“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.” Don’t you think? Oh man, how much I love Christmas, Christmas baking (Germans go all out), Christmas songs, Christmas carols, Christmas movies. I’m the bigget sucker for all things Christmas. In fact, as I’m writing this, it’s the end of November, I’m sick on the couch and have already watched two of Netflix’ Original Christmas movies.
If you look around the web, there are countless of vegan cookie recipes. What most of them have in common is that they are basically nothing more than regular cookies made with margarine but no eggs. This works great in most cases and tastes pretty much like the original. However, if you want to bake healthier, then you should go for less sugar, use wholegrain flour varieties and nuts and look for alternatives for margarine as this is a highly processed fat. This is not always easy and often results in a different taste than the original.
I’ve been baking “differently” for many years now, so I thought I’d share with you my most commonly used ingredients for a slightly healthier Christmas bakery. Please note that the word “healthy” shall be regarded with a grain of salt. Whenever I publish sweet recipes with alternative sweeteners, I note that with “healthy” I mean: not using commonly known industrially processed ingredients. A cake will always remain a cake, a cookie will always remain a cookie. No matter what different sweetener you use. So please understand that having a few of my gingebread cookies, or one of my almond and cinnamon stars is absolutely fine, but just because they contain healthier ingredients than other cookies, does not mean that you get a free pass and eat them all at once. Ok, so now that we got this covered, let’s continue to the fun part: the baking!
Healthy Christmas Bakery Swaps:
Refined sugar alternatives:
Cow’s milk alternatives:
You can use any plant-based milk instead of cow’s milk in Christmas recipes 1:1. I love the subtle sweetness of oat milk, but almond or hazelnut milk works especially well in Christmas bakings.
Butter alternatives:
- Extra-virgin coconut oil: I love coconut oil and therefore use it in many recipes. If you’re scared of coconut oil because you’ve recently seen some particular video, then I recommend reading this article by Wellcuisine. Coconut oil is not necessarily healthier than other fats, but it’s also not damaging. As with everything: it depends on the quantity you consume. Chosing high-quality coconut oil is therefore of the utmost importance.
- Nut butter: my favorite alternative for cookies. Almond flavor tastes great in cookies. However, it can only be used in recipes that contain soft butter in the original, as almond cream is relatively fluid at room temperature.
Why I don’t eat margarine (vegan butter):
My diet is about eating mainly natural foods that are not industrially processed . Of course, there are also differences – I buy, for example, plant-based milk and store-bought chocolate, etc. However, margarine is something that I cannot get around. The reason is that usually vegetable fats are liquid at room temperature. Only exceptions: coconut oil and palm oil. Margarine is thus obtained, in a process by which vegetable oils are cured with pressure and high temperatures. As a result, nutrients are lost, or – even worse – unhealthy fats are created. Of course, this is very simplified and I will probably comment on that in another post if you are interested. My conclusion: Margarine or vegan butter is not a healthy alternative to butter for me personally. In that matter, I’d say that butter is a thousand times healthier than industrially produced margarine.
Wheat flour alternatives:
- Ground Nuts: Traditionally, the Christmas bakery uses a lot of ground nuts anyways – which is great! Since nuts contain lots of nutrients and fiber, they are also my favorite alternative to wheat flour. Go crazy with almonds, hazelnuts, pecans or walnuts.
- Buckwheat flour: Not everyone likes the taste of buckwheat flour, but I love it! Buckwheat flour is naturally gluten-free, contains various nutrients and is easy to process into cookies and cakes. Make sure to use certified gluten-free flour when purchasing, as some buckwheat flour is produced in gluten-processing factories and may be contaminated.
- Brown rice flour: A fine flour that I always use in combination with arrowroot starch (or other starch) and other gluten-free flours.
- Arrow root powder: Starch loosens up the gluten-free dough and makes it fluffier. I like to use arrowroot powder because it is not as strongly processed as corn or potato starch.
- Gluten-free baking mixes: due to the gluten-free hype, there are lots of ready-to-use gluten-free baking mixes on the market. The problem with many of these is the high proportion of starch (starch acts like white flour in the body by causes the blood sugar level to rise faster). I recommend buying from companies that do not have starch on first or second position in the ingredients list. My favorites are Alnavit or Bauckhof.
- Whole-grain spelt flour: not gluten-free, but a better alternative to wheat flour. If you are not gluten-sensitive, whole-grain spelt flour is the best choice for baking Christmas cookies.
Egg alternatives:
- Chia egg: one ground tablespoon of chia seeds mixed with three tablespoons of water replaces an egg in the vegan Christmas bakery. You need to let it sit for about 10 minutes before incorporating it into the cookies dough.
- Flax egg: Just like with the chia eggs, mix one tablespoon of ground flaxseed with two to three tablespoons of water to make a flax egg. Personally, I find the binding power of chia eggs better than flax eggs, but flax is the more eco-friendly choice.
- No egg: many recipes do not even need eggs to work. It all depends on the recipe on the texture of the dough.
Healthy cinnamon and almond stars
Healthy almond & cinnamon stars
“What a fantastic recipe. Delicious and so easy and quick. My son loves these! I didn’t have vanilla power so substituted with 1 tsp vanilla essence and the consistency was perfect. Love the chewy almond texture.” Niki
Healthy gingerbread cookies
“Dear Lynn, thanks for this great recipe! I have a histamine intolerance and cooking and baking is always a special challenge. But I tolerate your healthy speculum excellently and even I have something to snack on during the Christmas season! And then they taste great too … I’ve already tried the cinnamon stars – but did not have enough almonds and then filled the rest with ground pumpkin seeds, which tastes really great! I’m really thankful for your many great recipes. Keep it up! Best regards, Alma”
Healthy vanilla crescent cookies
“Hi Lynn, what an amazing recipe. We’ve baked these cookies a lot last December with our kids. Thank you! Martina”
Healthier German Stollen “Christmas bread”
“Hello, I have one question..Is it possible to make one big stolen? I’m worried it would turn out too dry, because it is from whole spelt flour? But…I did made little ones a week ago and the recipe is just fantastic. We all love it. Thank you! ” Nina
Chocolate crescent cookies
“I love the vanilla kipper and the speculoos, which taste like the” real “speculoos, but I do not have such a guilty conscience … you do not believe how many times I’ve recommended you … always let the guests try first and then had to just pass on the recipes … eg from your apple pie … mmh everything so delicious. Keep it up !!!!!!! “
Healthy Christmas Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies
“Hello Lynn, I just made myself comfortable with your freshly baked Linzer cookies on the sofa with the view of a snowy winter landscape.The cookies taste great.I have used homemade apricot jam instead of raspberry jam and Tonka bean for the vanilla Great recipe! Even my parents and siblings have already tried and find them great, although they are all not vegan … I wish you and your loved one another wonderful Advent season. ” Katharina
Healthy Thumbprint cookies
“Today I baked the peanut cookies with the strong support of my son, we reduced the amount of honey a little bit, combined with my mother’s homemade raspberry jam, the cookies became delicious.” Great recipe! Next time, we’ll do twice as much and try aout the variation with coconut oil. ” Silvia via OhhhMhhh
Gingerbread energy balls
“I’ve made them with banana rather than apple chips (because not at hand) and if I am not eating them at once, I might enjoy the delicate gingerbread smell for a bit longer. “ @Studio caramelo on Instagram
Healthier Choco-Crossies
Not really cookies, but these cakes are also Christmassy and delicious:
Spiced apple chocolate cake:
Chai Waffles
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