AIP Gingersnaps

Not every cookie needs a holiday behind it. This one is built for an ordinary Tuesday and a cup of tea, dropped by the spoonful rather than rolled and cut, which means less counter time and a shorter path between the mixing bowl and something warm. Green banana flour and tigernut flour stand in for wheat, and fresh grated ginger sits next to the powdered kind so the heat builds in layers instead of landing all at once.

Gingerols, the compounds behind ginger's bite, turn up in small studies on digestive comfort and how the body handles inflammation, though the research stays limited in scope. Green banana flour is mostly resistant starch, the kind that skips past digestion in the small intestine and shows up further down the digestive tract, where it may support the population of bacteria living there. Both pantry staples do more than most people expect from an afternoon cookie.

Let the dough rest the full 5 minutes in the refrigerator before dropping it onto the pan. Those minutes are what keep the shape from spreading thin in the oven.

Ingredients

• 1 cup tigernut flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch
• 1/4 cup green banana flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla powder (see note below)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons hot water
• 1 tablespoon gelatin
• Maple sugar or coconut sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Vanilla note: The source calls for pure vanilla extract, which is alcohol-based and excluded on strict AIP. Use vanilla powder in the same quantity.

Gelatin egg note: The gelatin whisked with apple cider vinegar and hot water until frothy creates the egg replacement that binds the dough. Work quickly once it starts to set.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the tigernut flour, tapioca starch, green banana flour, baking soda, cinnamon, powdered ginger, and sea salt.
3. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, combine the olive oil, maple syrup, vanilla powder, and freshly grated ginger. Stir to combine.
4. Make the gelatin egg: add the apple cider vinegar and hot water to a small bowl, then sprinkle in the gelatin. Whisk vigorously and continuously for 30 to 45 seconds until the mixture becomes frothy and begins to thicken. This needs to go into the dough right away before it firms.
5. Pour the gelatin mixture into the wet ingredients and fold together quickly. Then pour the combined wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until a soft, uniform dough forms.
6. Refrigerate the dough for 5 minutes. This makes dropping it easier and helps the cookies hold their shape.
7. Drop the dough by level tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. If using sugar for sprinkling, add a small pinch to the top of each cookie now.
8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are set and the tops look dry. The centers will still be soft.
9. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 full minutes before transferring to a rack. They firm up significantly during this rest and will break if moved too soon.

*Adapted from Heal Me Delicious*