Description
These Vegan Dark Chocolate-Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies combine the warm spices of gingerbread with a rich dark chocolate ganache center topped with candied ginger. They feature a moist, tender texture from oat and almond flours, naturally sweetened with coconut sugar and molasses, perfect for a cozy holiday treat or anytime you crave a festive cookie with a vegan twist.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Candied Ginger
- 1 cup coconut sugar, plus 3 tablespoons
- 2 cups water
- 1 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch thick coins
Cookies & Chocolate Ganache
- 1 1/2 cups oat flour (180 grams)
- 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: Combine 1 cup coconut sugar with 2 cups water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir every minute until the sugar dissolves, about a few minutes. Add the sliced ginger coins and bring to a rolling simmer. Let cook for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the liquid thickens into a syrup. Drain the ginger and toss with 3 tablespoons coconut sugar. Refrigerate covered to cool and dry. Reserve only 14 pieces for cookies.
- Prepare the oven and baking sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together oat flour, almond flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and kosher salt until thoroughly combined.
- Form the dough: Add the melted coconut oil and blackstrap molasses to the dry ingredients. Mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until a moist dough ball forms.
- Shape the cookies: Divide the dough into 14 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball and place evenly spaced on prepared baking sheets. Use your thumb to indent each ball deeply, nearly to the tray but not piercing the bottom. Fix any cracks by pinching edges back together.
- Chill and bake: Freeze the cookie trays for 15 minutes to firm up the dough. Bake for 14 minutes total at 350°F, checking after 10 minutes. If the indentations are filling in, gently press them back down with a teaspoon. After baking, press the centers one last time while warm.
- Make the chocolate ganache: Warm the coconut cream in a small saucepan until melted and just simmering at the edges. Remove from heat and stir in chopped dark chocolate until smooth and melted.
- Fill the cookies: Spoon the chocolate ganache into the thumbprints of the warm cookies, then top each with a piece of the candied ginger. Allow to set at room temperature or refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
- Store properly: Keep cookies chilled in a covered container for 2 to 3 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Candied ginger can be made several days in advance and stored refrigerated.
- Use superfine almond flour for the best texture.
- If indentations fill in too much during baking, press them promptly to maintain the thumbprint shape.
- Reserve extra candied ginger for snacking or garnishing other dishes.
- Refined coconut oil is recommended to avoid coconut flavor in the cookies.
- To speed up ganache setting, place cookies in the fridge after filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approximately 40g)
- Calories: 160 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
