerbread cookie thing.
I can get behind many a cookie but that combo just wasn’t doing anything for me.
Then I saw a chocolate molasses gingerbread cookie recipe similar to these just a bit more indulgent and being the good wife that I am, knew Ulysses would love them (his love for gingerbread baked goods is enough for the two of us) so I decided to bake them up for his return home on Friday night.
And now, November 30 will forever be the day my molasses gingerbread hatred turned to love.
No awkward in between friendship stage, straight to love. That’s how I roll. Or maybe it’s just lust? Jury’s still out on that.
Either way, we’re a thing now with the creation of these soft and chewy chocolate chunk molasses gingerbread cookies.
Thanks to a little help from a good friend called dark chocolate.
That was the missing link.
I took the weekend off from working out, happily ate 4 or 5 (which took massive amounts of self control) of the cookies and when Ulysses left again on Sunday night, I froze the remaining 18 or so.
Somehow frozen = off limits to my brain.
But then Monday night rolled around and my nightly tea was incredibly pathetic without an accompanying cookie.
So I made the batter for this healthier version of those molasses gingerbread cookies.
Looking for more holiday cookies?
Try out these almond chocolate thumbprint cookies, dark chocolate amaretto fudge cookies or, one of my favorites, these chocolate dipped cashew almond butter cookies with candied sage (<– they’re so festive!)
Honestly, these chocolate chunk molasses gingerbread cookies were a total experiment.
Could molasses gingerbread cookies actually be health-ified to a state where I can eat the whole batch and not think twice?
Because as awesome as the other ones were, a stick of butter and a cup and a half of sugar is not something I need or want to be eating regularly.
Some experiments work, some don’t.
These kicked ass.
Without trying to sound a bit cocky, I’m totally floored that they came out as well as they did.
They’re soft and chewy with the perfect balance of spicy molasses flavor to chocolate and yet there’s a mere 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and 1/4 cup honey in them as far as the fat and sugar go.
I don’t get it, but I’m not complaining.
I know I’m going to get comments on whether you can sub the spelt flour to all almond flour to make these completely paleo (assuming you don’t roll them in sugar before baking) and while I haven’t tried it, I’m going to say yes, I think you could.
No promises, but I think it would work. Try these vegan thumbprint cookies for an easy all almond flour cookie though if you prefer. Or, vegan pignoli cookies which are filled with delicious almond paste flavor. They’re both great holiday classics!
And if you don’t care about the paleo thing, all purpose or whole wheat pastry would probably work in place of the spelt too.
Now that that’s out of the way…
GO MAKE THESE!
MORE MOLASSES AND GINGERBREAD FLAVORED RECIPES:
Gingerbread Oatmeal
Gingerbread Collagen Cookies
Gingerbread Peanut Butter
Paleo Gingerbread Granola
Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Bites
Healthy Chocolate Chunk Molasses Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup almond flour
- ½ cup spelt flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate, 72% or higher, chopped
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients (almond flour, spelt flour, baking soda and spices).
- In a small bowl whisk together remaining wet ingredients until completely smooth.
- Add wet to dry ingredients and mix together until fully incorporated.
- Add chocolate chunks and fold into batter.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Once chilled, roll about 1 tablespoon of batter into a ball.
- If coating with sugar mixture, combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and roll ball until covered.
- Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.
- Remove cookies from oven and press down on the top of them with a spoon for that signature molasses cookie wrinkle effect.
- Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Store in an airtight container.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
These are great! My favorite part is the soft and chewy texture, so good!
Love the combination of chocolate and gingerbread!
Love the combination of chocolate and gingerbread!
I lvoe gingerbread cookies. I will give your recipe a try. These cookies look fantastic!
Great recipe!! These cookies were amazing! Thanks for sharing!
These cookies were so good!! My kids couldn’t get enough of it!
I absolutely love the addition of the chocolate chunks to these cookies. Delicious!
These cookies were so good!! My kids couldn’t get enough of it!