Description
These Vegan Dark Chocolate-Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies are tender, spiced treats perfect for the holiday season. Featuring a soft gingerbread-flavored cookie base made from oat and almond flours, these cookies are enhanced with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Each cookie is topped with a rich dark chocolate ganache and a piece of homemade candied ginger, providing a delightful balance of sweetness, spice, and chocolatey indulgence. They’re naturally vegan and gluten-free, making them an inclusive festive delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Candied Ginger
- 1 cup coconut sugar, plus 3 tablespoons
- 2 cups water
- 1 3–inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch coins
Cookies & Chocolate Ganache
- 1 1/2 cups oat flour (180 grams; store-bought preferred)
- 1/2 cup super-fine almond flour (68 grams)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar (72 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (4 grams)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (6 grams)
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger (7 grams)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (1 gram)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (1 gram)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (3 grams)
- 7 tablespoons refined coconut oil, melted (77 grams)
- 6 tablespoons blackstrap molasses (132 grams)
- 4.2 ounces Hu Simple Dark Chocolate (2 bars), roughly chopped into shards
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened coconut cream
Instructions
- Make the candied ginger: In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup coconut sugar and 2 cups water. Heat over medium-low, stirring every minute until sugar dissolves. Add the ginger slices and simmer gently for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens into a syrup. Drain the ginger pieces and toss them in 3 tablespoons coconut sugar to coat. Refrigerate the candied ginger in a covered container until cool and dry. Use 14 pieces for the cookies; save extras for snacking.
- Preheat and prepare baking sheets: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together oat flour, almond flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until uniformly combined.
- Combine wet ingredients and form dough: Add melted coconut oil and blackstrap molasses to the dry mixture. Stir together with hands or a wooden spoon until a moist, cohesive dough ball forms.
- Shape cookies: Divide dough into 14 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Place evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheets. Use your thumb to press a deep indentation into the center of each ball, almost reaching the baking sheet but retaining edges. If cracks form around the thumbprint, gently pinch the dough to rebuild a retaining wall around the center.
- Chill cookies before baking: Place the trays in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm the dough and hold the thumbprint shape during baking.
- Bake the cookies: Bake in preheated oven for 14 minutes. Check around 10 minutes; if thumbprints are filling in, briefly remove trays and press centers with a teaspoon, then continue baking. After baking, press centers gently one last time while cookies cool on the tray to keep the indentations intact.
- Make the chocolate ganache: Heat coconut cream in a small saucepan over low heat until it just begins to simmer around the edges. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped dark chocolate until smooth and melted.
- Fill thumbprints and garnish: Spoon the warm ganache into each cookie indentation. Top each with one piece of the candied ginger. Let cookies sit at room temperature or refrigerate for 20 minutes to set the ganache.
- Store cookies: Keep cookies chilled in a covered container for 2 to 3 days for best freshness and texture.
Notes
- The candied ginger can be made several days in advance; just store it covered in the refrigerator.
- Use store-bought oat flour for best texture; homemade oat flour can work but may alter dough consistency.
- If the thumbprint edges crack after pressing, gently squeeze dough back together to maintain shape.
- For a firmer chocolate center, refrigerate cookies until set.
- These cookies are vegan and naturally gluten-free, making them ideal for those with dietary restrictions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 95 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
