These delicious protein gingerbread cookies combine plant-based protein powder with warm gingerbread spice, and they are perfect for the holiday season!
You might want to double the batch, because cookies these cookies will melt in your mouth! Try them with our protein hot chocolate for a the perfect winter protein treat!
If you enjoy gingerbread, try our gingerbread protein fudge and our gingerbread protein whoopie pies. YUM!
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Ingredients for Gingerbread Protein Cookies
Cashew Butter
Raw cashew butter provides a creamy base to the cookie dough. With its mild flavor (as opposed to other nut butters), it doesn't overpower the spices in this recipe, allowing the gingerbread flavor to shine through.
Water
A small amount of water helps combine the wet ingredients, ensuring the cookie dough has the right consistency.
Molasses or Agave
Molasses or raw agave syrup brings a touch of sweetness while enhancing the gingerbread spice. These natural sweeteners work better than refined sugar in this recipe.
Vanilla Rice Protein Powder
Vanilla rice protein powder combines with the cashew butter to give a melt-in-your-mouth texture (while, of course, adding lots of protein to the cookies!).
Its mild flavor complements the gingerbread spice without overpowering the flavor in these high-protein gingerbread cookies.
Ground Cinnamon
Ground cinnamon provides a warm, sweet flavor that is essential for authentic gingerbread spice. I love this Vietnamese cinnamon for its bold flavor.
Ground Ginger
Ground ginger delivers the signature kick of gingerbread. It pairs perfectly with cinnamon, cloves, and allspice.
Ground Allspice
Ground allspice balances the spices with a hint of nuttiness, rounding out the flavor profile.
Ground Cloves
Ground cloves add depth and warmth to the cookies, making them taste like the perfect holiday treat.
Salt
A pinch of salt enhances the overall flavor and balances the sweetness.
Coconut Butter (optional, for icing)
Coconut butter forms the base of the flavorful, sweetener-free icing, giving it a creamy texture and a mildly sweet, nutty flavor.
(Coconut butter is different from coconut oil the same way peanut butter is different from peanut oil.)
Coconut Oil (optional, for icing)
Coconut oil thins the coconut butter to the perfect consistency for icing. It ensures the icing pipes smoothly onto the cookies.
Equipment Needed
Oven Thermometer: You'd be surprised at how off-temperature ovens can be. Even new ovens. Try baking with an over thermometer and you'll never turn back!
Kitchen Scale: Highly recommended for the best results. Weighing ingredients ensures accurate measurements for consistent results.
Large Mixing Bowl: To mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients efficiently. I like this mixing bowl set because it is easy to clean and the bowls have a non-slip base.
Kitchen gloves (optional): I love these disposable kitchen gloves for when I have to get my hands in cookie dough or other mixtures.
Rolling Pin: Helps roll the cookie dough evenly on a flat surface. If you don't have one, you can just press the cookie dough out with the palms of your hands.
Gingerbread Cookie Cutters: Shapes the cookies into gingerbread men. If you don't have cutters, you can just roll the dough into balls and flatten them before baking.
Baking Sheet (Cookie Sheet): I like this Airbake cookie sheet not only for the air property, but because it is super easy to slide the parchment and cookies off and onto a cooling rack.
Parchment Paper: Prevents cookies from sticking to the baking sheet. A MUST HAVE in protein powder baking.
Cooling Rack: Allows cookies to cool properly after baking, by allowing air to flow under the cookies.
Piping bag or Ziploc (for icing): I love these piping bags because they are smooth and easy to use.
How to Make High Protein Gingerbread Cookies
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cashew butter, two tablespoons of water, and molasses (or agave syrup).
3. Add the dry ingredients: protein powder, spices, and salt. Mix until the cookie dough is well combined.
4. Adjust consistency with a tablespoon of protein powder or water as needed.
5. Chill the dough in the freezer for 10–15 minutes.
6. Roll the dough on a flat surface lined with a sheet of parchment paper to ¼ inch thick.
7. Use gingerbread cookie cutters to cut cookies and place them on the parchment-lined cookie sheet.
8. Bake for 12–15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
9. If using icing, allow cookies to cool completely before decorating.
10. If icing, warm the coconut butter (start with 10 seconds in the microwave) and see if it thin enough to pipe onto cookies.
11. If not, warm the coconut oil (separately) and add to coconut butter as needed.
12. Put the mixture in a piping bag (or Ziploc), cut off a tiny bit of the tip (corner of the Ziploc), and pipe the details onto the gingerbread men.
13. Refrigerate 5 minutes to set, and enjoy!
Ingredient Substitutions
Replace rice protein powder with pea protein powder or blends using rice or pea protein. Avoid whey protein or whey blends, as these have a completely different texture while baking.
Maple syrup can substitute molasses for a different flavor. If you choose a granulated sweetener like sugar or erythritol, or a powdered sweetener like stevia or monk fruit powder, you may need to add more water to get the right cookie dough consistency.
For a nut-free version, swap cashew butter half as much butter, and add more rice protein to achieve a cookie dough consistency that is workable.
For an alternate icing, use confectioner's erythritol with water. start with ¼ cup erythritol and ½ teaspoon water and adjust as needed.
Recipe Variations
Add mini chocolate chips for a fun twist.
Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract for a flavor boost.
Storage Info
Store cookies in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days. Freeze for longer storage.
FAQ
No, this recipe works only with rice or pea protein powder (or plant-based protein powder blends using pea or rice protein).
No, chilling makes the dough easier to roll and prevents excess dough from sticking.
Yes, almond milk can replace water for added flavor.
Yes, plant-based protein powders like pea or rice are called for in this recipe.
Add more water or cashew butter to moisten the dough.
Yes, these cookies are delicious plain.
For best results, yes, use an oven thermometer. Otherwise you may find that the cookies need more or less time in the oven, and risk having burnt edges if your oven gets to hot.
Yes, these cookies are naturally gluten free. We don't need any gluten free flours (like almond flour, coconut flour, or gluten-free baking flour) because the rice protein takes that role in these cookies.
Happy holidays! Enjoy your vegan protein gingerbread cookies as a healthy snack or as festive holiday cookies.
Recipe
Gingerbread Protein Cookies (Vegan)
Equipment
- oven thermometer for best results
- kitchen scale for best results
- disposable kitchen gloves optional
- piping bag or Ziploc bag, for icing
Ingredients
Cookie dough:
- ⅓ cup raw cashew butter
- 2-3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- ⅓ cup vanilla rice protein powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Icing (optional, not included in macros):
- 2 tablespoons coconut butter warmed
- up to 2 teaspoons coconut oil warmed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F (163C).
- Mix cashew butter, 2 tablespoons of water, and molasses (or agave) until well combined.
- Add remaining ingredients, and mix well. If the dough is too sticky (sticks to your fingers), add 1 or 2 tablespoons more of protein powder. If the dough is too dry (and crumbles), add another tablespoon of filtered water.
- Chill the dough in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before rolling it out on a piece of parchment to about ¼ inch thick. (If you don't have a rolling pin, press it out using the palm of your hands.) Cut into shapes using cookie cutters, and transfer cookies to a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes.
- If icing the cookies, be sure to let them cool completely before icing.
- To ice, measure the 2 tablespoons of coconut butter, and be sure it is warm so that it is as liquidy as possible. If the consistency is still too thick to pipe as icing, add up to 2 teaspoons of warmed coconut oil, ½ teaspoon at a time.
- Use a piping bag (or a ziplock with the corner cut out), decorate your cookies!
- Place iced cookies in the freezer for 5 minutes to set the icing.
- Enjoy!
Andréa says
Hi Candace,
For that protein powder, 1/3 cup = 37g. Sorry about that; for the newer recipes I always include grams.
Enjoy!
Andréa
candace says
Do you now how many grams 1/3cup of the protein powder is? I'm buying single serve packets and want to make sure I get enough but not too many (tight budget). Thanks!
Andréa says
Hi Ericka,
Thanks for writing in! How thinly did you roll them? If they are thick enough and allowed to fully cool, I don't think you should have that problem with this recipe. But generally, using an egg would hold cookies together better. If you want to add an egg or egg white here, I'd leave out the 2-3T water.
Hope that helps!
Andréa
Ericka says
These had a great gingerbread taste but they were soft, fragile fellas. ;-) Did I do something wrong or is there something I could do to firm them up?
Andréa says
Hi Mii,
Whey wouldn't work well with these cookies. In order to avoid the rubbery baked whey texture, a recipe needs to have sufficient wet ingredients and/or carbs to balance it out. I have a couple of whey cookie recipes: Banana Peanut Butter Protein Cookies, Raspberry Coconut Protein Cookies. You might try working with the Banana Peanut Butter recipe, trading banana for applesauce, pb for cashew butter, and adding in the spices. Hope that helps!
Andréa
Mii says
Hi Andrea!
I loved the fudge version of this recipe. So delicious! But I'm stuck with the protein powder. I currently only have whey.. Is there any substitutions that would work? Do you know any estimated measurements? Thanks so much! ^_^