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!
Ingredient Notes
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.
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.
I love this Vietnamese cinnamon for its bold flavor.
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.
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.
Add more water or cashew butter to moisten the dough.
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 these easy 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 (g) raw cashew butter
- 2-3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon (g) molasses
- ⅓ cup (37 g) 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 (g) coconut butter warmed
- 2 teaspoons (g) coconut oil warmed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F (163C).
- Mix cashew butter, 2 tablespoons of water, and molasses (or agave) until well combined.⅓ cup (g) raw cashew butter, 2-3 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon (g) molasses
- 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.⅓ cup (37 g) vanilla rice protein powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ¾ teaspoon ground allspice, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 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.2 tablespoons (g) coconut butter, 2 teaspoons (g) coconut oil
- 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! ^_^