For someone who loves dessert — I eat something sweet after dinner almost daily — I don’t actually love super sweet flavours. I’ve never liked frosting or anything cloying. I like my sugar with salt, and a touch of bitter. So these somewhat savoury cookies are perfect for my palate, and hopefully for yours!
I am a big fan of the idea of a “health cookie” — particularly one that is delicious and satisfying, not a so-so consolation for the “real thing” or a punishment. I think we’ve all had health-minded desserts that felt like a form of gastronomic torture.
First and foremost, we’ve got turmeric as this cookie’s star ingredient, fitting for this star of the spice world. Turmeric has been used in kitchens and in Ayurveda for thousands of years, and it gives these cookies their gold colour and warm, earthy edge. Fun fact: black pepper, which is sprinkled into this recipe, is traditionally paired with turmeric — the two have been used together for centuries.
This spice happens to pair beautifully with ginger, and I just happen to love ginger anything. If it has ginger in it, I will 10 times out of 10 eat it or drink it. And Ginger Spice happens to be my favourite Spice Girl. Coincidence? Maybe not.
Next we have something sweet to go with these pungent flavours: honey. Honey is a lovely alternative to cane sugar here and brings its own depth of flavour. Sun Potion’s Bio-Active Honey is an especially remarkable choice — raw, unheated, and sustainably harvested from the Marri forests of Western Australia.
And don't forget the spoonful of Sun Potion Yin Power. Here “yin” refers to the feminine, though the blend carries more than a hint of “yang” in its character too.
While the recipe below — and the batch I just made — are au naturel, I think these flavours would pair really well with dark chocolate, so drizzle or dip away!
Honey Turmeric Yin-Ger Cookies
Ingredients2 ½ cups almond flour ½ tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. ground turmeric 1 tsp. ground ginger 1 tsp. Sun Potion Yin Power ¼ tsp. salt (I typically use sea salt) ¼ tsp. ground black pepper ⅓ cup Sun Potion Bio-Active Honey (or any honey of your choosing) ⅓ cup olive oil |
MethodPreheat oven to 375° F. Add dry ingredients to a medium-to-large sized bowl and mix them together. Pour in wet ingredients, making sure the honey is fairly runny (warm it briefly to loosen it if needed). Stir until blended. *If the dough is too wet or too dry, add more almond flour or more oil and honey as needed. Shape dough by hand (or using a scoop) into balls and place on a baking sheet. Press down lightly with your palm to flatten the balls somewhat. *A silicone baking mat or parchment paper between the cookies and the pan is recommended. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Allow the cookies to remain on the pan for at least 5 minutes after baking to give them time to firm up before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these cookies gluten free?
Yes — the base is almond flour, with no wheat. They are also dairy free, using olive oil rather than butter.
Why black pepper in a cookie?
Turmeric and black pepper have been paired in cooking for centuries, and the pepper adds a subtle warmth that suits the ginger.
How sweet are they?
Not very — that's the point. They sit on the savoury side of sweet, with salt and a touch of bitterness from the turmeric.
Can I add chocolate?
Alice recommends it — dark chocolate drizzled over or dipped works beautifully with the turmeric and ginger.
Try Alice York's Banana Bliss Muffins!
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
