VeganVegan Cranberry Almond Molasses Cookies! These tasty molasses cookies are gluten free and dairy free! Great for the holidays, for snacking, parties, or even breakfast on the go. Yes, you’re allowed to eat molasses cookies for breakfast when they taste this good and are made with simple real food ingredients. ENJOY!
Sweet Molasses it’s Thanksgiving week! Are you ready? Don’t worry, I got you covered with sides dishes and dessert if not. Mmm k?
But really, I can’t believe how fast this season is starting. That being said, once Thursday is done, Christmas is in FULL bloom. Which means CHRISTMAS Cookies!! Am I too early? Nah. I guess, one can never be too early for holiday cookies.
That being said. I made you Cranberry Almond Molasses Cookies. Yes, these are cookies you can make for the holidays but also, they are healthy for ANYTIME of year. Vegan and grain free. So if you have friends with food allergies or dietary restrictions to bake for this season, THESE WILL BE A LIFESAVER.
I’m not gonna lie. These cranberry almond molasses cookies would also make for some pretty amazing for fuel too. You could take them with you for post workout refueling (natural sugars/carb source) or even on long rides. Yes, I just said that. You have my permission to eat cookies for breakfast or for snacking and feel good about it.
BUT …. my main ingredient focus here for these cookies is sweet old Molasses! Turns out your grandma was pretty smart using this ROCK STAR SUPER FOOD ingredient all the time.
Let me explain a little more about this wonderful real food ingredient.
MOLASSES Health Perks:
- 5 tablespoons of molasses (preferably blackstrap) contains 95 percent of your daily allowance of iron. This is great for those with anemia or vegans/vegetarians who may not get enough iron in their diet already. Too little or too much of iron can make you feel tired or weak, so consider this a good ENERGY balance for sure!
- It’s packed with minerals! Magnesium and Potassium to exact. These minerals are needed for bone health and metabolism. Love my minerals! Oh, and magnesium and potassium are great electrolyte sources, which means molasses really can help refuel muscles and then some. 😉
- And lastly, molasses is a natural sugar that is digested more slowly. Which can help stabilize blood sugar. So you see, snacking on these between meals can keep insulin in check! Sounds like a plan to me!
I don’t really think you needed another excuse to eat holidays cookies, but just in case you did, I’ve supplied you with MANY above.
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Vegan Cranberry Almond Molasses Cookies
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 24 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Vegan Cranberry Almond Molasses Cookies (gluten free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten free rice flour or cassava flour if paleo (Gluten free 1:1 flour works too)
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1 tbsp potato starch or arrowroot starch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- 2 –3 tbsp molasses
- 1/3 cup almond butter (smooth and creamy)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- Cinnamon sugar topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Oil a baking sheet or line with baking paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix your first 5 dry ingredients together. In another glass bowl, heat your almond milk for about 90 seconds. Then add this to your dry ingredients.
- Mix well and then add in your applesauce and nut butter.
- Mix again.
- Finally add in your remaining extracts, spices, and fold in your cranberries.
- Let the batter cool in fridge for a few minutes.
- Remove then roll dough into 1-2 in balls and place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Press each ball down flat with fork or hand. Best to use with a little extra flour on the hand.
- Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until cookies are golden brown and no longer soft on the outside.
- Sprinkle with extra cinnamon sugar before serving if desired.
Notes
Cooking outcomes based on flour used:
Cook longer if you want the cookies to be more crisp or less if more soft. Check cooking time at 15 minutes to make sure.
If you are using Gluten Free flour 1:1, the cookies will bake up to be more chewy and less crisp. Still delicious!
The cassava flour we use is from Ottos Naturals.
So much festive flavor (cranberry and molasses), add with a little healthy fats (almond butter), and all packed into one delicious Holiday cookie. Okay it’s a cookie you can make anytime, but you get my point.
My point being that you can make anything fuel if it has quality ingredients. Heck, I’d even say that homemade real food based cookies are better fuel than a lot of packaged energy bars. You know, the bars with like 30 different weird ingredients.
Gasp! Yes, I just spoke what’s on my mind. Although I bet you can agree, right?
But here’s the thing. Cookies also go well with a beverage. So today you can raise your milk, smoothie, coffee, hot toddy (okay maybe wait till 5pm for that) and cheers to enjoying holidays!
Phew! Okay, who’s ready to get your Christmas/Holiday baking on? Let’s do it!
Cheers to Meatless Monday!
Favorite holiday cookie? Molasses fan or not?
Hi, I’m Lindsay! Gluten Free Nutrition Specialist, food photographer and author of 
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Michele @ paleorunningmomma says
November 23, 2015 at 5:35 AMI’m a little obsessed with molasses right now and just used it for another recipe. I love how rich and how healthy it is. The cranberries make these even better though – that’s another winter cookie obsession 🙂
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 7:32 AMcurrently craving your gingersnaps! YES! trade you cookies
Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious says
November 23, 2015 at 6:12 AMI don’t need an excuse to eat a cookie…holiday or healthy is just a bonus! I love molasses but certainly do not use it enough!
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 7:32 AMso true! now you better get to eatin more of it asap! LOL!
Susie @ Suzlyfe says
November 23, 2015 at 6:53 AMConsidering how much I love that sweet potato sunshine cereal, you better BELIEVE I’m a molasses fan! My only problem is that I wish I could buy a little bit less of it at a time. Like buying bulk pb or honey. What if I don’t need a gallon of it?
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 7:31 AMwe should ask whole foods to make a molasses fountain! haha
Jen says
November 23, 2015 at 7:02 AMI love molasses! I make a gingerbread cookie every christmas with molasses. Makes them so chewy! I need to figure out more recipes that use molasses!
rAchel @ Athletic avocado says
November 23, 2015 at 7:11 AMsince these are healthy, I can eat them all in one sitting, right? Another perfect recipe, pinned 🙂
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 7:30 AMtotally legit!
Blair says
November 23, 2015 at 7:42 AMThese cookies sound delicious! I love to hear that molasses is the new superfood…because I’ve been using it a lot recently! In oatmeal, in cookies, the list goes on. 🙂
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 7:31 AMoh i need it in oatmeal next, yes! genius
she Rocks Fitness says
November 23, 2015 at 8:46 AMYou are the one who turned me onto molasses…I LOVE it…although I haven’t used it in a really long time…Happy Monday friend! XOXO
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 7:32 AMI did? yay! love you!
P. jeanne says
November 23, 2015 at 8:50 AMThis recipe came at the perfect time! I just bought a jar of molasses to make some gingerbread cookies for my hubby and was wondering what else I could make with it….these are DEFINITELY getting pinned!! 🙂 Thanks for sharing…you seriously have some of the best recipes out there!!! ~P
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 7:25 AMso glad! and saw you used BOB’s 1:1. that’s a great flour! how was the sweetness?
P. Jeanne says
November 24, 2015 at 7:32 PMThe sweetness was perfect!! I used 3 Tablespoons of molasses & brown sugar 🙂 My 2 yr old son gobbled them right up!
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 10:25 PMwonderful!
Amanda @ .running with spoons. says
November 23, 2015 at 9:04 AMI go through the BIGGEST molasses obsession every year starting around this time. I think one year I even managed to polish off an entire bottle of the stuff in a couple of months 😆 But it’s so tasty! And I love what you said about being able to make cookies a nutritious snack with the right ingredients — totally the moto I live by.
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 7:26 AMi always think of you with cooking with molasses. xxoo
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast says
November 23, 2015 at 10:02 AMOoh, brilliant! I am a big fan of molasses. I remember my midwife recommending molasses tea when I was pregnant for extra iron- just a spoonful of molasses in hot water and it was delicious!
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 7:26 AMmmm i like that! i’ll have to try it next!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
November 23, 2015 at 10:24 AMMolasses is pretty amazing! It’s the one “sugar” I don’t mind using 😉
Erin @ The Almond Eater says
November 23, 2015 at 10:54 AMGahhhh I love molasses and Miguel hates it and I am convinced there’s something wrong with him. These photos are gorgeous Lindsay!
Cotter Crunch says
November 23, 2015 at 4:29 PMthere is definitely something wrong with him! although my husband hates pumpkin. Weird guys
Sarah Grace Spann says
November 23, 2015 at 11:18 AMWith these fun facts about molasses, you make me feel a little less bad about myself for eating it by the tablespoon 😛 These look soooo delicious though, like I said, love my molasses!
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 7:30 AMnever feel bad about molasses! spoon it up! <3
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says
November 23, 2015 at 11:38 AMI STILL need to get my hands on the cassava flour. Love me some molasses.
Cotter Crunch says
November 23, 2015 at 4:27 PMgirl, you’d love! it’s so versatile!
Krysten says
November 23, 2015 at 12:11 PMYou are reading my mind with these cookies!
I have been looking for GF cookie recipes to try for the holidays and these sound right up my alley! All the holiday flavours!
★★★★
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 7:27 AMso glad! let me know if you try them!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
November 23, 2015 at 12:33 PMOne can never be too early for cookies, or have too many cookies for that matter! LOVING these cranberry almond molasses cookies, chicka! I had NO clue molasses was so good for you! That totally means I can eat a dozen of these cookies in one sitting, right? 🙂 SO YUM! Cheers – to a fabulous Thanksgiving week! <3
Cotter Crunch says
November 23, 2015 at 4:25 PMmy thoughts exactly!
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 7:28 AMat least a dozen is recommended. 😉
katie says
November 23, 2015 at 2:47 PMLOVE molasses! 🙂 these cookies have me drooling like usual!
Cotter Crunch says
November 23, 2015 at 4:25 PMyou need! <3
Laura @ This Runner's Recipes says
November 23, 2015 at 7:19 PMI honestly didn’t know that molasses was that healthy! I need to try some – especially to make cookies like these delicious ones! Love the cranberry and almond combo – yum!
Rachel (LittleChefBigAppetite) says
November 23, 2015 at 7:39 PMGimme, gimme, gimme! I want all of these!!! Pinning!
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 7:24 AMsending you virtual cookies now! xxoo
dixya @ food, pleasure, and health says
November 23, 2015 at 9:18 PMcookies are always a great idea and it is so much better than packaged stuff.
Sam @ PancakeWarriors says
November 23, 2015 at 9:48 PMMolasses is the new superfood! I knew about it’s great ability to help refuel after workouts but I didn’t know you could get that much iron from it! What a great tip!! And yes I can’t wait to bake all the cookies! These are certainly going on my list!
jill conyers says
November 24, 2015 at 5:31 AMI can always count on you to have the best gf recipes! Looks like another great idea for holiday gifts.
Meghan@Cleaneatsfastfeets.com says
November 24, 2015 at 7:01 AMThat much iron and magnesium is also great for people who are pregnant and maybe not wanting to eat all the greens. You’re a genius.
Did I ever tell you your almond mango bars helped get me through my first trimester? For real, I wanted virtually nothing and felt queasy all the time, yet those brought me solid food, a nice dose of vitamins and happiness.
P.S. I want to do a post sometime in the future on legit super foods, not the marketing hyped ones. We should join forces.
Ashley @ Fit Mitten Kitchen says
November 24, 2015 at 11:23 AMUm, NO IDEA Molasses was so nutritious! This is why I love you. And “…or even long rides.” I die. <3
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 3:26 PMHaha well for those crazy endurance people
Tina@GottaRunNow says
November 24, 2015 at 3:24 PMBecause molasses is good for you, I use it often: on top of a sweet potato, oatmeal, nut butter on toast or with plain yogurt and fruit.
Jess @hellotofit says
November 24, 2015 at 3:33 PMI had no idea that molasses had that much iron! Very cool. Also, I’d gobble up these cookies. NOM.
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 10:26 PMyes! so obsessed with it because iron.. and well, yumness factor
Sandra Laflamme says
November 24, 2015 at 7:10 PMSuper yummy and delicious. I love cranberry and these sounds just perfect!
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 10:26 PMthanks friend! i think you’d like post run too. haha. just sayin
GiGi Eats says
November 24, 2015 at 8:49 PMOkay! I have ALWAYS WONDERED THIS: wtf is molasses! lol! I know it’s a sweentener but like… WHAT IS IT?!
★★★★★
Cotter Crunch says
November 24, 2015 at 10:25 PMit’s actually sugar beet juice which is boiled down to a syrup. So ya, you could totally bathe in it. kidding.. kinda
sarah says
January 5, 2016 at 2:02 PMcan you use a different flour besides cassava flour?
Cotter Crunch says
January 5, 2016 at 2:28 PMyep! cassava is a 1:1 ratio to most other flours. So you can use regular, multi purpose, etc.
Michelle says
December 15, 2017 at 11:06 PMMade these cookies today for a vegan, gluten-free friend. Not sure what I did wrong but they looked nothing like the pictures. They are very dark brown and the consistency is more like a very moist and chewy muffin. Several people who tried them said they were delicious, but “wouldn’t call it a cookie…” This was my first time baking anything gluten-free. Any idea what might have happened?
Cotter Crunch says
December 15, 2017 at 11:08 PMTotally understand! What flour did you use? And what type of molasses?
Michelle says
December 15, 2017 at 11:14 PMHey! Thanks so much for your reply! I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Baking Flour and Simply Balanced organic blackstrap molasses.
Cotter Crunch says
December 15, 2017 at 11:54 PMGotcha. Ya, sometimes the gluten free flours have more xanthan or guar gum which made them chewy. Have you tried bob’s 1:1 GF flour?
Cotter Crunch says
December 15, 2017 at 11:56 PMalso the black strap molasses could make them dark. Hey, if they are good than that’s great! vegan GF cooking is hard. Let’s call them Mookies. Muffin cookies. Haha!
Michelle says
December 16, 2017 at 12:04 AMHaha! Mookies! We were trying to think up another name for whatever it was that I ended up making and decided on “Molasses Morsels.” 🙂 Anyhow, they are definitely not Instagram worthy like your gorgeous pics but we love them (especially my two year old, we never let her eat cookies but these are loaded with good stuff so I’m cool with it), so thanks for the recipe! I’ll definitely be spending some more time on your site!