I've never really bought into the idea of festivity and Christmas cheer - I suppose that the blistering summer heat in New Zealand in the holiday period doesn't help in the slightest! There is little worse I could think of than slaving away over a hot oven in preparation for a big feast, or spending hours bustling in and out of muggy stores.
Thankfully, these squidgy little discs of crackled gingerbread are a
They are not a crispy cookie, instead leaning towards the
Recipe adapted from The Minimalist Baker's Gingerbread Men.
This recipe will make eight generous cookies, or four mega ones, which are the perfect size for an indulgent dessert for two. Sandwich with fresh ginger-spiked coconut cream and additional cookie butter - perhaps even some salted caramel sauce if you're feeling naughty.
INGREDIENTS
GINGERBREAD CRINKLE COOKIE
1 tablespoon of flaxseed or chia seed meal
3 tablespoons of cool water
1/2 cup of coconut sugar
1/4 cup of stoneground almond butter
1/4 cup of coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons of blackstrap molasses
2 teaspoons of ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
Pinch of sea salt
1 1/4 cups of spelt OR buckwheat flour with a pinch of guar gum
FILLING
3 tablespoons of Speculoos cookie butter
TOPPINGS
Sea salt flakes
METHOD
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius bake and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Measure out the flaxseed or chia seed meal into a large bowl, then add the cool water, stir with a fork, and leave to thicken for a few minutes.
- To the same bowl add the coconut sugar, almond butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, ground ginger, baking soda, and sea salt. Stir vigorously with a whisk or wooden spoon until silky and dark.
- Sift the flour into the same bowl, and stir with a wooden spoon until thick and doughy. It should be neither tough nor droopy; simply firm and soft.
- Take a walnut-sized chunk of dough in your damped palm and roll it into a ball, then flatten it into a circle and scoop a teaspoon or so of the cookie butter into the middle. Bring the sides of the dough up and pinch together, then gently roll into a ball between your palms. Place on the parchment-lined tray and repeat until you have eight cookies.
- Sprinkle the cookies with the sea salt flakes and place in the oven to bake for approximately 12-15 minutes. They are ready when they've got their characteristic crinkle appearance and are slightly golden around the outside.
- Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before attempting to remove from the tray. Cool completely on a rack for a chewy crust, or enjoy warm with a mug of ginger tea.