This weekend was LOVELY and I hope yours was similar.
On Friday, we stayed in and watched the movie Moneyball. I hadn’t seen it before but fell in love with the storyline.
Saturday was a busy day for us as many of you already know that we’re leaving this coming weekend for our honeymoon! I’ll be gone for 3 WEEKS in Australia & Hawaii so Tony and I spent A LOT of time doing research, booking hotels, and trying to figure out how we were going to make the most of our time there. Finally later Saturday evening we ventured out into the tundra for ice skating at the Park at Wrigley. If you haven’t been and live in Chicago, I highly recommend it (they have hot cocoa and food there too).
Yesterday we baked alllll the cookies for Tony’s work. Actually only two of my favorite recipes: brown butter chocolate chip and brown butter snickerdoodles. I realize that I’ve been baking a lot lately but it simply makes my heart happy.
Today I’m sharing a healthier, naturally sweetened version of a gingerbread loaf. It’s spicy, sweet and PERFECT for the holiday season.
See how to make the healthy gingerbread loaf here:
Since I know many of you will request this recipe to be gluten free, I’ve included an option for that located in the notes section of the recipe below!
Whether you make it gluten free or note, please know that the recipe is absolutely delicious either way.
I love glazing it with white chocolate, pistachios & cranberries for a festive holiday look but you can leave it off if you’d like or make it your own. Personally I think an orange cream cheese frosting or glaze would be to die for!
I hope you love this healthier gingerbread loaf. If you make it be sure to let me know by leaving a comment below and rating the recipe. You can also upload a photo and tag #ambitiouskitchen! xoxo!
More holiday baking recipes to try:
The Cutest Paleo Gingerbread Cookies
Paleo Orange-Kissed Loaf with Dark Chocolate Glaze
Coconut Double Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
Healthy Gingerbread Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled to warm
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (any milk will work)
- Optional: Coarse sugar or sparkling sugar, for sprinkling on top
- For the glaze
- 2 tablespoons white chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- For the topping:
- 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons shelled pistachios
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x4 loaf pan with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Set aside.
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In a separate bowl, add coconut oil, maple syrup, molasses, egg, vanilla and almond milk. Whisk together until smooth and well combined.
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Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour batter into loaf pan. Sprinkle with a little coarse sugar (this will create a beautiful loaf and a delicious crunch on the outside).
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Bake loaf for 35-45 minutes or until tester comes out clean. in pan 10-15 minutes before removing and to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
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To make topping: Add white chocolate chips (or regular chocolate chips) and coconut oil to a small bowl and microwave in 30 second increments until chocolate is smooth and melted. You can also melt it in a small saucepan over very low heat.
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Drizzle over the cooled loaf and top with dried cranberries and pistachios. Cut into 10 slices.
Recipe Notes
To make gluten-free: Use 1 cup almond flour, 1 cup gluten free oat flour and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar instead of the whole wheat pastry flour. Bake as directed above.
To make vegan: I think using a flax egg (1 flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons water) would work well!
48 comments
Ohh I just love ice skating in the winter! If it’s going to be cold AF, might as well enjoy it! 🙂 Love love the look of this loaf!
Agreed! Just have to embrace the cold 🙂 Hope you get a chance to try this one!
Best way to store this for gifting?
I would wrap it in a cling wrap without the drizzle (to add later), or in an air-tight container if you’re gifting it right after you bake it!
Thank you!
I love Australia!!! I lived there for 4 months and loved every second of it. ENJOY! Thanks for posting this gingerbread recipe- I use molasses and maple syrup like nobody’s business this time of year 😉
Amazing!! I can’t wait to go back. Agreed on the molasses and maple syrup this time of year 🙂 Enjoy!
thank you soooo much for including a GF option here!
You are so welcome!
Going to make this for a vegan after church get together – so happy you gave us the vegan recipe, too! and my grown daughter is GF, so win win!!!
Perfect! I hope everyone loves it!
Made this last night to share with my bookclub this evening and it turned out wonderful! I found my toppings didn’t stick very well so I’d maybe add them to the batter before baking next time. Crystallized ginger would be a lovely addition as well. Love that there’s minimal sugar involved yet its still sweet and delicious! Will absolutely be baking this again for Christmas.
So happy to hear that! Let me know how it goes with the topping on the inside – so curious! Enjoy 🙂
…. just made this, as well as about 6 other of Monique’s simple healthy recipes. The only change I made was add a whole thumb of fresh ginger and skip the topping. I follow her on instagram because her ethos is similar to mine . Healthy, happy and fit! Looking forward to “Ambitious Home”.
Thanks so much, Karen! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying these recipes and can’t wait to share Ambitious Home, too 🙂
Loved this! Just made it last night. Your website is great and I’m so happy to have found your website – lots of great ideas.. Congrats! Keep up the great job. Also, just wanted to mention as FYI, your instructions omit using the vanilla, but it is on the ingredient list. I just added it to the wet ingredients.
I’m so happy to hear that, Samantha! And thank you for the catch – I’ll edit the instructions right now 🙂
Could a flax egg be subbed for the regular egg?
oops! disregard–I see your note at the bottom of the recipe! Yay!
Woohoo! 🙂
It’s true, my house did smell amazing, and that loaf didnt stand a chance. LOve the subtle sweetness, i’m making this again tomorrow to bring to a christmas brunch… thanks!
Amazing! So happy to hear that!
Brought this to work today & everyone loved it! Will be making more for gifts today 🙂 Thank you & Merry Christmas!
So happy to hear that! Merry Christmas to you, too 🙂
Made this for work’s Christmas party. One of my colleagues doesn’t really like cake, but said she loved this! Fab recipe as always 🙂
So happy to hear that!
Made this loaf and it turned out great! I am a fan of everything gingerbread-y, and this recipe totally satisfies my love for it. It’s not too sweet so the molasses really shines through in this. Thank you for yet another awesome recipe, Monique!
Amazing! I’m so happy you enjoyed this one, Jenna 🙂 Happy holidays!
I would love to pin this recipe but can’t due to ads blocking the bar to save. Looks really good.
Can’t wait to try this recipe, looks amazing! Any suggestions on what I could use in place of the coconut oil in both the bread and the glaze? Would olive/canola oil work for the bread and perhaps shortening/butter for the glaze?
Made these yesterday and they came out absolutely perfect and delicious! I substituted olive oil for the coconut oil in the bread recipe and used shortening for the glaze. Made 2 mini loaves, one for gifting and another for devouring! Absolutely yum and love that it’s healthy too! Great recipe!
Amazing! Love the idea of gifting this. Glad you enjoyed!
Also yes olive oil works in the bread, and butter will work in both! 🙂
Could coconut milk be a substitute for Almond milk if I want to make it nut free?
Yes any milk should work!
Hi! Does this need pastry flour, or could I use all-purpose or Whole Wheat Flour?
Hi! All purpose will work great!
This is a wonderful quick bread. But I especially love what you did with the top! So festive.
Isn’t it fun? Perfect for the holidays 🙂
I baked this loaf and my whole family and my friends loved it, so much so that one of them even asked me for the recipe! They could not believe that it was sugar-free and whole wheat. I made this bread with half and half whole wheat and all purpose flour instead of whole wheat pastry flour, and coconut milk instead of almond, and it worked well. It rose well and the texture was lovely – moist and fluffy, not dense at all. I will likely be baking this again during the holidays!
Amazing! So happy to hear that. Love this one for the holidays 🙂
Hey Monique,
I can’t seem to find whole wheat pastry flour in my local supermarkets, would wholemeal flour work the same?
Thanks 🙂
Yes I think that should work fine! You may just need to add a little more oil or milk!
Made this cake GF and vegan – it looked great but then sunk after removing from the oven – baked at 360 for 45 mins as it was sticking to my cake tester… sad as I am having too may chores to take care of this time of the year. any ideas why?
Hi Sue! Gluten free and vegan breads don’t tend to rise as much as regular breads. If you tried to make BOTH gluten free and vegan, you may need to reduce the liquid. Can I ask what gluten free flours you used? It also sounds like if it was sticking to your cake tester it means it’s not done.