While rummaging through my freezer last weekend I was excited to discover a chunk of this frozen gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan cookie dough. Don’t you love it when that happens?
I originally baked these in December as a present for my mother in Toronto. I decorated them with little dreidels and menorahs made of royal icing, which all fell off in the plane on the way back home! I was so disappointed.
These cookies are addictive. It’s too easy to devour six of them in one sitting. At least they’re thin, so I choose to believe that’s like eating two thicker cookies. Are you with me?
As an aside, I read a troubling article yesterday about agave nectar that claims it is worse than high fructose corn syrup. I don’t know what to make of it – what do you think?
Gluten-free, Sugar-free and Vegan Gingerbread
From Baking with Agave Nectar
2 1/3 cups brown rice flour
1 ½ cups amaranth flour
1 ½ cups arrowroot powder
2 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
1 cup amber agave nectar
¼ cup dark molasses
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tbsp vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper
In a large bowl, stir together the rice flour, amaranth flour, arrowroot powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the agave nectar, molasses, applesauce, canola oil and vanilla extract. Mix well and pour over the dry ingredients. Stir until the two mixtures and combined. Cover and chill the dough for two hours or more.
Sprinkle your work surface with arrowroot powder. Divide the chilled dough into four equal parts. Roll out the dough ¼ inch thick. Cut out gingerbread with cookie cutters and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for six to seven minutes. The cookies will be slightly soft when they are removed from the oven. Cool for 10 minutes, then move to cooling racks to cool completely.
Oh, I’m so excited! Thank you for sharing this–I’m saving it for Christmastime. It’s hard finding dessert recipes that are both dairy-free and gluten-free, and I need to meet both requirements when baking for my friend’s son. I didn’t finish the agave nectar article, but I tend to believe what he’s saying and it is disheartening, although less so for me than for those who are very intense about being all natural. I wonder how pure maple syrup would taste in this recipe in place of the agave nectar? It might be too thin and maybe more flour would have to be added but I think it would give it an interesting depth of flavor. The recipe would remain vegan, which it wouldn’t if honey was used, and maple syrup (at least the kind directly from the tree) hasn’t been getting any bad rap that I’ve heard of. I think I’ve already talked myself into trying it!
I find it bizarre that he recommends stevia, which I think tastes like chemicals. All sweeteners should be used in moderation, but I think I’d much rather use agave (or honey, since I’m not vegan) than white sugar. But maple syrup would probably work – agave is pretty liquid, too.
Yum, those look fabulous! I love that they work without xanthan gum. I use arrowroot powder a lot too in my gf baking. Found you on tastespotting! -Ali
It’s nice to not have to use xanthan gum in everything!
I’m nervous about agave too – it’s very highly processed. I would choose honey myself and bake at a lower temperature or maple syrup for very strict vegans.
Molasses counts as sugar in terms of glycaemic index – although it is full of great nutrients…
x x x
The metabolic effects of sugars in your body are all more or less similar, be it HFCS, agave, honey or table sugar. Over the long term, all sugar is poison to us, so just eat it in moderation and don’t worry too much about which type you’re using.
At least you don’t have to worry about agave being genetically modified, which is the case with sugar from beets or HFCS.
Just a little confused…your directions say to mix the rice flour and the amaranth flour…but there is no amaranth in the ingredient list…I assume you use them interchangeably (one or the other) in the amount listed for rice flour…both being gluten-free?? Look yummy and will try ‘em! Thanks!
Thank you for catching that! There is amaranth flour in the recipe, which I must have missed when typing – I’ve corrected it now. Many thanks!