Ingredients

• 2 cups blanched almond flour
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves (optional—adds holiday depth)
• 6 tbsp cold butter or refined coconut oil, cubed
• ½ cup brown sugar–style monk fruit blend (e.g., Lakanto Golden or Swerve Brown—not plain monk fruit!)
• 1 large egg
• 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp unsweetened applesauce (for moisture + enhances “molasses” flavor)

Instructions

Chill dough (key for sharp cutouts!): Whisk dry ingredients. Cut in cold butter until crumbly. Mix in brown sugar substitute, egg, vanilla, and applesauce until smooth. Divide in half, flatten into disks, wrap, and chill 1 hour (or freeze 30 min).
Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Line sheets with parchment.
Roll one disk between two sheets of parchment to ¼-inch thickness. Peel top sheet, cut shapes with floured cutters. Transfer with thin spatula.
Re-roll scraps once only. Chill cut cookies 10 min before baking—prevents spreading.
Bake 10–12 min until edges are golden and centers look set. Cool 5 min on tray, then transfer.
Decorate with Cookie Decorating Buttercream or dust with cinnamon-sugar.