These chocolate gingerbread cookies are unbelievably soft and chewy! They have the perfect chocolate twist to an already wonderful holiday cookie. They can be made with all-purpose or whole wheat flour, and they’re also naturally dairy-free with a vegan option.
I adapted this recipe from my 100% Whole Grain Ginger Cookies, which were adapted from an Ina Garten recipe. In that version, I used less sugar, made them whole grain, and used olive oil instead of canola oil.
They really are all you could want in a ginger cookie! In this chocolate version, I used refined coconut oil (but you can use olive oil if you prefer), added cocoa powder for part of the flour and added chocolate chunks.
I still love the original ginger cookies, but these are obviously better because… chocolate. Lots of gooey, melty chocolate.
Even at room temperature, these cookies are amazing. I tried to limit myself to two of these cookies a day and I chose to start my day with them.
It was futile to even try waiting until after lunch because they were all I could think about.
If you love gingerbread cookies and chocolate, then mixing the two together makes an extra special treat that’s great throughout the year!
Ingredients
- Whole wheat flour, whole spelt flour or all-purpose flour
- Dutch-process cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger
- Salt
- Brown sugar, raw sugar, or coconut sugar
- Coconut oil, melted1 or olive oil or canola oil
- Molasses (blackstrap is fine)
- Egg, room temperature or 1 chia egg for vegan option
- Chopped crystallized ginger
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips (use dairy-free chocolate chips), if necessary
- Granulated or raw sugar for rolling, optional
How to make them
- Mix the dry ingredients minus the sugar and set aside.
- With an electric mixer, beat the sugar, oil and molasses until combined.
- Add egg and beat on low, slowly add dry ingredients until well combined.
- Fold in crystallized ginger and chocolate chips.
- Roll cookie dough balls into sugar and put on a lined baking sheet and flatten the balls with your palm.
- Bake and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- These cookies are ready and hot out of the oven in about 10 minutes!
- You can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Recipe notes
I used refined coconut oil, which has no coconut taste. If you use unrefined coconut oil, these will likely have a slight coconut taste.
For a vegan option you can make a chia egg. Just mix together 1 tablespoon ground chia seeds + 3 tablespoons water until goopy like an egg.
I used crystallized ginger and chocolate chunks in these chocolate gingerbread cookies, but you could leave out the ginger if you want. Or even the chocolate.
They’re sweet enough without the added sugar, but I love the kick the ginger adds. And chocolate chips are always hard to resist!
I tried using this same concept (using some cocoa powder in place of some of the flour) for my Grain-free Chewy Ginger Cookies, but those came out inedible.
I do have these Paleo Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies that you could make if you need a gluten-free version.
With the holidays around the corner, there are so many options when it comes to holiday treats! But these chocolate gingerbread cookies satisfy both chocolate and gingerbread lovers, all in one delectable cookie.
Other holiday cookies
I’m a cookie freak when it comes to the holidays! They’re easy, and they make great gifts for neighbors and friends. Here are some of my favorites for the season.
- These Chewy Whole Wheat Chocolate Cookies have a crackly top that stay soft and chewy for at least a week. They’re so good, you’d never guess that they’re actually terrific sprinkled with candy cane crumbles!
- I love tossing in a few old-fashioned favorites into my cookie tins. These Oatmeal Cookies without Butter are perfect for those wanting a little bit more of a healthy option. They can be made with regular flour, gluten-free or whole wheat, and they’re naturally dairy-free with a vegan option.
- These Italian Almond Cookies are the best! They’re easy to make, yet elegant, and they just taste like the holidays. They’re naturally grain-free, gluten-free and dairy-free.
- These Ina Garten’s Ginger Cookies are my latest holiday hit. You can make the traditional recipe or even make them healthier! There’s even a vegan option. Seriously, they’re the best ginger cookies ever!
- If you love meringue, you should try these Peppermint Meringues! They’re perfect treats for the season!
- These Peppermint Chocolate Puddle Cookies are a perfect blend of a chocolate cookie with peppermint candy flakes! They are naturally gluten, grain and dairy-free, but you’d never notice because they’re truly decadent, fudgy and gooey on the inside with a crisp and crackly top!
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to bake! If you make these Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies, be sure to let me know! Just leave a comment below or share a pic on social media! Just tag #fooddoodlesrecipes so I can easily find it!
Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies (vegan option)
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups (208 grams) whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup (77 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup (133 grams) brown sugar, raw sugar, or coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup (56 grams) coconut oil*, melted or olive oil or canola oil
- 1/3 cup (117 grams) light molasses
- 1 large egg (50 grams, out of shell egg), room temperature or 1 chia egg for vegan**
- 3/4 cup (136 grams) chopped crystallized ginger
- 3/4 cup (128 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips (use vegan chocolate chips), if necessary
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup (50-100 grams) granulated or raw sugar for rolling, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Set aside.
- With an electric mixer, beat the sugar, oil, and molasses at medium speed for 1 minute.
- Add the egg, and beat for 1 minute on low. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then beat for another minute.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix on medium for 2 minutes.
- Add the crystallized ginger and chocolate chips, and mix until combined.
- Roll each cookie into a 1 3/4-inch ball and flatten them slightly with your fingers.
- Press each side of the cookie in sugar, which has been mixed with the orange zest, if using, and place them on a Silpat or a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Bake for 10 minutes. As soon as they’re crackly, I take them out. If they’re not crackly, they’re not ready.
- Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They freeze great.
Comments & Reviews
Holly says
Erin, I believe your link to the paleo recipe isn’t working. I can do a search on your other site for it but just wanted to let you know. Your cookie recipes always rock our world so I need to check the paleo recipe out immediately. Merry Christmas!
Charlotte Moore says
I would not have thought of ginger and chocolate together. They look very good.