How To Make Holiday Cookies for Every Dietary Need!

Society has been serving the holidays with a side of cookies and milk since the 1930s. Baking these staple holiday treats has become a tradition in many families’ homes. But with more people opting to follow specific diets, relying on those old-timey recipes can become difficult. Maybe you’ve recently chosen to reduce your gluten intake, or your cousins coming over are strictly Keto. 

Whatever the case, these holiday cookie recipe ideas will cover all your bases. Who knows, maybe even Santa has changed his diet recently!

These six recipes for holiday cookies will suit a variety of dietary requirements without compromising the flavor and baking fun!

 

Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

This recipe is low-carb and gluten and dairy-free.

Peanut butter cookies pair perfectly with a cool glass of dairy or non-dairy milk, including these sugar-free cookies. The recipe calls for minimal ingredients and is protein-packed — a perfect guilt-free holiday cookie!

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup of peanut butter
• 3/4 cups of Truvia or a plant-based sweetener of your choice
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 egg

 

How To Prepare

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Place the peanut butter, salt and Truvia into a bowl. Beat together using an electric mixer.
• Add the egg to the peanut butter mixture and mix until the mixture forms a dough.
• Scoop the dough onto the baking sheet, leaving enough space between each cookie.
• Press the dough balls out with a fork.
• Place the baking tray into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.

These holiday cookies are simple yet delicious, and for added utility, they can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.

 

Bowl Snickerdoodle Cookies

This recipe is gluten-free, vegan and naturally sweetened. 

It is no wonder that snickerdoodle cookies are such a fan favorite — cinnamon-infused puffy pillow cookies sound like the perfect Christmas cookie! Even better, this recipe comes together in no time at all! 

 

Ingredients for Coating

• 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar or cane sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

 

Ingredients for Cookies

• 1/2 of vegan or dairy butter
• 1 1/3 cups of gluten-free flour blend
• 1 1/4 cups of almond flour
• 1/2 cup of coconut sugar or cane sugar
• 3 tablespoons of Aquafaba or 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar (optional)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch or arrowroot starch

 

How To Prepare

• Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two baking trays with parchment paper. Set aside for later.
• Start by preparing the coating. Add the sugar and cinnamon to a bowl and combine and set aside.
• Add softened butter to a large mixing bowl and mix until creamy and smooth.
• Add sugar to the butter and mix on medium speed. The mixture should be fluffy and light.
• Add the Aquafaba, egg and vanilla and mix again, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the baking powder, cream of tartar, ground cinnamon and sea salt to this mixture. Mix lightly until combined. 
• Add the gluten-free flour, almond flour and starch powder and gently mix until combined.
• Once the dough is thick and moldable, cover the bowl and transfer it to the fridge. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
• Using a tablespoon or cookie scooper, measure out equal-sized amounts. Roll the dough into balls in the cinnamon and sugar mixture until coated evenly.
• Arrange the balls on the parchment-lined baking tray and gently press down with the palm of your hand.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool.

Snickerdoodle cookies are quintessentially festive, so giving these a try this season is a must!

 

Keto Thumbprint Cookies

This recipe is low-carb, gluten-free, Keto and vegetarian.

Keto desserts are often hard to come by, but this cookie recipe has you covered. They are filled with a raspberry chia seed jam to add cheer to your dessert table!

 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup of unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons of cream cheese
• 1/3 cup of erythritol
• 1 3/4 cups of almond flour
• 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 12 teaspoons of Keto raspberry jam

 

How To Prepare

• Line a baking tray with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Add the softened butter, cream cheese and erythritol to a bowl and mix with an electric mixer on high speed.
• Add the almond flour, egg, salt and vanilla extract to this mixture. Mix again on medium speed until a fluffy, sticky cookie dough forms.
• Place the cookie dough in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
• Remove the dough and roll it out into balls, placing each on the tray.
• To create the print, place your thumbprint into the center of the dough ball.
• Add the sugar-free jam to fill 3/4 of the thumbprint.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Once out, let them cool completely.

Perfect for anyone who has diabetes or for anyone looking for a low-carb, low-sugar festive cookie alternative!

 

Paleo Chocolate Crinkles

This recipe is refined sugar, dairy and gluten-free.

Crinkle cookies are often the star of the show, with the lovely contrast between the chocolatey brown cookie and the white powdered sugar!

 

Ingredients for the Cookie

• 1 1/4 cups of almond flour
• 1/4 cup of raw cacao powder
• 1/4 cup of coconut sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
• 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons of avocado oil
• 1 egg

 

Ingredients for the Maple Powdered Sugar Coating

• 2 tablespoons of maple sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder

 

How To Prepare

• Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Mix the coconut sugar, almond flour, cacao powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl.
• Add the eggs, vanilla, maple syrup and oil and mix to form a dough. Let the dough sit for at least 10 minutes at room temperature.
• Prepare the powdered sugar by placing 2 tablespoons of maple sugar into your food processor or grinder and pulsing until the sugar forms a coarse powder.
• Place the roughly powdered maple sugar into a medium-sized bowl along with the arrowroot powder, and stir until well combined.
• Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the dough directly into the powdered sugar bowl. Shake the bowl to coat the cookie dough evenly with the powdered sugar mixture.
• Remove the dough and place it on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes and let them cool to room temperature.

You would never guess these cookies are gluten, dairy and refined sugar-free!

 

Millet, Almond and Pistachio Cookies

This recipe is gluten-free and vegan.

Millet is high in fiber and gluten-free, which adds excellent health benefits to these cookies. This recipe is a perfect rework of a top holiday cookie recipe!

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of millet
• 1 cup of almond flour
• 1/3 cup of pistachios, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom
• 1 pinch of bicarbonate of soda
• 1 pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 of lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons of coconut oil, melted
• 3 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice

 

How To Prepare

• Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the millet into a food processor and blend until it forms a flour-like consistency.
• Combine millet flour, almond flour, cardamom, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and whisk together. Mix in chopped pistachios and lemon zest. Set aside.
• Whisk melted coconut oil with lemon juice, vanilla and maple syrup in a small bowl. Pour this mixture into the dry mixture bowl.
• Combine all the ingredients to form a dough. Leave to stand for 10 minutes.
• Roll cookie dough balls in the palms of your hands and place them onto the lined tray.
• Bake for about 15 minutes until light golden brown.

Similar to biscotti, these cookies have an elegant flavor profile and are the perfect addition to any festive dinner party!

 

Spritz Cookies Made With Homemade Food Coloring

This recipe is dairy, gluten, artificial colorant and refined sugar-free.

Originating in Scandinavia and Germany, spritz cookies are fun to bake and even better to eat! This recipe is guilt-free and will keep you and your guests reaching for more.

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups of paleo flour (a combination of almond arrowroot, coconut and tapioca flour)
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 cup of maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 4 teaspoons of almond extract
• 4 tablespoons of flaxseed meal
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/2 teaspoon of powdered spirulina for green coloring
• 1 tablespoon of red beetroot juice for red coloring
• 1 spritz cookie press

 

How To Prepare

• Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Combine half the flour, baking powder, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, almond extract, flaxseed meal, the total quantity of beetroot juice and 1/4 cup water in a medium-sized bowl.
• Repeat this step with the remaining ingredients and replace the beetroot juice with spirulina powder.
• Mix thoroughly until well-combined.
• Spoon mixtures into the cookie press, one after the other, after choosing the cookie shape.
• Use the cookie press to spritz cookies onto a lined baking sheet.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes and cool before serving.

Spritz cookies come in all shapes and sizes, so this is a precious opportunity to get creative with shapes and colors!

 

There’s Always an Option!

Your cookie traditions do not have to sit on the back burner this Christmas. So many alternatives and different options are available today to suit a wide array of dietary requirements if you want to try something new this year. Using the recipes provided above will fit just about any palate and lifestyle!