Keto Gingerbread Cookies are a classic low carb and sugar-free Christmas cookie. Crisp and delicious with a gingery bite, they’re perfect for decorating with your kids. A great make-ahead recipe too!
These keto gingerbread cookies have become a family favorite in my house, ever since I first created them back in 2013.
Like most children, my kids adore decorating cookies and we make these fun almond flour gingerbread men almost every year. They really get us into the holiday spirit.
And we love to give them as gifts, along with some of my other keto cookie recipes, like keto sugar cookies and keto biscotti. No one can tell that they have less than 3g net carbs per serving!
Tender-crisp low carb gingerbread men
I like my gingerbread cookies to have a little tenderness to them. I wanted these keto cookies to have just a little chewiness upon biting into them. With plenty of ginger and other spices, of course.
To that end, I decided to make them with coconut oil instead of butter. Coconut oil typically makes baked goods more tender, but you can easily make these with butter instead, if you prefer.
Gingerbread cookies need that classic brown sugar flavor, but at the time I created this recipe, there were no good brown sweeteners. So I opted for adding a little molasses (or Yacon syrup). These days, however, I make my keto gingerbread men with Swerve Brown sweetener.
I like to take them out just a bit on the early side, to keep them tender. If you are the sort who prefers crispy gingerbread cookies, simply bake these a little longer, and they will crisp up nicely.
Ingredients
- Almond flour
- Sweetener (preferably a brown sugar substitute)
- Coconut flour
- Spices (ginger, cinnamon, cloves)
- Baking powder
- Eggs
- Coconut oil or butter
- Molasses or Yacon syrup (if not using brown sweetener)
- Vanilla extract
How to make Keto Gingerbread Cookies
These delicious Christmas cookies are super easy to make. Here are my best tips for getting it right:
- Whisk the dry ingredients together. Make sure to break up any clumps in the flour and sweeteners. If you are using Swerve Brown, be aware that it clumps like real brown sugar. I like to break it up with my fingers a bit before adding it to the bowl.
- Add plenty of ground ginger. If you like that gingery bite, don’t hold back! I used a full 2 tablespoons for this large batch of cookies.
- Roll the dough evenly. You can roll it out very thin for super crisp cookies, or a little thicker for chewy cookies. But the most important thing is to roll it evenly so that all the cookies bake at the same rate.
- Cut out with cookie cutters. I have various gingerbread men shaped cutters in several sizes. The 3 inch ones are perfect for getting lots of cookies to give away. My kids LOVE the big ones for decorating.
- Re-roll the dough. One of the best parts about gluten-free dough like this is the fact that you can re-roll it multiple times without ruining it. No waste!
- Bake until just firm to the touch. I find touch to be one of the best indicators of doneness in keto baking. They shouldn’t feel tacky or soft when you gently touch them.
- Decorate and have fun!
Keto Royal Icing
Sugar-free royal icing is easy to make and so perfect for decorating any kind keto cookies.
I followed traditional recipes quite closely, and used egg white powder to produce a soft icing for piping that dries very firm and hard. How much water you need varies depending on the consistency you want to achieve.
You could also have some fun with sugar-free sprinkles, as several brands like Good Dee’s and The Sprinkle Company make them now.
I decided to make my my cookies look like classic gingerbread men. And some gingerbread trees, just to shake it up a little.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you want a crisp cookie, only erythritol based sweeteners, such as Swerve or Lakanto, will work. The cookies come out much softer with any amount of allulose or BochaSweet. If you like softer, chewier gingerbread, then I recommend using allulose.
Yacon syrup is a liquid made from the roots of the Yacon plant. It is similar to molasses in taste and color. Supposedly, it has a lower glycemic index than molasses, but it’s also much more expensive. You use so little in this recipe, it only adds about 0.5g of carbs per serving.
Absolutely! You can easily cut this recipe in half if you need fewer cookies.
Yes, this dough is easy to make ahead and freeze. Let it thaw completely before rolling it out as directed in the recipe.
Storage Information
These cookies are a great make ahead holiday treat, since they can be frozen for several months. I recommend freezing the baked cookies undecorated, stacked carefully in airtight containers. The raw dough also freezes well.
Then simply thaw, decorate, and serve. You can keep them on the counter for 4 or 5 days.
Keto Gingerbread Men
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 4 cups almond flour
- 1 cup Swerve Brown (or 1 cup granular)
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 2 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup coconut oil (or butter) melted
- 2 teaspoon Yacon syrup or molasses (optional, for color and flavor)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Royal Icing:
- 1 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1 tablespoon egg white powder
- ¼ cup water, room temperature (more to thin out as necessary)
Instructions
Gingerbread Cookies
- Preheat oven to 275F and line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, coconut flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt and cloves.
- Stir in the eggs, coconut oil, Yacon syrup (if using) and vanilla extract until dough comes together.
- Divide the dough in half and turn out first half onto a large piece of parchment paper. Top with another piece of parchment and roll out out about ¼ inch thick.
- Use cookie cutters to cut into desired shapes and gently loosen and lift with an offset spatula. Place onto prepared baking sheets.
- Gather up scraps and reroll until too little is left to roll out. Repeat with the second half of dough.
- Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown and just firm to the touch. Remove and let cool 5 minutes on pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Sugar-Free Royal Icing
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sweetener and egg white powder. Add water and stir until smooth. Add more water 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
- Pipe icing onto cooled cookies and let set 30 minutes or longer.
Debbie Sudrala says
Carolyn,
I have used Yafo syrup for sometime now in a lot of your recipes. I am wondering if you’ve ever run into a problem of the syrup hardening in the container? This has happened to me on two different occasions. I store it in cupboard, maybe it needs refrigeration? Any idea why this happens?
Love your recipes!
Carolyn says
I had one brand that did that. I wish I could remember which one! Blue Lily, maybe? I find that the ones in glass jars don’t do it.
Jen says
Can I sub Swerve Brown for all or part of the regular Swerve and eliminate the Yacon syrup?
Carolyn says
YES! If it had existed back in the day, that’s what I would have used.
Winnie says
Carolyn,
In reference to Jen’s previous question. So if I want to eliminate Yacon syrup entirely. I can use 2 tbsp of Sweeve brown as equivalent to the. 2 tbsp Yacon syrup? Is that the right ratio?
Thanks!
Carolyn says
No… just don’t use any Yacon, and simply use Swerve Brown as the sweetener for the whole recipe.
Talya says
Just made these and they turned out so well – even my fussy fix year old loved them!
Rachel Ott says
Can I sub Lakanto Powdered Monkfruit sweetner for the Swerve sweetner?
Thanks!
Carolyn says
That should work.
Brenda Mann says
These are wonderful. I made a few adjustments and they still came out great. I subbed 1/2 cup xylitol plus one dropper of stevia for the one cup swerve. I also did not add the yacon syrup. My gingerbread cookie cutter got did not release these so I just used hearts and I did not use any frosting or icing. Not very sweet ( by choice) as I am keto and all sweets are usually too sweet for me. Thanks again. These are incredible.
Carolyn says
Glad you liked them!
Faith says
I have read the recipe over several times, and I don’t see molasses listed in the ingredients, but it is in the instructions. Am I just missing it? Also, is the Yakon syrup a 1 to 1 liquid sweetener so that I could sub Agave-5 in equal amounts?
Carolyn says
Sorry for the confusion. The Yacon takes place of the original molasses so you can just use that.
Debby Bonisolli says
Just the right amount of crunch and chew! Next time I’m going to reduce the other spices and add more ginger. This recipe is a keeper!
Carolyn says
So glad you like them!
Desirae Bleth says
Is there any other flour to sub for the almond? Would love to try this but my daughter can’t tolerate almonds. I’ve heard flax meal but is that cup for cup?
Carolyn says
Flax meal would be AWFUL. You can try sunflower seed flour.
Kristin says
Can these be frozen after they are made? Can’t wait to make these with my (diabetic) 5 year old! 🙂
Gjeanieg says
Thanks for yet another great recipe, Carolyn! This recipe is practically perfect in every way. 🙂 A unanimous hit!
Linda says
Hi Carolyn:
Loving your recipes as always!!! Do you think I might be able to substitute oat fiber for the coconut flour due to allergies?
Thanks!
Carolyn says
Probably but I would use a touch more because coconut flour is more absorbent.
Becky Hardin says
You are SO awesome!!! Keto Gingerbread Cookies!!! Can you say Hero!!! LOL Now my gingerbread cookie fix can be filled. lol
YUM!!!
Christine Scalise says
These look yummy! I’m baking ahead for Christmas. Any issues freezing them after they are baked? Thanks!
Carolyn says
No, they freeze and thaw perfectly!
Ashley F says
These are so perfect for Christmas! Love that I can do my holiday baking a little healthier <3
Aimee Shugarman says
These cookies turned out beautiful!!!
Alli says
These are the cutest and such a fun Keto dessert for the holidays. We adore this recipe!
Heather says
These gingerbread men are so cute! My kids would love decorating them for Christmas!
Gracie says
After a huge FAIL with a Pecan Pie recipe (not yours!) I am just a little hesitant to try another new recipe. However, I really, REALLY want gingerbread cookies this year, and your recipe looks pretty good. Two questions: I have never used Yacon syrup before and have no easy access to finding it anytime soon. Is there something I can substitute? Also, I’m about done using any erythritol-based sweeteners since they cause awful stomach distress and cramping for me, even in small amounts now. I’ve recently purchased BochaSweet and would like to give that a try. It’s pretty expensive, so I don’t want to waste it if it isn’t going to work. What do you think? Are you familiar with BochaSweet? Thank you!
Carolyn says
It’s always good to read the reviews on a recipe and this one has been around for a while with VERY few complaints. So there you go! Yes, molasses can be subbed for Yacon. It’s interesting that you have trouble with Erythritol and GI issues as most people do not. I use Bocha Sweet but I warn you that it makes keto baked goods softer. To be honest, I usually use it half and half with Swerve and usually only in caramel sauce and ice cream to keep it softer. But if you want softer, chewier gingerbread men, it may work in these!
Kathy Silber says
Can molasses be substituted for Yacon Syrup? Also, is there a good sub for Swerve?
It is SO expensive!
Thanks for your great recipes, Carolyn!
Carolyn says
Yes, molasses is fine. And you can try using plain erythritol although it’s not as sweet as Swerve.
Sarah says
Carolyn, to keep it sugar free can I use Yakon syrup instead of the molasses? I would also like to use butter instead of the coconut oil…would that work? Thank you 🙂
Carolyn says
Yes, both should work.