Blackstrap Molasses Spiced Cookies (paleo, nut-free, egg-free, AIP)

I've been suffering from major cookie cravings lately, and I finally did something about it after a fun morning at the Bishop Museum last week.  I wanted to create something that is healthy, relatively low sugar, and AIP (autoimmune protocol) compliant, while still satisfying my inner cookie monster.  This was the first batch that I tried, and I'm happy to report that the recipe turned out perfectly.  I love it when that happens!  Dense and chewy with the right balance of sweetness and spice, these molasses cookies are exactly what I was hoping for.  They get their dark color from mineral-rich blackstrap molasses, a rich source of iron, potassium, and calcium, and it has less sugar cup for cup than other sweeteners like cane sugar, coconut sugar, honey, and maple syrup.  To achieve a chewy texture, I added grass fed gelatin to the mix.  Besides helping the cookies hold their shape, gelatin has a multitude of health promoting qualities that you can read about here, and I love it for its ability to heal the gut, boost immunity, and nourish hair, skin, and nails.  If you like ginger cookies, I hope you'll try these out.  They are warming, comforting, and thanks to their dense texture, they go perfectly with a glass of your favorite milk!

Makes about one dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp coconut flour

1/4 cup tapioca flour (aka tapioca starch)

1 1/2 tbsp gelatin (I use Great Lakes brand, the red can)

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp fine sea salt

1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled

1/4 cup blackstrap molasses

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (alcohol-free for those following AIP)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients, making sure there are no lumps.  Make a well in the center of the bowl, then add the coconut oil and the blackstrap molasses.  For easiest measuring of the molasses, first measure out the coconut oil, then use the same measuring cup to measure the molasses.  The molasses will slide right out of the cup instead of sticking to the sides.  Mix everything together well- the dough will thicken as you continue to mix for 30-60 seconds.  Use a tablespoon measure to scoop the dough, and drop it onto the lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.  Use your fingers to gently flatten the cookies, then bake for 8-9 minutes until the edges are slightly brown and crisp (it'll be hard to see because the dough itself is so dark, but if you trust your nose, you'll be able to smell that the cookies are done).

Before baking:

After baking:

Allow your cookies to cool on the pan before snacking.  They store well in an airtight container at room temperature, if you have any leftover.  I made a batch yesterday afternoon, and my boys just enjoyed a few as an after school snack with mugs of rice milk for dunking.

I hope you like them too!

~ Fauzia

My monkies eating cookies before bed last weekend: