Pocono Pabulum for Mind & Body: Whole Wheat Gingerbread Cookies

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Whole Wheat Gingerbread Cookies

This is a very basic gingerbread recipe passed down from my mom. I did change a few things, choosing to use all organic whole wheat pastry flour and substituting the 1 egg with soaked chia seeds, but you could easily revert back to the basic original version. This recipe makes a lot of cookies, so they are perfect for a holiday cookie swap, or for giving away as gifts. The thing with gingerbread is that it honestly tastes better and better after each passing day, so if the cookies even last that long, they can be enjoyed for days and made ahead for convenience. This recipe can also be used to make a gingerbread house so long as you have a template to cut the shapes. A few years ago, my husband, son and I made a gingerbread Alamo using this recipe and if I can find the photos, I will be sure to post them. This cookie does have a bit of sugar in it (and butter) but it also has a ton of antioxidant rich spices and molasses, a nutrient dense sweetener. Plus they are just delicious and will make your house smell amazing for days.

Whole Wheat Gingerbread Cookies

some ingredients

5 C. organic whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 C. organic butter

1 C. organic white sugar

1 C. (organic) molasses

1 organic egg, or 1/3 C. soaked chia seeds

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices into a medium bowl. Beat the butter with the sugar until fluffy and light, then add in the molasses, egg and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture, a third at a time, blending well after each addition, to make a soft dough. Wrap the dough in foil and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Roll out the dough, one quarter at a time to a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured pastry board. Cut with a 3-inch cookie cuter. Place, 1 inch apart, on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350F for about 8 minutes, or until cookies are firm but not too dark. Remove to wire racks with spatula; cool.