Vegan Gingersnaps

Do you ever have those days that you just make whatever recipe calls for ingredients that you actually have in your cupboards? I love to find new ingredients and do something different, but not all days are those days. Last week I was very tired, but just felt like something homemade, you know? I wanted to try out a Babycakes recipe and this was the only one that intrigued me that I didn't have to head out to the store for.

Gingersnaps

(from Babycakes by Erin McKenna) (thanks!)

Makes: 36 cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup coconut oil (melted)

1/3 cup homemade applesauce

1 tsp salt

3 Tbsp molasses

2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups evaporated cane juice

2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour

1/4 cup flax meal

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp ground ginger

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

Method:

-Preheat the oven to 325F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

-In a medium bowl combine the melted oil, applesauce, salt, molasses, vanilla and evaporated cane juice

-In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, flax meal, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and xanthan gum

-Carefully add the dry mixture to the wet mixture using a rubber spatula until a grainy dough is formed

-Scoop (using a melon baller) the dough onto the sheets and space 1-inch apart

-Press each cookie down and bake on center rack for 15 minutes, rotating the sheets 180 degrees after 9 minutes (the cookies will be crisp on the edges and soft in the center)

-Let the cookies stand for 10 minutes on the sheets and then transfer to a rack to cool

-Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days

Notes: My batch made about 43/44 cookies and therefore should only be in the oven for about 13 minutes (timing is very important with these cookies as they are so thin). I didn't have a melon baller, so I used a teaspoon instead (this is probably why I ended up with more cookies). I also sprinkled on a little organic cane sugar on top (homage to my mom and grandmother's cookies growing up).

Survey says?... the family LOVED them! I didn't even know my family liked ginger snaps? I also wasn't sure as they didn't look like the gingersnaps I'm used to (as they are so thing). I think the thing I love most about these cookies is the mix of the crunchy outside and the chewy inside and the fact that they have the tiniest hint of coconut (from the coconut oil)

Enjoy!