Chewy Ginger Snap Cookies - Top 8 Free, Gluten Free
This post was sponsored by Gerbs Allergy Friendly Foods
If you haven’t heard of Gerbs yet, then you’re in for a real treat. If you’re already familiar with the brand then you know why I love them so much!
About a year ago I got fed up with not being able to find seeds and dried fruits that did not have a cross-contact warning for allergens. I’m not one to take chances with cc, so I was forced to forego using some of my favorite baking and cooking ingredients, some of them for years. The last time I remembered eating candied ginger was as a toddler, and I’m pretty sure that was before we fully understood the risk of cross-contact.
My hunt led me to discover Gerbs, a family owned company located in Rhode Island. It’s a literal wonderland of allergy friendly seeds, dried fruits, candied fruits, coffee, chocolate, spices, flours, and more. Everything is processed in their dedicated top 12 allergen free facility. It was almost too good to be true! I was even more pleasantly surprised when I learned that they don’t process legume flours, which are currently the bane of my existence. Fast forward to a massive box of seeds and dried fruits arriving at my door after I placed an order for everything my stomach, and heart, desired.
I use their products in so many things - seeds sprinkled on cereal or oatmeal, candied ginger or dates as a snack or blended into energy balls… they carry the full gamut of pantry staples. I appreciate the simplicity of their packaging, which has a similar feel to buying bulk. There’s very little waste, especially when you are ordering a pound of seeds versus a tiny little bag in the grocery store. It suits my personal initiative to reduce the amount of kitchen waste our home produces.
Ginger snaps seemed like the perfect recipe to share for the holiday season. They travel well, making them an easy host gift or party favor. They keep fresh in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
The outside of the cookies are coated in crunchy, crystalized turbinado sugar, while the inside has a bite from the ginger, and is chewy and dense. Dried dates give the cookies a deep, almost molasses-like taste which feels very Christmas-y and festive. Despite being on the chewy side, whereas ginger snaps are typically hard as a rock, they hold their shape when dunked into tea or coffee.
I like to think of it as a chameleon cookie; one that could fit in just as easily on a charcuterie board as on a plate of cookies for Santa.
Peanut free, nut free, dairy free, egg free, soy free, gluten and wheat free, fish and shellfish free
Gerbs ingredients made in a top 12 allergen free facility
Ingredients
1/2 cup Gerbs Dried Ginger
1/3 cup Gerbs Dried Pitted Dates
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp avocado oil
pinch of salt
3/4 cup Gerbs Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
Add the ginger, dates, maple syrup, vanilla, ground ginger, avocado oil, and salt to a food processor and pulse until it is smooth and creamy. There may be some flecks throughout, which is fine. Add the Gluten Free All Purpose Flour, baking soda, and baking powder and blend just until it comes together into a thick dough.
Turn the food processor off, remove the lid, and remove the blade, scraping any dough off. It should feel quite sticky. Scoop out tablespoon sized amounts of dough and roll into a ball in your hand. Dunk them in the turbinado sugar so that they are coated well on all sides. The dough should make 12 - 15 cookies.
I keep a little bowl of water handy while rolling the dough, so that I can dip my fingers in to prevent getting all sticky.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375F.
Spread the sugared dough balls out on the lined baking sheet, evenly. Press each one down with your fingers to form a disc. Bake for 10 minutes. If you got 15 cookies out of your dough, then they will be more crisp after 10 minutes. If you made them a bit larger and did 12 cookies, then they will still be slightly soft. You can bake for an extra 2 minutes to suit your texture preference.
Makes 12 - 15 cookies
