What they may not know is that there are several healthy gingerbread cookie recipes out there. What used to be a favorite yet fattening surprise can now be made into a much less damaging treat, but most people are still none the wiser about it. This holiday season, why not give a new recipe a try?

Skinny Gingerbread Men

This is by far one of the best healthy gingerbread cookie recipes out there. It makes about two dozen cookies that are perfectly sized for your family and friends. Not only that, but they are pretty easy and inexpensive to make as well. 

What you need:

• 2.5 grams of whole spelt flour
• ¼ tsp. of fine grain sea salt (limit intake of common table salt to prevent water retention)
• ½ tsp. of baking powder
• 1–1.5 Tbsp. of ground ginger
• 1 tsp. of ground cinnamon
• 2/3 tsp. of ground cloves
• ½ tsp. of grated nutmeg
• 5 Tbsp. of coconut oil (melted beforehand)
• ½ cup of coconut sugar or stevia
• ½ cup of unsulfured blackstrap molasses
• 4 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
• ¼ tsp. of vanilla extract
• Large cookie sheet, ungreased (use wax paper instead of butter, oil, or nonstick spray)

If you like to bake healthy recipes, then you probably already have most of those ingredients in your kitchen cupboard. If not, stop to take inventory and gather your supplies so that you can move on.

What to do:

1. Combine all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
2. Melt oil, molasses, applesauce, and vanilla in a saucepan.
3. Pour wet over dry and fold.
4. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for one hour.
5. Cut into favorite shapes with knife or cookie cutters.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F/175 degrees C for 7–10 minutes and cool.
7. Decorate as desired (using natural and healthy ingredients, of course).

An Alternative to a Classic

Using standard icing might be a traditional favorite, but that does not mean you have to do what everyone else is doing. The finest healthy gingerbread cookie recipes also have low-fat icing on top:

In a medium mixing bowl, mix the following ingredients to create a healthy icing for your gingerbread cookies (and others if you so choose):

2 Tbsp. of egg whites

½ tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 cup of stevia (or another healthy sugar alternative)

Pinch of cream of tartar