Due to popular request on one of my recent Instagram posts, where I posted I picture of these vegan, refined-sugarfree and oil-free gingerbread cookies I decided to go ahead and post the recipe. My Instagram is @fannythefoodie btw, in case you want to get more frequent updates from me. Anyways back to the cookies. Last week I finally got into Christams mood after a beautiful Christmas brunch I went to on Sunday.
Therefore, I then decided to go ahead and bake some cookies. As I didn’t fancy to bake anything special I just settles for the most simple and classic Christmas cookie: gingerbread! To be truly honest with you, I have never actually made it as it is not that big in Siwtzerland. Christmas cookies in Switzerland come in all different kinds of flavours, textures and shapes, yet gingerbread doesn’t happen to be one of them. This recipe right here is super easy and tastes delicious especially dipped into hot chocolate, coffee or even just some oat milk. The texture is relatively chewy and it kind of reminded me of a Swiss specialty called: Basler Läckerli.

Gingerbread cookies (vegan, refined sugar-free, oil-free)
I know this recipe is nothing special, it’s basic, plain and probably not all that exciting but sometimes that’s all we care for, am I right? Sometimes we’re happy if a recipe does not ask for fancy ingredients from the organic shop. Sometimes we don’t like to try out new flavours. So, I guess this is the perfect recipe for when you’re feeling like something traditional.

Gingerbread cookies (vegan, refined sugar-free, oil-free)
Anyways let’s get on with the fun part, the baking!
- 100g apple sauce (unsweetened)
- 65g date sugar *
- 150g Birnel (concentrated pear juice)
- 10g gingerbread spice
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 250g spelt flour
- 1 tbs cacao
- Mix the flour, date sugar, gingerbread spice, cacao and baking powder in a bowl. Pour in the apple saice and the Birnel and mix until it forms a farily stif dough.
- Wrap in plastic foil and let the dough rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
- After one hour preheat oven to 200°C roll out your gingerbread dough to 3mm thickness and cut out cookies of your choice. I went for hearts and gingerbread men. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool completely and the dust with icing sugar or decorate with a glaze of your choice. I went for a simple icing sugar and water mixture, yet chocokate would work great as well.

Gingerbread cookies (vegan, refined sugar-free, oil-free)

Gingerbread cookies (vegan, refined sugar-free, oil-free)
Only 12 days till Christmas!! So make sure to get baking asap!
Bisous,
So cute! Thanks for such an easy recipe…and I love the icing decorations.
Thanks Casey! It is so easy, sometimes that’s all you want, right?:)
Date sugar- can I replace it with other sweetener? Can’t find it nowhere in my neighbourhood …
Date syrop? Coconut sugar?
Definitely! I’d say coconut sugar or raw cane sugar would work just as great. I just wouldn’t use something like maple syrup or agave as it would change the consistency of the dough.
You can use either coconut suagr or raw cane sugar. I wouldn’t use maple syrup or agave though as this will change the consistency of the dough.
These look amazing and love the simplicity of the recipe. Thanks!