Whether it’s your Nonna’s Italian rainbow cookies or your Bubby’s rugelach, holiday cookies are heavy on comfort, but they’re not always the healthiest thing you’ll make all year. While it’s definitely time to celebrate with a special occasion cookie, we love these healthier holiday cookie recipes: they feature natural ingredients for tasty cookies you’ll be proud to share.

1. Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

These gingerbread men get richness (and protein) from organic SunButter. Classic spices like ginger and cloves, rich molasses, and just the right amount of cocoa powder unite to make this a new classic. Be sure to opt for an organic corn syrup like this one from Wholesome to keep your cookies glyphosate-free.

[Christmas Linzer cookies with raspberry jam]

2. Raw Vegan Linzer Cookies

These raw vegan linzer cookies are rich and sweet thanks to a combination of walnuts, almond flour, dates, maple syrup, and coconut oil. Cut them out using your favorite holiday cookie cutters, and spread with a homemade raw raspberry jam made with chia seeds.

[Thumbprint cookies]

3. Vegan Thumbprint Cookies

Thumbprint cookies are a super fun recipe to get even the littlest kitchen helpers involved in the holiday festivities. This vegan dough packs a protein punch with almond butter and a secret ingredient: chickpeas. Don’t worry, though – once you’ve added the vanilla, maple syrup, and coconut palm sugar, the chickpea flavor doesn’t come through in the final cookie. Fill them with whatever jam or vegan chocolate spread you like.

[Image: Chocolate cream cookies]

4. Raw Chocolate Macaroons

These paleo-friendly cookies are made with a combo of coconut, pecans, raw cocoa, and pumpkin purée. Sweetened with raw organic honey and just a touch of vanilla and cinnamon, they’re positively perfect for the holidays. (Leave a few out for Santa and see how quickly they disappear!

Image: Plate of shortbread rings with nuts on table

5. Kamut Shortbread

Kamut brand khorasan wheat is an organically grown cousin of conventional wheat that’s more nutritious and easier to digest. Along with chopped mixed nuts, Kamut is the topping for this simple, rich shortbread recipe. Use grass-fed butter for the healthiest, most delicious results.

Kamut Shortbread Recipe (Care of Kamut)

Makes 8 large shortbreads

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup salted and roasted mixed cocktail nuts, chopped
1 tablespoon Kracklin’ Kamut

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium size bowl stir together the softened butter and ⅓ cup of sugar until well combined. Stir in the vanilla then add flour and mix with your hands until a dough forms. Transfer dough to the baking sheet and form an even 8” circle. Score into eight sections and sprinkle nuts and Kracklin Kamut evenly over the dough, pressing down to help them adhere.

Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar and bake until shortbread is deep golden in color, 25-30 minutes.

Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes and cut into eight sections.

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The post 5 Holiday Cookie Recipes You Have to Make This Winter appeared first on EcoSalon.

Traditionally, gingerbread cookies contain butter, eggs, sugar, and flour. This recipe for a vegan version of gingerbread cookies, all of those elements are taken out of the mix. In their place, the recipe uses the likes of whole-wheat flour, almond milk, coconut oil, and maple syrup to keep flavor but dispose of anything that will veer you off your path towards a healthier lifestyle.

Have one, two, three, four, or more of these cookies with a glass of warmed almond milk. They will satisfy your sweet tooth while providing your house a warm Christmas aroma as they bake. Feel free to use any other vegan milk in place of the almond milk or any vegetable oil in place of the coconut oil. Make a complementary frosting as well!

Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

Makes up to 30 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 2/3 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Sift the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate, large bowl whisk together the wet ingredients. Add the dry to the wet ingredients and stir until evenly combined and the mixture forms a dough. Use clean hands to form a ball with dough. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and roll the dough out on a floured surface until it is 1/4-inch thick. Cut out gingerbread figures, reserving the trimmings to re-roll, and place the gingerbread cookies on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Decorate to your liking and enjoy!

Photo Credit: nettsu

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The post Vegan Gingerbread Cookies Recipe: All of the Flavor, None of the Guilt appeared first on EcoSalon.