Hey guys,
I know I’m a little bit late with Christmas baking this year, but better late than never, right?
So, we all know the sugar consumption ups to it’s high point right before Christmas. Candies nuts, chocolate cover everything, dumplings, cookies, cakes and other treats everywhere. Who could be blamed to enjoy some of these temptations?
But I think the Christmas time shouldn’t be used to throw all good resolutions out of the window. An overall balanced lifestyle is so important nowadays, and this means not to restrict yourself, but to eat and live consciously.
I always try to replace store-bought foods which probably have a lot of additives and are highly refined with homemade goodies. Christmas especially gives the whole family the opportunity to bond through spending time together. Doesn’t baking and decorating cookies a whole afternoon in the kitchen sound like fun? 🙂
Last year, I already tried healthier “Vanillekipferl” and oat-date-cranberry cookies as well as brownies. This year, I tried to recreate gingerbread. And even though the consistency isn’t totally on point, I’m pretty proud of my first attempt. They taste like a marzipany cookie doughie sugar overload 😀 Without ANY sugar.
How, do you ask? Well, I think sugar consumption should be reduced to a bare minimum and I still have sugar replacements I need to use up until March, so…Perfect opportunity.
Bear in mind that I don’t support eating huge amounts of sugar replacements instead of conventional sugar, because eating more than 30 gr can be irritating on the microbiome. And you know how important a happy gut is on overall health, right?
But I still tried to provide a recipe without any real sugar. No fructose, no glucose or maltose. 100% sugar free.
My secret ingredient to accomplish this is erythritol, a sugar alcohol of which 90% are already absorbed by the small intestines into the blood stream. Erythritol is also safe to eat for diabetics, because it doesn’t spike the blood sugar. Just fyi.
I took inspiration from a few recipes, but in the end, I modified so much that I think I can call this recipe my own.
One had marzipan as an ingredient and you might know marzipan consists of approx. 60% almonds and 40% sugar, at least. So, I made some myself. Also sugarfree.
Let’s get into baking then. It’s really easy, if you have all ingredients on hand and don’t have to grind every ingredient finer. But even if you have to, it’s a fast recipe 🙂
A Christmasy no guilt-treat combining traditional flavours of winter with modern ingredients.
- 1/2 cup blanched almonds, ground
- a bit less then 1/2 cup powdered erythritol ( or erythritol ground into powdered sugar in food processor)
- 1-2 drops bitter almond oil
- water
- 2 cups almonds, ground
- 1/4 cup powdered erythritol
- marzipan
- 1/2 tbsp gingerbread spice
- 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
- pinch vanilla
- pinch salt
- 2-3 tbsp water, warm
- 1/2 cup powdered erythritol
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- pinch vanilla
- water
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If needed use a food processor to ground the almonds and erythritol.
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In a food processor, add the ingredients for the marzipan (except water) and mix. Only slowly add tsp of water until reaching a kneadable dough.
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Transfer to your kitchen counter and knead with hands, rolling the marzipan into a log.
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Preheat the oven to 400°F.
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Combine all dry ingredients and mix.
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Add in water tbsp per tbsp until the dough is kneadable, not crumbly, but also not wet.
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Cut the marzipan in small pieces, roughly the size of 1/2 inch cubes by cutting the log in four equal parts lengthwise.
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Add in the marzipan an knead it slightly in the dough.
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Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Use a tbsp to form equally sized oval or round gingerbreads and put on baking sheet.
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Bake for 12-14 minutes. There done if the edges are slightly golden. Don't overbake them!
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Let the cookies cool down on baking sheet.
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Combine all ingredients for icing, adding water until the icing has a thick pourable consistency.
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Dunk each gingerbread in the icing mixture and let it harden at room temperature.
Store the gingerbread in the fridge, because not having sugar means no conservatives either.
So, that’s it, you guys.
I just want to remind you not to eat more than 2 of them in a day, because 2 roughly have 30 grams of erythritol.
Of course you can replace the erythritol with normal sugar, they would last longer at room temperature, too. But that’s totally up to you. I won’t judge 🙂
I am all about good quality when it comes to nutrition. That’s why I decided to show you which products I personally use or recommend (due to market availability). I, by no means, want to pressure you into buying these. But I research thoroughly where and how the products were made, if the price is adequate for the quality etc. Of course, often there is more than one great product. Then I usually buy the cheapest out of them 😀
- If you are a cinnamon lover like me, I would recommend this brand:
Ceylon Cinnamon. For US.
Ceylon Cinnamon. For EU. It’s even from Madagascar, the country with the best vanilla, cinnamon and pepper in the world 🙂 - Erythritol. For US. Non-gmo and kosher.
Erythritol. For EU. I have used this brand for years.
Are you trying out my recipe and posting it on instagram? Please tag @vam_po and #vampofood, so I can see your creation 🙂
Bon Appetit,
*This post contains affiliate links, the products were paid by myself though.
