Crisp and delicious Gingerbread Protein Cookies that are high-protein, gluten-free, and vegan. A perfect holiday treat!
The cookie dough has a base of raw cashew butter and vanilla rice protein powder. I chose the raw cashew butter because of the mild taste. Other nut butters would yield cookies with a similar texture, but their flavor might compete with the spices. Raw cashews have a subtle flavor, and so raw cashew butter is a great choice for more traditional tasting gingerbread cookies. The spices really take over the flavor, and the cookies are delicious!
To get the crispy texture we’re looking for, be sure to use a plant-based protein powder like rice or pea. Whey powder would give more of a cake-like texture, so I wouldn’t recommend it for these cookies.
Oh, and did I mention these are gluten-free and vegan? Yep. Like my peanut butter protein cookies.
If you like this recipe, check out my Gingerbread Protein Fudge. ;)
Ingredients
Cookie dough:
- ⅓ cup raw cashew butter
- 2-3 tablespoons filtered water
- 1 tablespoon molasses or raw agave
- ⅓ cup natural 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 raw coconut butter warmed
- up to 2 teaspoons raw 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 hand.) Cut into shapes using cookie cutters, and transfer cookies to a parchment lined cookie sheet or (unlined) dehydrator tray.
- 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 a few minutes to set the icing.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Raw cashew butter can be made by processing raw cashews in a food processor.
Andréa
Hi Candace,
For that protein powder, 1/3 cup = 37g. Sorry about that; for the newer recipes I always include grams.
Enjoy!
Andréa
candace
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
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
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
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
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! ^_^