These flourless almond butter molasses cookies are a healthier version of the classic molasses cookies. They still have all the flavor, cracks and crinkles of the traditional version just without flour, extra oil or butter. They’re dusted with a light coating of sugar and ridiculously chewy.
Molasses cookies were one of the many cookies my mom and I would always make once the holiday season hit. My two favorites, molasses and my mom’s sugar cookies, have always been and will always be my favorite. Over the years I’ve tired to put a healthy spin on the classics. Some results much better than others, but none that could live up to the classic sugar, butter, flour cookie…until now.
These flourless almond butter molasses cookies are hands-down my new favorite Christmas cookie. They’re incredibly chewy and perfectly spiced with ginger, cinnamon and a touch of clove. You’ll never guess they aren’t made with any flour, refined sugar, butter or extra oil. They’re my ideal holiday cookie. I’ve tested these about five times now just to make sure they’re perfect for you, so I hope you enjoy!
Nourished By Nutrition Facts
Healthy Fat – The base of these cookies are made from almond butter and almond flour. This creates a nutrient-dense and delicious cookie made from healthy fats. Healthy fats like those found in almonds are essential for healthy skin and hair, keeping our cells intact and stabilizing our blood sugar. The majority of fat found in almonds are monounsaturated fats which are known to help reduce the risk of heart disease. Healthy fats are also necessary for the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K.
Molasses – This unique sweetener is actually a bi-product of processing cane sugar. Unlike cane sugar and most refined sugars, molasses is rich mineral such as calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium. The 1/4 cup of molasses used in this recipe has 48% of the recommended daily allowance of calcium, 52% of iron, 40% of potassium and 28% of magnesium.
Ginger – This classic cookie flavor comes from the molasses and blend of spices – cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Ginger is a root that has been use for centuries for its medical properties. It’s full of antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. It can be used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice. Another unique property of ginger is its ability to sooth an upset stomach, indigestion and morning sickness. It’s been shown that 1-1.5 grams of ginger can help prevent various types of nausea.
[/one_half_last]IF YOU LOVE THESE Almond Butter Molasses Cookies, YOU’LL ALSO ENJOY THESE RECIPES:
Almond Butter Molasses Cookies
Flourless version of the classic molasses cookies. They have all the flavor, cracks and crinkles of the traditional version just without flour, extra oil or butter.
Makes 14 cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup almond butter (make sure it’s runny. I like Trader Joe’s roasted unsalted)
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 6 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 egg or flax egg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup organic cane sugar or coconut sugar for rolling (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the 1/3 cup of organic cane sugar or coconut sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
If using a stand or handheld mixer, add everything to a bowl and mix on high until everything is evenly combined. If mixing by hand, add the almond flour, baking soda, salt and spices to a small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the egg (or add the flax egg). Add the almond butter, coconut sugar, molasses and flour mixture. Mix until everything is evenly incorporated. This will take some muscle. Just keep going. The dough will be very sticky. Place in the fridge for at least 10 minutes.
Use a cookie scoop or roll about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the dough into a ball. Place the dough ball into the small bowl of sugar and roll until evenly coated. Place on the cookie tray. Continue with the rest of the dough, placing each ball two inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
Once out of the oven, bang the pan on the counter a couple times to help the cookies fall. If you’d like flat, crinkle look like the cookies in the photos, gently press down on the cookies with your hand to flatten slightly. Let cool for at least 2 minutes on the cookies tray before removing.
Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to a week or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Notes
For flat, crinkly cookies, bang the pan on the counter after removing from the oven and gently flatten with your hand.
I used organic cane sugar to give the cookies that classic sugar-coated look. You can leave this off or use coconut or raw sugar if you wish.
Vegan version – replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 2 tablespoons of warm water)
I loved this recipe. I omitted the spices (wanted a more molasses centric flavor), subbed extra molasses for the coconut sugar and used oat flour instead of almond flour. I baked them from frozen at 425 for 10 minutes. They came out crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. So delicious. I will definitely make these again. Thanks for this recipe. Can’t wait to try more from your site.
So good! I actually put in 1/2 cup of almond butter on accident and then after chilling the dough realized my mistake, so instead of trying to blend it into the tougher dough I just rolled it into the dough balls and it turned out really good. Kind of made a marble effect! Fluffy and so flavorful, I loved them. Thanks for sharing <3
My new favorite cookie! Thank you so much for an easy and tasty recipe! Made one batch, and immediately made a second double batch! I ate the first batch almost all myself :) Going to give out as my Christmas gifts to my family!
We LOVE this cookie recipe! I’ve shared it with friends and family and it’s definitely one of my family’s favorites! Warning: you’ll want to make the biggest batch so you can share and eat as many as you like! These don’t last long!
made these for my partner’s birthday with homeground almond flour, flax egg and added tahini because I didn’t have quite enough almond butter. delicious and simple to make. thank you!
These are some of the best cookies I’ve ever had! My non-vegan family was in love. Will definitely be making them for the holidays! lots of love.
This recipe is so easy and the cookies turned out great! I baked them for 8 minutes and they came out very chewy. Letting them sit a few minutes is crucial so they hold together when removed from the pan. My husband loved them. I doubled the recipe and put some in the freezer. Thanks!
These are incredible! I made the flax egg version with tahini instead of almond butter because that’s what I had. I’m sure they’re great with almond butter too.
My love for molasses cookies extends to my childhood. Since going Paleo two years ago, it has been hard missing my favorite cookie. After taking one bite. It was how I remembered them. THANK YOU!
Soft and chewy!
I switched the coconut sugar for maple sugar (not syrup) and added an extra 1/2tsp of cloves and did not add any sugar on top. Backing for 12 mins to crisp them a bit more….I can’t keep them in my house the kids and my husband have a daily limit, so we have a batch every two days instead of every day. Amazing cookie! Thank you for our families new healthy favorite.
These are one of my go to cookie recipes! A favorite in our house for sure. Shared the recipe with a friend from work and she liked them too.
They have great flavor and are a perfect amount of chewiness. I was unsure if they were ready when the timer went off but I took them out anyway and I’m glad I did because after cooling and sitting, I wouldn’t have wanted them cooked any longer.
I ran out of coconut sugar after making the recipe so I did a blend of the coconut and cane sugar for the rolling and it worked just fine.
Hearing that you make these regularly and share them with friends brings me so much joy! They’re definitely a chewy cookie, but I’m always team chewy over crispy.
Just made them and love this twist on molasses ginger cookie! It does not take away from the great flavor to have the almond butter… but makes it even better!
Did you make these with blackstrap molasses? yours look darker than mine. I used Grandma’s brand because I had it on hand but want to experiment with blackstrap too.
I’m so happy you liked them! The almond butter molasses combo works so well. I’ve made them with and without blackstrap molasses just based on what I had on hand. The photos are made with blackstrap and therefore a little darker. Blackstrap also had more iron so that’s a nutrition bonus!
Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?
Hi Venessa! I hope you give them a try! I recommend eating them within the week.
This looks so good! Do you use almond butter in any other cookie recipes?
Hi Suzanne! Thank you so much. Yes, I have a few cookie (and brownie) recipes that are made with almond butter. You can find them here: https://nourishedbynutrition.com/?s=almond+butter. I also have tahini chocolate chip cookie!
Nutritional value?
Hi! Here at Nourished by Nutrition, the philosophy is rooted in nourishing your body with nutrient-dense foods rather than focusing on numbers. I do highlight the nutrition benefits for certain ingredients in each post. That being said, I understand many people may want the nutrition information. I recommend copying the URL of the recipe you’d like to calculate and upload it into myfitnesspal.com. You can also input the recipe manually if you prefer.
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These are the best cookies I’ve ever had/made!! Wow. And grain free?! These are on another level.
I’m so happy you loved them! They’ve become my favorite cookie, especially around the holiday season. I hope they stay on the regular cookie rotation for you as well!
These were a HUGE hit with our fam (and 2 picky kiddos!) :) They had no idea they were a "healthy" version – which is a big win in this mama’s book! This recipe will be going into our new Christmas rotation!
Thanks, Tiff! You have no idea how happy this makes me. Enjoy these delicious cookies with your family for years to come!