These keto gingerbread cheesecake cookies boast a lusciously creamy cheesecake heart, enveloped by a warm, spiced gingerbread exterior. It’s as if a classic gingerbread treat and a velvety cheesecake joined forces to transform into this delightful cookie! The gingerbread cookie acts like a crispy, aromatic crust, while the center indulges your taste buds with the essence of a ginger-infused cheesecake, bursting with traditional holiday spices. This fusion of flavors makes it an irresistible addition to your festive baking repertoire.
Keto Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies
These little keto gingerbread cookies are the cousin to these keto pumpkin cheesecake cookies that I made recently, and they are made very similarly. So if you’ve made those festive cookies, you just need to change around a few of the spices and you’ve got a gingerbread hit on your hands for your next holiday party. No cookie cutter required!
When your guests bite into this treat, they will be amazed by the taste and ask politely…”that’s low carb?!” And that’s the name of another keto blog who probably had tons of people ask that very same question to them over and over. People say it to me too. The keto-fying process is quite magical to some people, but let me tell you, it’s easy to accomplish if you know how to substitute and stick to the basic keto baking rules like room temperature eggs.
And you have to remember that keto cookies don’t spread, hence the need for flattening right before you put them into the oven. But that’s okay, they taste absolutely festive and super close to traditional gingerbread cookies. So close you won’t miss the carbs. I personally test all of my recipes out on my husband, teenager, and my parents. All of them said a resounding ‘yes’ to this recipe! They are the perfect Christmas cookies.
So nix the flour and the sugar this holiday season, whether you’re on a keto diet or not! You’ll love this delicious recipe no matter what.
Oh man, I loved the way they turned out!
Ingredients for Keto Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies
Cheesecake Center
- Cream Cheese – This is the base of your filling, providing a creamy, rich texture. Cream cheese is keto-friendly due to its high fat and low carb content. Make sure to pick up the brick cream cheese versus the whipped kind that comes in a tub.
- Granulated Sugar-Free Sweetener – To keep the cookies keto-friendly, a sugar-free sweetener is used instead of regular sugar. It adds sweetness without the carbs. My favorite brand is Lakanto, and I used their classic sweetener which is a Monk fruit sweetener and erythritol blend.
- Vanilla Extract – This enhances the flavor of the filling, adding a hint of vanilla essence.
Gingerbread Cookie Dough
- Coconut Flour – A popular keto alternative to regular flour, coconut flour is low in carbs and high in fiber. It helps to create a good cookie texture and it’s great for nut-free baking for those with allergies. I also like how it binds versus using almond flour. It works great for this gingerbread cookie recipe.
- Ginger – Essential for the gingerbread flavor, ginger also offers anti-inflammatory benefits.
- Cinnamon – Adds warmth and depth to the flavor, along with potential blood sugar regulating properties.
- Nutmeg – Provides a sweet and slightly nutty taste.
- Allspice – Offers a blend of flavors like cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Ground Cloves – Adds a strong, warm flavor.
- Baking Powder – Helps the cookies rise and become fluffy.
- Salt – Enhances all the flavors in the dough.
- Coconut Oil or Unsalted Grass-fed Butter – These fats are keto-friendly and provide moisture and richness to the cookies. Grass-fed butter also contains higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Coconut oil behaves identical to butter in a cookie recipe so they are interchangable.
- Brown Sugar-Free Sweetener – The best brown sugar substitute without the carbs. It gives this cookie the desired moistness, texture, flavor and color. The top brands I recommend are Lakanto and Swerve. If you can’t find a brown sugar-free sweetener, you can add 2 teaspoons of blackstrap molasses and it will add .5 grams carbs per serving.
- Egg Yolks – Adds richness and helps bind the dough. Make sure they are room temperature before adding them to the cookie dough for best results.
- Vanilla Extract – Complements the sweet and spicy flavors.
Sweet Gingerbread Spice Coating
- Granulated Sugar-Free Sweetener – Provides sweetness to the topping without the carbs.
- Ground Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Allspice, Ground Cloves – This combination replicates the gingerbread spice mix, giving the cookies their characteristic holiday flavor.
How to make Keto Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies
Create Cream Cheese Filling
- Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar-free sweetener, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy. You can even add a little bit of heavy cream to make it extra fluffy.
- Portion out 6 small mounds that will be added to the cookies later. Put them in the freezer while you prepare the dough.
Combine Dry Ingredients
- Add coconut flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, baking powder and salt to a small bowl.
- Whisk to combine then set aside while you combine the wet ingredients.
Prepare Gingerbread Cookie Dough
- Add brown sugar-free sweetener and coconut oil (or unsalted grass-fed butter) to a large mixing bowl.
- Cream together with electric mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Make sure to scrape sides of the bowl as you go.
- Add egg yolks and vanilla extract. Beat together.
- Grab those dry ingredients you set aside earlier, add to the mix, then combine on low speed to keep the messiness down.
Assemble & Bake the Cookies
- Portion out about 12 dough balls using a cookie scoop. Flatten.
- Add dollop of that frozen cheesecake filling from earlier to the center of 6 of those flattened cookies, then cover with the other 6 – the remaining dough. Pressing slightly to seal in the cream cheese filling, but don’t let it ooze out.
- Add spices and granulated sugar-free sweetener to a very small bowl. Whisk together.
- Coat each gingerbread cookie with the sweet spice mixture, then place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 11-12 minutes at 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
Now comes the hardest part…
Waiting for these gorgeous holiday cookies to cool on that cooling rack!
I’m incredibly impatient so I give you full permission to dive in head first from the shallow end if you want to get a quick taste fresh from the oven.
With keto cookies, it is best to wait the full 10 minutes to cool on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack because the dough is usually rather delicate right out of the oven. As it cools, it will harden and make it easier to consume.
Or if you prefer a more “set up” cheesecake layer, stick them in the fridge for a few hours or leave them in overnight to achieve that type of center. Either way will taste delicious!
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week, or throw them on a festive holiday plate with some plastic wrap on top.
In the recipe card below, you can find the entire recipe and all of my notes to recreate this for your Holiday dessert table.
If you enjoyed this Holiday keto cookie recipe, you’ll love these others!
- Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
- Keto Pizzelle – Italian Cookies with Coconut Flour
- Keto Pecan Cookies With Cream Cheese Filling
- Keto Crème Brûlée Cookies
Keto Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup granulated sugar-free sweetener
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Gingerbread Cookie Dough
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup coconut oil (or unsalted grass-fed butter)
- ½ cup brown sugar-free sweetener
- 2 egg yolks , room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sweet Gingerbread Spice Topping
- ¼ cup granulated sugar-free sweetener
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a 18″ x 13″ baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
Create Cheesecake Filling
- In a medium mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar-free sweetener, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy and the sweetener has fully dissolved, about two minutes.
- Using a small cookie scoop (equivalent to 1 to 1.5 tablespoons) or a tablespoon, portion out the cream cheese mixture into about 6 portions onto a plate or baking sheet. Place in the freezer to harden for about 30 minutes as you prepare the dough. (See Note 1)
Prepare Gingerbread Cookie Dough
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the coconut flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. Whisk the ingredients together, then set the bowl aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the coconut oil and brown sugar-free sweetener on medium speed until fluffy, about 2-5 minutes until dissolved. (See Note 2)
- Add egg yolks and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add coconut flour mixture and combine on low speed until just mixed. (See Note 3)
Assemble Cookies
- Using a small cookie scoop (about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons in size) or a tablespoon, divide the gingerbread cookie dough into approximately 12 portions on the prepared baking sheet.
- Flatten each portion. Place a dollop of frozen cream cheese in the center of 6 of the flattened cookies. Cover each with another flattened cookie and press the edges to seal in the cream cheese. Flatten slightly to ensure even baking since these will not spread in the oven, but don’t allow the cream cheese to escape.
- In a small bowl, mix together granulated sugar-free sweetener and spices.
- Roll each prepared gingerbread cheesecake cookie dough in sweet gingerbread spice coating until completely covered, then place on a prepared baking sheet.
Bake
- Bake for 11-12 minutes at 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes on a baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. If you prefer a cool cheesecake center instead of a gooey one, place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight to set up.
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