A truly chewy keto cookie recipe! The low carb, sugar-free ginger cookie of your dreams, I am not kidding. In partnership with Bob’s Red Mill.
These keto ginger molasses cookies are really one of the best keto cookie recipes I ever created. They have the perfect texture and truly have that chewiness you’re looking for in a ginger molasses cookie. But they don’t contain any molasses at all!
You know, I am really really good at keto baking. As immodest as that may seem, I am just going to put that out there. I have a knack for it, an intuitive understanding of how my low carb ingredients will behave. Sometimes I am wrong and they defy me, but not very often anymore.
And it’s always a true joy to see other people make my recipes and have success too. I like to flatter myself that I am on the cutting edge here, experimenting and pushing the envelope, testing out new ideas and really changing the landscape of baking in general. I want to really find out what I can do with ingredients like almond flour and coconut flour, how far I can bend them to my will.
All that said, I am well aware that I stand to learn many things from other people. Sometimes a reader will pass on a tip and I will be intrigued enough to try it out. And then my mind is blown and my little brain starts churning like a crazed hamster on the wheel. Oh the sweet possibilities! A whole new avenue of baking experimentation has opened up and I am definitely going to stroll down it. And enjoy every second.
How to make chewy keto cookies
The secret to Keto Ginger Molasses Cookies
So, the secret to making truly chewy low carb cookies? Of course, I use my trusty Bob’s Red Mill almond flour as the base, because it makes the best low carb cookies by far. I always know that they will come out with great flavour and great texture.
But in addition to that, I added a few tablespoons of grassfed gelatin. And that changed the texture completely. They were soft without being cake-y, and they had a distinct chewiness – just like a real ginger molasses cookie.
It was a tip that I picked up on my Facebook page when a reader left it in the comments, and I figured it was worth a shot. And I was truly impressed. Some cookies should be crispy, some should be soft, and some should be chewy. Until now, I’ve never been able to achieve that chewy quality. It totally changes the low carb cookie game!
Now my keto cookie making obsession might be worse than it already was. As you can see from the photos here, I first intended this to be a holiday recipe. But things got away on me and I had so many other great recipes to share. So it’s a post-Christmas cookie.
Because Chewy Ginger Cookies have no season…they are always welcome!
You also need to check out these Coconut Flour Cookies from my friend Erin of Texanerin Baking!
A truly chewy keto cookie recipe! The low carb, sugar-free ginger cookie of your dreams, I am not kidding.
- 2 cups almond flour
- 2 tbsp grassfed gelatin
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 1 cup granular Swerve sweetener
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp Yacon syrup optional
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
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Preheat the oven to 325F and line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, gelatin, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and cloves.
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In a large bowl, beat the butter, almond butter and sweetener until smooth. Beat in the eggs, Yacon, and vanilla extract until well combined.
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Add the almond flour mixture and continue to beat until the dough comes together.
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Roll into 1 inch balls and place a few inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
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Bake 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and gently press down a bit (to encourage them to spread). Return to the oven and bake another 7 minutes or so, until just barely golden brown. They will still be very soft.
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Remove and let cool completely on the pan.
Penny Reveile says
What are other uses for the grass fed gelatin? I need to rationalize the cost. Otherwise, at 2 tsp per recipe…That’s a lottza cookies! Seriously, lotza cookies with this recipe may not be a bad thing!?
Nancy says
I stir it into my morning coffee or tea… literally, I stir with one hand and pour it in with the other so it mixes in without clumping! It is good for joints, nails, hair, skin…
Jan says
I’ve used Great Lakes Collagen (green label) in my coffee, but not the red label gelatin. Does it thicken? Not sure I’d like that in my coffee. lol
These cookies are getting today! I love ginger cookies and I actually have ALL the ingredients!
Nancy says
It does gel my coffee if I let it sit on the counter on a cool day or if the air conditioning is blasting! Or if I stick it in the fridge because I want to drink it later, but I just microwave it and it re-liquifies it😂😃
Nancy says
P.S. The recipe actually uses 2 Tablespoons of GF Gelatin…
I also use it to make homemade gummies and jello…
Nancy says
P.S.S. I went to the company’s website and used their store locator, which led me to it at a health food store near me, at only $15 a cannister…
Loretta says
I priced Knox Gelatin from the grocery store vs Great Lakes Gelatin from Amazon. Great Lakes is a much better buy and also sourced from grass fed beef. Also, make yourself some wonderful gum drops ( or bears) and they make a great nibble when you just have to have something sweet.
Carolyn says
Gummies, Jello, fat bombs and a number of other recipes that are going into my upcoming Easy Keto Desserts cookbook!
SB says
I was so excited to make these this morning and just realized I’m out of almond butter🙁 If I used peanut butter in place of, would that change the taste too much?
Carolyn says
I think it would since almond butter is much more neutral in flavor.
Jan says
Sun butter?
Carolyn says
You could use that here but it has a stronger flavor than almond butter.
Kate says
Put in your protein shake.
lynnie Feavel says
I use the gelatin in homemade gummies all the time…I make them at least twice a month…very nutritious….
Claudia says
@Penny Reveile
Carolyn has a to-die-for brownie recipe that uses gelatin — I haven’t made these ginger cookies yet, but I make the brownie recipe regularly — even carb lovers can’t tell they’re keto!!
https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/fudgy-keto-brownies/
Carolyn says
Thanks, Claudia!
Jessica says
You’re my go-to for keto baking, girl! Thank you. Love the book, too.
Vmm says
I just tried this on the first after seeing it on keto connect! I love it!
I also added it to my caramel sauce for candies pecans and for a basic caramel pecan bar (by adding a bit of pecans and ground coconut for various layers topped with a few Lily’s chips to melt. Mmm. Lazy-girls baking but it quenched my desire and was tight on for macros! For the caramel stuff, it helped take away any grittiness… And made it look like more real homemade caramels! If you tinker with the amounts, I bet a chewy homemade caramel could be achieved!
Kate says
Were you referring to the gelatin or the yacoun syrup in this reply? Thanks
vmm says
oops, sorry if that was vague. the gelatin:)
Melissa Leach says
What does the Yacon syrup contribute that would be missing if omitted? Is there a good substitution?
Carolyn says
The “molasses” colour and flavour is what the Yacon does. You can leave it out or you can use real molasses. at only 2 teaspoons, it adds only about 0.5g of carbs per serving.
Melissa Leach says
Thanks, Carolyn!
Karen says
With regard to, “I am really really good at keto baking…” As I tell the hubs, “it ain’t bragging if you can do it !!” Your Baking Bad Assery never ceases to amaze. =))
Carolyn says
LOL! Thanks.
Becky Gardiner says
Could I use simple Knox unflavored gelatin instead since I already have it in my cabinet? If so, would it be the same measurement? I know I really need to order some Great Lakes Gelatin….wish it was in a store near me.
Carolyn says
I am not sure. I think it’s worth a try. I would use 2 envelopes of it…it’s less than the Great Lakes one but it gels more.
Derrick says
Hi,
I read elsewhere that a starting point for Knox (pork) vs Great Lakes (beef) is 1 tsp Knox ~= 1.25 tsp Great Lakes.
As such, 4.80/4.75 tsp of Knox might work! Too late to try tons get; one night this week for sure!
Pam Mattox says
These cookies were delicious! Much more real tasting than many other low carb recipes I’ve tried. Definitely keeping this recipe! Thanks!
Carolyn says
Oh yay, thanks!
Anne O says
Wow! Sensational! Another winner Carolyn….I subbed molasses for Yukon syrup. I froze 2/3 the dough in 1 balls Cuz 40 yummy cookies at My disposal won’t work with my goals! Thanks again!
Carolyn says
I have some frozen balls too! I did that at Christmas and I made half of them to take away on a vacation. They need a bit more “encouragement” to spread properly (i.e when you push them down with a glass) but they totally work that way.
Brigitte says
If you put them in the oven frozen, put them in directly, so no pre-heating. They thaw when the oven warms.
Claudia says
@Brigitte
Thanks, that’s a great tip!
Michelle says
Delicious cookies, but you already know that! ☺️
I didn’t have any granular Swerve on hand and was anxious to try these out so I used straight Erythritol instead. The cookies have that cool taste to them. Would using the Swerve have avoided that coolness?
I’m guessing I shouldn’t have been so impatient haha
Carolyn says
Some people still experience that with Swerve but I don’t which is why it’s my go-to sweetener.
Kate says
How about a chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe in the future? That would be great.
Lori A Kling says
Use this recipe, omit the cloves and ginger and add chocolate chips! They are delicious!!
Betsy Rome says
To substitute for the Yacon syrup, could I use Sukrin gold fiber syrup? I also have molasses extract, could I use a combination of the 2? Thanks, love your recipes!
Carolyn says
Sure, sounds good!
Jen Schoenbein says
Very cool! I just attempted this myself a couple of weeks ago with my holiday baking. I settled on using almond butter which wasn’t terribly far off on texture. Hubby said it had a bit of an oatmeal cookies chewiness so I will continue to investigate that route as well. Can’t wait to try these! Thanks!
Jen
eva says
Yum! I just made these with real molasses, sukrin gold and a bit more ginger. They really are chewy! My carb-loving husband is very happy with them too. Thanks Carolyn for another winner!!
Betsy Stokes says
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Do you use ginger already ground, or do you use it fresh?
Carolyn says
Ground ginger.
Betsy Stokes says
There’s a 100% gluten-free restaurant here in Alabama (two locations) called Mason Dixon, which has a couple low-carb desserts, and their cookies are delightfully chewy! I have been trying to figure out how they do it. Maybe gelatin is the key!
Michael Krupar says
I CAN’T wait to make these, either later today or tomorrow. I woke up this morning craving Ginger Snaps and these sound like they’e tame the craving.
Stacy Schneider says
Carolyn,
These are amazing! I am dairy free so used room temperature Ghee instead of butter and they are perfect!
THANK YOU! (yes, I AM shouting with joy!)
Shonna Hines says
These cookies have great flavor and amazing texture! Thank you for all you hard work creating these cookie recipes!
Jaymey says
I made these yesterday, and halved the recipe. After cooling on the pan, I left them out overnight on a rack to help them get chewier and it worked well! These are delicious; I used Swerve confectioners, but I may try allulose next time!
Barbara says
These sound delicious and am anxious to try them! I need to use a different sweetener than Swerve. When I use it, the baked good tastes cool and not pleasant. Any suggestions for a substitute?
Carolyn says
What do you prefer to use?
Kate says
The people on low carb friends are raving about a new sweetener called Bochasweeet. Not erithritol based so supposedly doesn’t have that cooling effect. The only downside appears to be the cost.
Shana says
What does it mean when you say “taste cool”?
Laura says
the “cooling” effect is from the sugar alcohol dissolving in the mouth. This can happen with any sugar alcohol but typically erythritol is a common culprit. It’s described as cooling because you can sort of feel the alcohol dissolving away, which gives this cooling effect. Not everybody experiences this, and it’s in varying degrees. There are many different no-calorie sweeteners. Find what you like. I prefer blends like swerve, truvia and pyure, all have a little stevia with a good bit of erythritol. Read the labels carefully, though-some of those sweeteners still have sugar in them and are called “baking blend”. They use sugar as the base sweetener, and add stevia or other sugar subs to reduce the calories/carbs. They can still be used in low carb baking, but watch large quantities. Many people like to use monkfruit sweetener when they can’t do the cooling effects of erythritol.
Jen says
Made these today and they are DELISH! Thank you for yet another amazing recipe! ?
Corinne says
Can i use peanut butter instead of almond here?
Carolyn says
Yes, but expect a peanut flavour a bit. PB has much stronger flavour than almond butter.
Kathy says
This might be a really dumb question but can I substitute powdered collagen for the gelatin?
Carolyn says
You can…but you won’t get the same chewy result.
Carolyn says
Sure but you wouldn’t get the same chewy quality.
Jackie Martin says
I never ate ginger cookies ‘before’ so made theses not expecting much. Was I wrong! These are very good…I ate one out of the oven and thought hmmm, it’s pretty good. But then, the next day, boy did they develop their flavour and I love the crisp on the outside. Thanks!
Cyndi says
Just made these! They taste often,however the all spread out together and are super thin. Not sure what I did wrong
Cyndi says
Guess I should do spell check before I post. Lol. They taste great, but they spread out everywhere, almost runny.
Carolyn says
These do not come out runny so either you mismeasured something or it could be your almond flour. What brand?
Dee Gee says
Thanks! When I’m at Dad’s making these, (he loves your ginger cookies!) they’re runny every time. When I make these at home they turn out perfect. It’s been driving me crazy. Must be the difference in brands of almond flour.
Carolyn says
Maybe. I’ve never heard of them being runny. Does he live at elevation?
Jen Myers says
Wondered if the serving size is one cookie? Wanted to watch the calories..
Carolyn says
The recipe states the serving size right at the top.
Beth says
So, is a serving one cookie? Serving size isn’t stated in the nutrition box.
Kim McRae says
Serving size is 2 cookies as stated in the recipe and in the nutrition facts
diana says
I think the confusion comes from the fact that at the top of the recipe it says:
Servings: 40 cookies
Calories: 157 kcal
But then at the bottom on the nutrition box it says:
Amount Per Serving (2 cookies)
Calories 157
It took me a couple of minutes to figure out that the recipe must make 40 cookies if rolled into 1” balls, and that 2 cookies per serving would be 1/20th of the recipe, not 1/40th.
It might be a little clearer if at the top it said:
makes 40 cookies
serving size: 2 cookies
Anyhow, enough nit-picking—I love your recipes and am ever so grateful for your generosity in sharing them! And you don’t HAVE to include any nutrition information, so I’m very appreciative of the fact that you do.
Carolyn says
Unfortunately, my recipe plug-in doesn’t allow for that and so I have to put those numbers in the specified fields. But it is something I will take up with them…
Ginny says
I’m searching for a paleo recipe to make chewy ginger cookies for my husband, who loves the ones from our local bakery Uprising Breads. These sound perfect . except for the almond flour. I’m allergic to almonds. do you have any suggestions for a non=nut substitute for almond flour?
Carolyn says
Yes, sunflower seed flour is the best substitute.
Brigitte says
Not living in the US so other ingredients here. Could I use xilitol for sweetener and if so the same amount or not. And I really dislike geletine, can I substitute for agar agar, because that’s what I have and I don’t have use for geletine.
Carolyn says
This is not a recipe for agar agar. Xylitol should work.
Sandie says
These are the best keto cookies I’ve tried. Even my husband loves them and he doesn’t usually like keto backed goods. Thank you for another great recipe.
Mimi Antonetti says
I pre-ordered your cookbook and was so happy when it arrived! I just made the Spinach and Mushroom Gratin and it was the bomb!! I can’t wait to make more of these recipes – thank you so much for making Keto easier!
Carolyn says
Glad to hear it, Mimi. I called that gratin a side dish but man…it could really be the whole meal!
michelle says
HI there, do you add the gelatin right out of the can or do you liquify first?
Thanks,Michelle
Carolyn says
As stated in the directions, just right out of the can.
Frances Ryals says
I can’t find the recipe for these cookies. Help!
Carolyn says
It’s not you. My site is having issues and we are trying to get it fixed ASAP.
Janey says
Hi Carolyn, These look amazing, but I am vegetarian so the gelatine is a no no for me, Any ideas about substitutes please? Really mising that chewy cookie texture 🙁 Any advice gratefully received thanks x
Carolyn says
It’s worth trying some sort of vegan gelatin replacement like agar agar. I don’t really know how those work.
Janey says
That’s a good idea, thanks Carolyn – will give it a try and report back 🙂 Really appreciate all your hard work and generosity – thank you!
Tex says
I made these bad boys with sunflower seed flour & tahini for a nut-free version, and they turned out beautifully – I cannot believe the chew factor, Carolyn! Superb!
Laura says
These are, by far, my favorite keto cookies so far. The texture is perfect and the flavor is delicious. I used peanut butter and omitted the cloves just based on personal preference but they are still SO GOOD! Thank you! I can’t wait to make these again. 🙂
Anne Tenhunen says
Thank You so many wonderful recipes !
Can I use this same method for others cookies ? (Gelatin )
Do You have a good recipe for chewy chocolate cookies ?
Best regards from Finland
Anne T
Carolyn says
Hi Anne…I actually have a chewy chocolate cookie recipe but it will be in my upcoming cookbook, Easy Keto Desserts. 🙂
Barbara says
Just got your dessert cookbook and the first recipe I tried was for chewy double chocolate cookies. Fantastic!! Now to try your chewy ginger cookie. Thank you!!
Suzan says
I’d like to use sunflower seed flour instead but it turns green when baked if there’s baking soda in the recipe. I heard that adding chocolate covers the green. How much chocolate or cocoa would I use? Do I add more sweetener too?
Thanks.
Cathy Krasnianski says
Very nice flavor, but I wouldn’t call them “Ginger” cookies, per se. They’re more of a spice cookie. Also I thought they needed a couple more minutes in the oven. Question: can these be kept at room temp, or should the cookies be kept in the fridge? Thanks, and keep the great recipes coming!!!
Carolyn says
Room temp.
Liz says
Could I use inulin powder instead of Yacon syrup as I can’t get it here in New Zealand. It is a prebiotic powder.
Tina says
Most definitely NOT “the low carb, sugar-free ginger cookie of my dreams.”
I’m sorry but these cookies are WAY too hyped up. I subbed the yacon for actual molasses, and halved the amount of ginger, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly, and they were just so disappointing.
Way too spicy and the texture was gritty. I understand most low carb cookies get that gritty from the almond flour (or at least the kind I use) but they weren’t appetizing at all. I had to toss the whole batch in the garbage. Waste of expensive ingredients. 🙁
Carolyn says
I am sorry you felt that way. What kind of almond flour are you using, though? That may be a HUGE issue here. Because made with fine almond flour, these aren’t the least bit gritty.
diana says
When you say, “I subbed the yacon for actual molasses” did you mean you subbed molasses for the yacon called for in the recipe? And I didn’t find these gritty at all. Wonder if you used almond meal instead of almond flour? That would make the cookies much “rougher” in texture.
Stephanie Roberts says
She given the recipe freely. Most of us have pulled it off beautifully… “user error” perhaps? Blaming is so gross. You
KM says
Wonderful texture. It wasn’t as much ginger flavor as I’d hoped for, so I am going to make a cream cheese topping with Swerve and ginger, and see if that helps. I will definitely make these again, but will increase the ginger. Thanks for this recipe.
Lulu says
Very good! Thank you!
I changed things up a bit though:
* only had 1tsp ginger left so I used it but also 2tsp cinnamon
* used 2tbsp regular gelatin and blackstrap molasses for yacon
* added 2 tbsp coconut flour and froze the dough for an hour
* rolled the 1″ balls in 4 tbsp xylitol and 4 tsp cinnamon
Then baked 5min, flattened, then 12 min more.
I love these as cinnamon cookies! Finally I’ll have a ‘fall’ cookie to make next season when all those spiced treats are around !
Jean Hufford says
Omg!!! You outdid yourself with this one! No one would ever ever know these are sugar free! I honestly think they are now my favorite keto cookie…so chewy and I love ginger! You are awesome Carolyn! I’m so thankful for you every single day!!!
Susan Pelter says
I made these a week or so ago and froze the dough…broke it out last night and baked them and they are DELICIOUS. The consistency is just incredible – mimics my old high-carb favorite Brer Rabbit Molasses Cookies to a T. Best low-carb cookies ever, and that’s saying something! I used half Just Like Brown Sugar to give the molasses taste and they were just fabulous. Next time I will add a little salt and a few drops of stevia, but these are addictive. I’m already thinking about how to make a chewy chocolate version!
Tracy James says
Can’t wait to try these! A few questions:
1) Is yacon syrup usually available at places like Whole Foods?
2) Do you think I should sift my almond flour to make sure it is “fine?”
3) All I have is Knox gelatin – I will order the Great Lakes but I want to make these TODAY! Y’all are crazy if you think I understood the conversion math in the above post, LOL. Can someone just tell me the exact measurement of Knox gelatin for this recipe?
Many thanks!
Carolyn says
Yacon is sometimes available at WF. What kind of almond flour do you have? I don’t sift mine and I use Bob’s. You can use the Knox…about 1 envelope. Maybe an envelope and a half?
Tracy James says
Thanks! I think mine is Bob’s too so I will try without sifting.
Diane says
I’m definitely going to try this recipe as I agree you have a way with keto baking! Since you like challenges would you consider creating a recipe for keto cinnamon tortilla chips, like Stacy’s? I haven’t found anything to substitute for these.
Rae says
I’m looking forward to trying the recipe but I’ve not come across almond butter before, can I substitute with extra butter?
Carolyn says
Almond butter is similar to peanut butter. Almonds ground into a butter. No, you absolutely cannot sub extra butter, it would be a disaster.
Holly says
This recipe is the BEST. I’ve made it twice using half almond butter and half tahini due to never having enough almond butter, and they are such a hit! You can’t tell they’re keto at all, and are so far my favourite keto cookie recipe 🙂
Donna K. says
Regarding the gelatin, I was wondering which one to use – looking at the details for the green canister, it states that this particular one doesn’t gel. Are we wanting to get that one or one of the others that will gel?
Carolyn says
The green can is COLLAGEN. The orange can is GELATIN. 🙂 Hope that helps.
Sericea says
Has anyone subbed out monkfruit for the sweetener? I’m wondering how to adjust dry ingredients since so little monkfruit is needed. Thanks!
Stef says
Fascinating! I never would have thought about gelatin to make a chewy cookie. Love it!
Tara Kuczykowski says
I’m all about this chewy keto cookie — delicious!
Jaide says
My in-laws are coming and they are on keto. I should try this out for them!
Michael Wurm Jr. says
One of my favorites for fall and your recipe is quite delicious! Thank you so much for sharing!!
xo Michael
Connie says
The ingredients used in this recipe are definitely intriguing. Can’t wait to try this recipe for the holidays!
Jennifer Fishkind says
Favorite Fall Recipe – my kids beg for these cookies
Yvonne McRobbie says
These look delish. Could I substiture pomegranate molasses for the yucon? I love your recipes.
Carolyn says
Sure but I think it may add more carbs.
Nancy says
Oh Carolyn! You low carb cookie genius you!
I am standing in my kitchen, the first tray of these cooling, and I am in molasses cookie heaven… thank you thank you thank you for this recipe … and ALL your recipes!!! 😘😘😘😘😘😃❤️👍🏻
P.S. See you in Atlanta!!!
Carolyn says
So glad you will come!
Nancy says
I had a problem with the ones I rolled into 1″ balls… they were tiny, and they stuck to my hand when I tried to flatten them out of the oven… so… I got sick of rolling balls and used my 1.5T scoop instead, and flattened them before baking and they turned out big and beautiful, and easier than rolling balls… maybe you can change that in the written instructions, since in the video, I see you used a scoop!!!! 😂😂😂😂😘😘😘😘😘😃❤️👍🏻
Carolyn says
I didn’t actually make this video, my friend did. I have no issues rolling them into balls but a scoop works too.
Mary says
Just made these and it was so easy. Had no problem rolling or pushing them down after baking for 5 minutes. Eating one now and it was delicious. Not too sweet and very chewy.
Gillian says
I’m very new to Keto, and it’s a learning curve–but exciting. What’s the reason for using grass-fed gelatin instead of regular gelatin packets from the grocery store like Knox unflavored?
Carolyn says
Because it’s much healthier.
Tammy Bean says
I am making a Sauerbraten recipe and it calls for ginger snap cookies which are typically hard/crunchy cookies. I love your recipes and when I found this one it left me wondering if I could use these cookies as a substitute for ginger snaps. If I leave out the gelatin would that make them more “crunchy”? Thoughts?
Carolyn says
They wouldn’t get crunchy, this recipe isn’t going to get crunchy unless you bake for a really long time at a low temperature. Try my graham crackers and add a bunch of ginger to them… I think that would work better!
Cindy Platko says
I have been following your blog since I started Keto 2 years ago. We have loved the cheesecakes and especially the peanut butter cups, but had found that our personal taste did not care for the texture low carb cookies and cakes. This recipe has restored our faith in low carb cookies. These have a wonderfully chewy texture. Love them. Going to try the keto chewy brownies next. Thanks for all of your hard work and sharing your talent.
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it, Cindy!
Emily says
I’m having trouble finding grass fed gelatin locally. Can I substitute collagen protein powder?
Carolyn says
It needs to be gelatin to the the chewy consistency. But you can skip it and they can still be pretty good. Don’t do protein powder, it will make them very cakey.
Melissa says
These cookies are AWESOME! Their texture is incredible. I subbed molasses for yacon syrup and knox for the other gelatin as I couldn’t find any (except on Amazon and I didn’t want to have to wait to ship it) (For reference, I used just under 5 tsps of knox (a little less than 2 packets) and they still came out great. I got 50 1in. balls out of my batch instead of 40 for some reason – but no complaints!
These are easily the best low-carb cookie that I’ve had – thanks Carolyn! I’m so glad I found them, and just in time for the Holidays! Finally a low-carb sweet that isn’t an overly sweet, eggy, mess. I look forward to trying many more of your recipes!
Carolyn says
So glad you like them!
Sydney says
Absolutely incredible!! The most amazing chewy texture and the flavor is sensational!
Carolyn says
Yay, glad you like them!
Robin says
Has anyone tried xanthan gum for the gelatin? I’m vegetarian. If so, how much to sub? Thanks!
Carolyn says
Xanthan gum won’t have the same affect but it should be tasty anyway!
Robin says
Thank you!
Sara says
I used 1 tbsp Xanthan gum. turned out really good.
Vicki Nelson says
For the Chewy Ginger Cookies, could I use the Swerve brown sugar instead of the regular granular, and leave out the molasses or Yacon syrup?
Liz says
Great cookies, thank you!
Deb says
Can I substitute monkfruit sweetner for the Swerve? Thank you!
Carolyn says
Do you mean a monk fruit sweetener that is blended with erythritol? Then yes.
Erica B says
Hi, Carolyn. In your opinion, could this recipe accommodate a full 2 or 3 tablespoons of molasses in lieu of the 2 tsp yacon syrup? I’m willing to tolerate a gram or two of sugar per cookie in exchange for a nice, pronounced molasses flavor, but don’t want to mess up the texture.
Carolyn says
That’s a lot of extra carbs, but yes I think it could. If you find your dough too sticky, try a few teaspoons of coconut flour.
Erica B says
Yes, 3 T of blackstrap molasses is about 42 nc. But spread over 40 cookies, that’s really not too bad, especially for a once-in-a-while holiday recipe. Thanks for your response!
Dee Gee Johnson says
These are FANTABULOUS! They are perfect in my opinion. I’d give it 10 stars if I could 😉
Carolyn says
Thank you so much!
Sherry says
My husband has now told me 4x how much he likes molasses cookies (okay, I get the hint), so this morning I made a batch of these as part of my Christmas cookie gift-giving (for my neighbors). I subbed store brand unflavored gelatin (conveniently packaged in 1 TBSP portions), blackstrap molasses for Yacon syrup, and Lakanto monkfruit sweetener for Swerve.
These are to die for! I can’t wait for my husband to get home from work and see what he has to say. I hope he loves them because they were super easy to make (except for the almond butter I’d never made before but it was just a LONG process). I’m sure the neighbors will love them because they love getting cookies. I’ll save a few for my husband😀
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Gail says
OMG!! Christmas just arrived via these cookies!! So good!! I amped up the ginger a bit and added crystallized ginger, too. Our home smells like the holidays!! Thank you so much for developing Christmas in a cookie!! Happy holidays!!
Carolyn says
Enjoy!
Caren L says
I also amped up the ginger. In fact, I doubled the all the spices, added a bit of salt and 1 ounce of finely chopped crystallized ginger. The flavor is INTENSE. But that’s how we like our ginger cookies . . .
I found freezing the dough changes the texture a bit. Preferred the unfrozen version.
These really are great for quelling that sweet tooth. Only takes one to completely satisfy us and send us into cookie bliss.
Thanks for the recipe.
BTW – I am returning to keto after approx 7 years. I remember you from Low Carb Friends. You were a rock star then and apparently are still a rock star! Glad to come back to familiar faces.
Kim K says
I made these yesterday. I love the flavor (and bonus, they are “too spicy” for my sweet toothed kid). One question — mine are soft and delicious, but aren’t quite “chewy”. I didn’t have the yacon but left it out bc it was “optional” and my gut doesn’t always love oligos. Would that have mattered? I also used 2T of Knox gelatin bc Amazon delayed my order with grassfed (I see above that maybe I should have used less bc Knox gels more, though then I’d think they’d be too chewy rather than too soft.) Wondering if that’s it. I’d definitely make again, just wondering if changing the gelatin will change the chew, or if I need yacon/molasses.
Carolyn says
I don’t think it’s the Yacon making it not chewy. Did you happen to use a different sweetener?
Barbara T says
Mine came out soft too as Kim’s did. I used homemade almond butter, Knox gelatine and 3/4 cup granular erythritol and for our taste they are plent sweet enough although I read on the package that erythritol is only 70% as sweet as regular sugar and I believe that the swerve you specify a cup of is equivalent to sugar. I baked them for the 5 and then 7 minutes but after cooling them and seeing how soft some of them were I put them back into the oven for another 15 minutes. That way the bottom of most of them is firm but the overall effect is not chewy. I put them in the freezer and we eat them happily directly from there! The flavor is good although next time I will add more ginger and perhaps a little salt. Is there anything I did that might result in soft rather than chewy cookies. Thanks so much Caroline for answering virtually all the questions you get. It makes a huge difference.
Marie Ferrante says
This recipe is a GAME CHANGER! I cut it in half and got 25 cookies. I used molasses instead of yacon and one packet of Knox because I did not wanna wait! Thank you for this recipe!
Denise Nagelschmidt says
Help! I love these cookies but one day after I made them the middle turned green, but not like mold looks more like spinach. Any thoughts?
Carolyn says
Did you use sunflower seed flour? It reacts with baking powder unless you put in a tbsp of acid to offset the reaction. It’s not bad for you at all, though.
Bret P says
These cookies are a perfect mix of chewy and the right amount of sweetness. I’m loving the keto diet and was not much into sweets even prior to starting this diet, but these cookies I’ll make again. Only thing I switched up was going 1/2 c granular white Swerve and 1/2 c brown sugar-substitute Swerve (instead of the 1 cup white granular). The use of the beef gelatin is excellent! I’m going to try to use gelatin in other recipes for cookies I try out! Thanks!
Carolyn says
So glad you like them!
Ellen says
I bought some powdered Swerve on sale. Can I substitute that for the granular Swerve?
Carolyn says
That should probably work.
Lynne says
Just made these today. I am a ginger freak so I increased the ginger to 2 1/2 tbl next time I will go 3. I used 3 packets of knox, didnt have the other. I used Lakanto Gold. Amazing outcome! My son was on the fence, the cooling of the Lakanto put him off a bit. Im used to it lol, more for me! I used a carrot peeler and scraped some bakers chocolate on top of 6 to see how it would taste. Thanks, the gelatin was a game changer!
Carolyn says
Sounds fabulous!
Stephanie Roberts says
I used cream cheese because I can’t keep nut butters in the house (total binge food) and I didn’t want to wait to try these. Wow! Perfect! I think the last step is suuuuuper important: allow to cook completely. They’re even better the next day!!
Stephanie Roberts says
AND I used Knox—two packets. Worked a charm.
Michael says
Thanks for the recipe! It was great. I made some too thick though. To be honest it was the first time I tried baking any sweets in my life. Half were great and half were still good but not cooked all the way through. My bad. About how many cookies should one get out of this recipe? I made 18. I’m trying to calculate in grams how many is “two cookies”.
Carolyn says
It clearly states at the top of the recipe that it’s supposed to make 40…
Michael says
I guess cookies are ‘clearly’ the only thing sweet on this site Carolyn. Tact is hard to find. Did I mention I have disabilities and reading issues. Cheers!
Carolyn says
Sorry if you were offended. Just pointing out where to find the information.
D says
I just made these! Delicious! I used everything as directed and they turned out so soft and chewy! Perfect!
Heidi says
Thanks for the delicious recipe! I used lankanto golden and regular molasses. I also added a glaze of melted cream cheese and butter (about 2T each) mixed with swerve confectioners and a splash of vanilla extract. Almost like my favorite iced molasses cookies! Next time I will increase the spices for my personal taste- definitely making these again and again!
Claudia says
Oh, this sounds so good! But I have a question: You created this recipe before Swerve Brown Sugar — would a cup of that be a good replacement for the granular Swerve and Yacon syrup, do you think?
Ashley says
Can you use stevia as the sweetner
Carolyn says
No, your cookies won’t be very good with stevia, I’m afraid.
Juliette says
What about using a whole cup of butter to compensate for the lack of almond butter? I know that would jack up the recipe quite a bit.. just thinking out loud
Carolyn says
Butter and almond butter have very different consistencies. If you use all butter, you are going to have one large melted cookie all over your pan. Not recommended.
Jennifer says
If I wanted to make these dairy free, can you suggest a butter substitute? Thanks! These sound delicious!
Carolyn says
Coconut oil doesn’t work to well in these, ghee would be better if you can tolerate ghee.
Vicky says
I made these cookies last night and they were good, but this morning when I got up the cookies have green specks all over them. Doesn’t look quite like mold but it looks gross. I’m throwing them out. Any suggestions on why that happened?
Carolyn says
DO NOT THROUGH THEM OUT! It’s not mold. Did you happen to use sunflower seed butter? it’s simply a reaction between the baking powder and the sunflower seeds.
Victoria says
We love these, I have to tell you I added another T of ginger and I diced up at least 2 T of fresh ginger root, and becasue my husband likes hot things, I dusted his with cayenne pepper, along with swerve confectionery sugar! Wow these have a kick! a yummy kick!
Jo says
Love this recipe! I did a half batch as written to try them out and on the second 1/2 batch I did up the spices considerably, also adding salt as my butter is unsalted. I also used brown swerve and a bit of molasses and they were fantastic.
Today I tried (based on comments above) them as chocolate chip cookies (1/2 batch again and about 3.5 oz of Lily’s semi- sweet chips). Wow! Truly the best thing I have made in awhile Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Carolyn says
Sounds so good. I need to try your changes! It’s tricky with the spices because you never know what people will like or how much. I go middle of the road for things like that, so I don’t overpower someone who doesn’t like as much spice.
Moe says
Just made these…yum! I didn’t find them to be very chewy…more soft, but no matter. I decided to gild the lily: I made your lemon cream cheese frosting and sandwiched the cookies, then popped in the fridge to firm up. Wow! Husband’s favorite cookies have always been ginger lemon cream sandwich cookies…these hit all the right notes, minus the sugar and flour! Fabulous! I’ve been disappointed in most keto baking recipes…yours are my go to. Thanks!
kristi says
I am really excited to make these! Wondering if I could use Lakanto Maple Syrup in place of Swerve.
Carolyn says
I think it would throw off the liquid content, to add that much liquid sweetener.
Victoria says
I love ginger cookies and I made these and added about 1 T fresh ginger root ground up into tiny bits in addition to the ground ginger and added some Lilly Chocolate chips to the top of them, Oh so yummy! the fresh ginger root gives it a hot kick every so often in a bite…and the chocolate chips on top gives it a yummy chocolate taste…so good! thanks
Carolyn says
Sounds wonderful.
Mary says
These are really good. I added ChocZero white chocolate chips to them. Yummy! Thanks.
Rosa says
Hi Carolyn,
Can you keep baked cookies in the freezer? Or is it best to just store the dough?
Carolyn says
You can but they may harden quite a bit and lose that chewy quality.
Sheila says
Was this recipe originally done without the gelatin and almond butter? It seems that there used to be a cut out gingerbread cookie recipe, but for the life of me. I can’t find it. It wasn’t the spritz cookie. Could be it wasn’t one of yours, but I partially entered the ingredients into my cronometer and titled it as “Carolyn’s ginger cookies”. The problem is that I didn’t enter all the ingredients in and now I can’t find the original recipe. I just don’t remember almond butter being one of the ingredients.
Carolyn says
Are you looking for my Gingerbread men? https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/classic-gingerbread-men-low-carb-and-gluten-free/
Sheila says
Possibly. I better make both to be on the safe side! LOL
DMarie says
I made these using 1/2C Swerve Brown & 1/2C regular Swerve and they came out great! I found I had to chill the dough slightly in order to roll into balls. So happy I now have a “good” ginger cookie recipe!
Gerasimos Makaras says
Not bad. We like Swerve/Erythritol usually, especially as the sweetener for our favorite Keto Key Lime Cheesecake recipe.
However, for some reason, in this recipe, that “cooling effect” in the mouth from it seems very pronounced. That’s a little disappointing. I would like to try it again with a different sweetener…
Otherwise, this is pretty good as long as you allow it to stand on its own and don’t compare it to your grandmother’s famous Molasses Cookies. 😉
David Keith says
I made these a week ago and am just finishing the batch. They are really tasty! Full of ginger punch. I think I used less almond flour (dry ingredients) as it formed a think liquid rather than a dough that you could form balls from. Never mind, though because they still turned out great! Will definitely make these again and they are lovely in low sugar ice cream too! Thanks for the other lovely recipes!
Karen says
Good recipe they came out looking like the photos. I halved the quantity to 20. Next time will add more ginger. Also, as someone before me mentioned, I noticed the “cooling feeling.” Never noticed this before. Love your recipes. Thanks!
Christina says
I’ve made these cookies twice, and my second time was a lot better due to some tweaks that I highly recommend:
– I browned the butter, letting it cool before adding it to my mixer, rather than using softened butter from the fridge. It really helped deepen the flavor of the cookies!
– Instead of my usual mellow ceylon cinnamon, I substituted it with Korintje cinnamon from Indonesia, which is much “spicer” with more of a “bite” than ceylon.
– I doubled the cloves to deepen the flavor. I added some fresh ground black pepper to the batter, too.
– I know Carolyn likes Swerve, but many of us hate the cooling effect, so I used Allulose instead (1 1/3 cup). No cooling effect, no weird after taste, no blood sugar rising. It mimics sugar better than anything else out there! You don’t have to use Swerve just because Carolyn has it in her recipes — she doesn’t experience the cooling. It’s not a 1:1 substitute — when you replace with Allulose, you want to add about 30% more. And yes, it’s expensive, but the outcome is better and sweet treats should be occasional anyway. 🙂
All these tweaks meant that my second batch of cookies were properly darker than the first, and had a deeper, more complex and nuanced flavor, no cooling, and tastewise they were MUCH closer to the real thing. I encourage you to try these tweaks! They’re worth it.
Portia Iversen says
I’m vegetarian, is there anything else I can use besides the gelatin to help with the chewiness? Thanks!
Carolyn says
No, sorry. You can skip it but it won’t be the same.