On my blog, you can already find several recipes for Christmas baked goods, such as the Super Easy Cookie Dough, Pink Chai Chocolate Cookies, Vanilla Crescent Christmas Cookies, Ginger Bread Figures, and Chocolate Glazed Cookies. All these recipes are, as always, vegan, gluten-free, and some are even sweetened only with fruit.

Now I’ve taken on a new challenge: a cookie recipe that is not only vegan and gluten-free but also completely grain-free. The base of the dough is ground hazelnuts, which together with the chocolate create a delicious flavor combination.

Vegan, gluten-free AND grain-free?

With a bit of cocoa powder and heat-stable protein powder, the typical flour can be replaced surprisingly well.

I deliberately call this Christmas treat “cookies” instead of “Plätzchen” (which is German for traditional Christmas biscuits) because their texture is rather soft — Plätzchen are usually more crispy.

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Vegan Chocolate Cookies (Gluten-free, Grain-free)

These soft cookies are a special holiday treat: vegan, gluten-free, and completely grain-free. They have a lovely nutty-chocolate flavor and are perfect for anyone who loves soft cookies.

Course Baked Sweet, Christmas cookies

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Keyword chocolate, Christmas, Cookies, Hazelnut, Keto-friendly

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Rest time 1 hour hour

Servings 12 Cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 100 g ground hazelnuts or almonds
• 30 g cocoa powder
• 30 g protein powder I use pea protein
• 1 tbsp psyllium husk ground
• 1 –2 tbsp sweetener depending on how sweet you like it
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 175 ml water

For the chocolate filling:

• 1 tbsp FAIR-TRADE cocoa powder
• 1 tsp sweetener
• 1 heaping tbsp nut butter
• 1 tbsp water possibly a bit more if needed

Glaze:

• 50 g FAIR-TRADE chocolate
• Chopped hazelnuts optional

Instructions

• Mix all the cookie ingredients except the water in a bowl.
• Then add the water and quickly stir to form a dough. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest in the fridge for about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate filling by mixing all ingredients well in a small bowl. Start with 1 tbsp water and add a little more carefully if needed. The consistency should be a fairly thick cream.
• Preheat the oven to 190°C (top/bottom heat). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• With wet hands, shape the cookies. Take a tablespoon-sized portion, flatten it slightly in your palm, spread a dollop of chocolate filling on top, and fold the dough around the filling. Then place it on the baking tray with the folded side down. Repeat until the dough and filling are used up.
• Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies start to brown lightly.
• Let the cookies cool well after baking. Carefully melt the chocolate in a bowl, using the double-boiler method. Spread some melted chocolate on each cookie and optionally garnish with chopped nuts.
• Best stored in an airtight container and consumed within 1 week.

Notes

Note: The cookies can also be made keto- and low-carb-friendly by using a sugar-free sweetener and sugar-free chocolate.

The dough is very similar to a classic shortbread dough and is easy to form and roll out. Before baking it should be left to rest chilled for approx. 30 minutes.

For sweetening I use dried dates. They create a lovely sweetness and also add to the silky texture of the dough (better don’t taste it though, I warned you! ). I have tried a variety of cookies with the dough.

Here are a few cookie variation ideas:

• To make jam filled thumbprint cookies, form the dough into small balls and press dent into it, using your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon. Fill the dent with some jam before baking.

• For marble cookies add some cocoa powder to half of the dough. Should it get too dry, add little bit of water. Knead the light coloured and dark colour dough together before forming the cookies.

• Add some cinnamon to create cinnamon star cookies (a favourite with my German family)

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Super Easy Cookie Dough (Vegan, Gluten-free, Fruit-sweetened, Oil-free)

Perfect for holiday baking, a super easy and quick cookie dough. The recipe is vegan, gluten-free, sweetened with fruits and oil-free. The dough is wonderfully versatile and can be used for a variety of diffferent cookies.

Course Baked Sweet

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Keyword Cookies, fruit-sweetened, gluten-free, holiday baking, oil-free, vegan

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Rest time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 1 Tray

Ingredients

• 200 g rice flour (or other flour)
• 70 g almond flour (alternatively ground cashews or sunflower seeds)
• 2 tbsp psyllium fiber
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 100 g dates, pitted and chopped
• 170 ml warm water

Instructions

• Start by soaking the dates with the warm water in a bowl. Then blend it smooth, using a stick blender.
• Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour the date mixture into this bowl and stir to combine. A thick dough should form, which is easily pliable.
• Cover the bowl with the dough and place in fridge for approx. 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 170° C (top/bottom heat). Roll out the dough between two sheets of baking paper. Cut out the cookies and place them on the baking tray. Repeat the step until the dough is used up.
• Bake the cookies for approx. 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Decorate to your liking. Enjoy

Once again I used one of my favourite meat alternatives: sunflower seeds. They are so versatile and can be used in all sorts of vegan dishes – sweet and savoury. This time I added some kidney beans. This helps to add some further plant-based protein to the meal. The sunflower seeds and kidney beans combined add up to 40g of protein, which is about 10g per portion.

And the texture? Super deilious and almost a bit scary, because it reminds me of the meat version. The classic way to prpare these balls is boiling. I have used a different method by baking them instead. This allows for a better texture.

In the sauce I used the classic ingredient capers and bay leaves. And thaks to the chsews (or amcadamias or blanched almonds) it has alovely creamy texture, without any dairy products.

As always, this recipe for Konigsberger Klopse (German Meatballs) is vegan, gluten-free and also oil-free. It goes very well with boiled potatoes or rice.

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No-Meat Konigsberger Klopse – German Meatballs (Vegan, Gluten-free, Oil-free)

Savoury dishes like these German Konigsberger Klopse, also called boiled meatballs, are easily made vegan, completely without meat. Makes approx. 15 to 20 balls.

Course Hauptgericht

Cuisine Deutsch

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Soaking time 8 hours hours

Servings 4 Portions

Ingredients

• 150 g sunflower seeds (soak in water for approx. 4 hours, then rinse and drain)
• 200 g kidney beans, cooked
• 1/2 onion, finely diced
• 3 tbsp psyllium fiber husk
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1-2 pinches chili (or to taste)
• approx. 10 drops liquid smoke

For the sauce:

• 30 g cashews (alternatively macadamias or blanched almonds)
• 350 ml to 450ml water (depending on the desired consistency)
• 1 Tbsp rice flour heaped
• 1/4 Tbsp onion powder
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1 pinch allspice, ground
• Fresh lemon juice, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tbsp capers

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (top-/bottom heat). After soaking the sunflower seeds, rinse and drain them.
• Add sunflower seeds and kidney beans to a bowl and blend with a stick blender until it is fairly crumbly.
• Add the remaining ingredients and let rest for a few minutes.
• Form the no meat balls with wet hands and spread them on the baking tray. Bake for approx. 20 to 30 minutes and flip them in between.
• For the sauce blend cashews, water and rice flour in a blender until creamy. Pour the mixture with the other ingredients (expect the capers) into a pot and bring to the boil. Let it simmer until it thickens up a bit.
• Add capers at the end. If needed add a little more water. Enjoy

And these heart shaped cookies make the perfect edible gift for your loved one(s). You can also glaze them with chocolate. And there are so many options to garnish, like chopped nuts and cacao nibs and freeze dried fruits. Yum!

The pink chai glaze is sweetened with fruit. The lovely pink colour comes from cooked beetroot. You can also use beetroot powder or raw beetroot. I made the chai spice mix myself by blending ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and allspice.

The cookies are also sweetened with dates. They make for a lovely, soft texture. And as always this recipe for pink chai chocolate cookies is vegan, gluten-free and without oil.

Makes about 12 Cookies:

For the cookies:
• 100g dates, pitted and chopped
• 170ml water
• 50g almond butter (or other nut/seed butter)
• 130g rice flour
• 50g buckwheat flour
• 3 tbsp FAIR-TRADE cacao
• 1 tbsp ground psyllium fiber
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• some FAIR-TRADE chocolate for glazing

For the pink glazing:
• 30g cooked beetroot
• 3 dates, pitted & chopped
• 50 bis 60ml water
• 20g cacao butter, melted
• 60g cashews or blanched almonds
• 1/2 tsp chai spice

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (top/bottom heat). Blend dates, water and almond butter with a stick blender until smooth.

2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Add the dates mixture and stir to combine.

3. Roll out the dough between sheets of baking paper. Cut out cookies and place them on a baking tray (sprinkle with some flour if the dough is too sticky). Repeat until the dough is used up.

4. Bake for approx. 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool down properly.

5. For the glaze blend all ingredients in a powerful mini blender. Spread evenly over the cookies. Place in an air-tight container and store in the fridge.

Note: The glaze doesn’t turn completely firm. It is best used as a filling between two cookies.

Enjoy

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

These donuts are vegan, gluten-free, oil-free and fruit-sweetened. The magic ingredient is nut mylk pulp, that is leftover after making your own nut mylk. This allows for a magical fluffy texture ?

The donuts are very easy to make. For the glazing I use melted dark chocolate that I mixed with some plant mylk. It was so much fun to decorate them!

Makes 6 donuts:

• 50g nut-mylk pulp (that is leftover from making your own nut mylk)
• 130g dates, pitted and chopped
• 1 EL psyllium fiber husk
• 400ml water

• 50g rice flour (or oat flour)
• 50g buckwheat flour
• 2 tablespoon FAIR-TRADE cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoon gingerbread
• 2 teaspoon baking powder

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (top-/bottom heat).

2. In a high-speed blender, blend nut-mylk pulp, dates, psyllium fiber and water until creamy. Let the mixture sit for approx. 15 minutes.

3. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour in the date mixture and stir to combine.

4. Spread the dough evenly in the doughnut form.

5. Bake for approx. 25 minutes or until an inserted wooden skewer comes out clean.

6. Let the donuts cool down properly before glazing and decorating them.

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

It took me a while to find the perfect texture. Then I tried something that I have never used in baking – even though I’ve seen it listed as an egg alternative so many times.

It’s apple sauce, or in this case: homemade stewed apple. Last autumn we had soooo many apples, we made several big pots of stewed apple. And now I can say, stewed apple indeed makes for a very good vegan baking ingredient. It adds sweetness and helps to create that perfect fluffy texture that isn’t too dry. Yay!

That makes this apple cake not only vegan and gluten-free, but also oil-free and free from nuts. It is mostly sweetened with stewed apple. And it is super easy to make. My new favourite, yay

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Easy Apple Cake (Vegan, Gluten-free, Oil-free)

This vegan and gluten-free apple cake is super easy to make. I wish I would have tried this earlier. A big thank you to my lovely reader who asked about an apple cake recipe that is without nuts.

Course Baked Sweet, Cake

Cuisine German

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Keyword Apple, cake, Cinnamon, fruit-sweetened, oil-free

Servings 1 cake

Equipment

• 30 x 20cm cake tin

Ingredients

• 120 g rice flour
• 70 g buckwheat flour
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or sweetener of your choice
• 1 tablespoons psyllium fiber husk
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1,5 teaspoons baking powder
• 300 g stewed apple
• 100 ml water
• 2 (approx.) small apples

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 190°C (top-/bottom heat).
• In the meantime mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Prepare the cake tin. Peel the apples and cut them into fine slices.
• When the oven is preheated, pour the stewed apple and water into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir to combine.
• Spread the dough evenly on the cake tin. Place the apple slices on top and pres them gently into the dough. Bake for approx. 25 to 30 minutes or until an inserted wooden skewer comes out clean.

Notes

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

For this recipe you only need a few ingredients. It is vegan, gluten-free, sweetened with dates and without oil. I have used almond butter to replace oil. You can also use any other nut or seed butter.

Glazed with some chocolate and garnish with walnuts, these cookies were simply perfect! The combination of nuts and chocolate makes for a special flavour. If you live in Aotearoa New Zealand, I recommend the dark chocolate drops from TradeAid. They are perfect

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Chocolate Cookies (Vegan, Gluten-free, Fruit-sweetened)

Super easy chocolate cookies that don't take much time to make. The recipe is vegan, gluten-free, fruit-sweetened and without oil. They also makes a nice edible gift.

Course Baked Sweet

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Keyword chocolate, Cookies, Dates, fruit-sweetened, gluten-free, oil-free, vegan

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Pieces

Ingredients

• 100 g dates, pitted and chopped
• 170 ml water
• 50 g almond butter (or other nut/seed butter)
• 130 g rice flour
• 50 g buckwheat flour
• 3 tbsp FAIR-TRADE cacao
• 1 tbsp ground psyllium fiber
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• some FAIR-TRADE chocolate for glazing

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 170°C (top/bottom heat). Blend dates, water and almond butter with a stick blender until smooth.
• Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Add the dates mixture and stir to combine.
• Roll out the dough between sheets of baking paper. Cut out cookies and place them on a baking tray. Repeat until the dough is used up.
• Bake for approx. 12 to 15 minutes. If desired, glaze with some FAIR-TRADE chocolate after they cooled down.

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

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Chocolate Glazed Cookies (Vegan, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Oil-free, Fruit-Sweetened)

Super easy, super soft and chewy. These cookies are vegan, gluten-free, fruit-sweetened and without nuts.

Course Baked Sweet

Cuisine Amerikanisch

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Keyword chocolate, Cookies, fruit-sweetened, gluten-free, nut-free, oil-free, vegan

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

• 90 g dates pitted
• 180 ml hot water
• 100 g rice flour
• 50 g buckwheat flour
• 1 tbsp ground psyllium husk fiber
• 3 tbsp coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Instructions

• Chop up dates and place in a bowl. Cover with hot water and let sit for approx. 30 minutes. Then blend with a stick blender until smooth.
• Preheat oven to 170°C (top/bottom heat). Mix remaining ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour in dates mixture and mix well to form a dough.
• Roll out the dough (it works best between two sheets of baking paper). Cut out cookies and place on baking tray. Repeat until dough is used up. Bake for approx. 12 minutes.
• Once the cookies have cooled down, glaze with melted chocolate and garnish to your liking.

Notes

Enjoy ?

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

Makes approx. 22 cookies:

100g rice flour
70g tapioca flour
60g buckwheat flour
1 tablespoon ground psyllium fiber husk
1 teaspoon ground vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 pinches salt
70g white almond butter (or normal almond butter, or cashew butter)
70g rice syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
50ml water (use less if you’re using other liquid sweetener and add as much as needed)
A few tablespoons of ground desiccated coconut for “dusting” if desired

Instructions:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. Combine the wet ingredients, ideally blending them in a small bullet blender or whisking them.
3. Add wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to combine. It should result in a soft dough that is still easy to form.
4. Form the dough into a ball, place in a small bowl, cover and let rest in the fridge for approx. 30 minutes.
5. When the dough resting time is almost up, preheat the oven to 170°C (top-/bottom heat) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
6. Take the dough out of the fridge and start forming little crescent shaped cookies, with wet, cold hands. To make it easier, you can form the dough into a roll first and then cut even portions that are just big enough to form one cookie each.
7. Place cookies on oven tray and bake them for approx. 10 to 12 minutes or until they turn slightly golden. If you wish to add the coconut dusting, give them a brush of water one at a time (while they are still hot) and roll them in the ground desiccated coconut. Please be aware that this dusting will fall off relatively easy.
Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

In the meantime, I got this super delicious and flavoursome recipe for vegan and gluten-free, Spiced Banana Loaf for you. It contains delicious nuts, yummy spices, it is covered in chocolate and chopped nuts. Well, it ticks all the boxes for me!

You might like it as much as I do and start quietly pleading those bananas to ripen up faster! Because ripe bananas is what it takes. If you like a plain or pure chocolate version you can also try this easy banana loaf recipe or this chocolate banana loaf.
I’m super happy with the texture. It is soft and moist but also easy to slice. And all that while avoiding gluten, eggs and oil! I love it!

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Spiced Banana Loaf (Vegan, Gluten-free, Oil-free, Fruit-Sweetened)

I got this super delicious and flavoursome recipe for vegan and gluten-free, Spiced Banana Loaf for you. It contains delicious nuts, yummy spices, it is covered in chocolate and chopped nuts.

Course Banana Loaf

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Keyword Banana Loaf, gingerbread, oil-free, Spiced

Servings 1 Loaf

Equipment

• 20cm loaf tin
• Blender

Ingredients

For the banana loaf:

• 100 g hazelnuts ground
• 100 g rice flour
• 100 g buckwheat flour
• 25 g FAIR-TRADE cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon psyllium husk fiber
• 2-3 teaspoon chai spice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 350 g banana approx. 3-4 bananas
• 150 ml water
• some extra sweetener if you like it more sweet

For the chocolate topping:

• 100 g FAIR-TRADE chocolate
• 35 ml plant milk

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 190°C (top-/bottom heat). Line the loaf tin with baking paper.
• Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.
• In a blender, blend the bananas and water creamy.
• Pour the banana mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Swiftly stir it to combine.
• Spread dough evenly in the loaf tin. Place in oven and bake for approx. 25 to 30 minutes or until an inserted wooden skewer comes out clean. Should it brown up too quickly, cover it to protect it from direct heat.
• Let cool down completely before adding the chocolate topping. For the chocolate drizzle melt the chocolate by placing it in a cup that sits in a bowl with hot water. Occasionally stir until it is almost completely melted. Now add the plant milk and stir to combine.
• Drizzle the chocolate mixture over the banana loaf and garnish to your liking (I use chopped hazelnuts, pistachios, cinnamon bark and a star anise).

Notes

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.