Vegan Frosted Gingerbread Cookies (gluten free)

These are a healthier version of the typical gingerbread cookie. This frosting has sugar but I do have other cookie recipes with frostings that do not use sugar so take a look at those recipes if you prefer not to use any sugar. When I do make a sugar frosting, I like to add coconut oil as that helps to blunt the blood sugar response. If you don’t have all the spices for the cookie, you can use only ginger (2 tsp) and cinnamon but I love how nutmeg and cloves make the cookies taste. For decorations, I avoid synthetic food coloring. I choose ones that use natural coloring, such as beets, spinach and turmeric.

1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tbsp blackstrap molasses

Frosting (ingredient amounts are more of an art than a science):
2 cups powdered or coconut sugar (coconut sugar will give frosting a darker color)
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tbsp coconut oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium to large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, powder, spices, salt and baking soda).
Mix in the melted coconut oil, maple syrup and molasses until well combined.
Place dough in refrigerator for 1-2 hours or in freezer for 30 minutes.
To roll out, form a ball of dough and place between two pieces of parchment paper.
Roll with rolling pin to 1/2 inch thick for softer cookies or 1/4 inch thick for crunchier cookies.
Use cookie cutters and re-roll extra dough for more cookies.
Place cookies on parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake for approximately 10 minutes.
Remove to wire rack for cooling.

Frosting:
Using a mixer, combine powdered or coconut sugar (will not be as white), almond milk and coconut oil.
Mix on high until well combined and there are no clumps from the coconut oil.
If too thin, add more sugar. If too thick, add more milk or coconut oil.