Healthier Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, cloves, pepper, baking soda, and baking powder. Whisk until blended.

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the coconut oil and molasses, then whisk until combined.

3. Add the coconut sugar, then whisk until blended.

4. Add the egg, then whisk until the mixture is thoroughly blended.

5. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry, then mix just until combined.

6. Divide the dough in half, then shape each half into a round disc about 1-inch thick and wrap it in plastic wrap.

7. Place both discs in the refrigerator, then chill for about 1 hour or up to overnight, until cold.

8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with the racks in the middle and upper third of the oven. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

9. Lightly flour the working surface, then roll out one of the discs out until it’s ¼-inch thick. If the dough is very hard or crumbly, just keep on rolling and then let it rest for a few minutes to warm up.

10. Repeat until the dough is ¼ inch thick.

11. Use cookie cutters to cut out cookie shapes, then place each cookie on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about ½-inch of space around each one.

12. Combine the dough scraps into a ball, then roll them out again, repeating until all the dough has been used up. Repeat with the remaining disc.

13. Place the baking sheets in the oven, one on the middle rack and one on the upper.

14. Bake for 8 minutes for softer cookies or 11 minutes for crisp cookies.

15. Place the baking sheets on cooling racks to cool.

Lemon Icing:

1. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Whisk until thoroughly blended.

2. Transfer the icing into a small Ziploc bag, squeeze out any excess air, then seal the bag.

3. Cut off a tiny piece off one of the lower corners, then squeeze icing through the hole to decorate the cookies as desired.

4. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the cookies.

5. Serve, and enjoy!