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Hi tartelettes,

Something about the holidays always makes me feel like a kid again—earnestly searching for the perfectly-sized tree, throwing myself down snowy slopes on my Radio Flyer, or sneaking a taste of sugary cookie batter. One of my favorite childhood memories is baking cookies with my mother in the big, warm kitchen of our upstate New York home, and now that I’m a mom, this is a tradition I’ve passed on to my boys. Every year we set aside a Saturday night, turn on carols and make a giant batch of gingerbread men. (Of course, as a health-conscious mama I have an organic, gluten-free recipe to share!)

The real fun comes once the batter is rolled and it’s time to decorate. We must have 100 different cookie cutters to choose from, and that collection is constantly growing. This year the boys are taking karate and I found Ninjamen shapes to surprise them. To keep things healthy, we use an assortment of nuts, dried fruits and low-sugar candies for buttons, eyes and noses. The boys enjoy any activity that allows them to get creative and make a mess, and I’ll admit a cookie fight has broken out once or twice! Follow the recipe below for some holiday cheer of your own, and please share your favorite recipes and traditions with me!

Ingredients:

5 c. organic almond flour

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. ginger powder

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. sea salt

½ c. grapeseed oil

½ c. agave nectar

½ c. yacón syrup

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 tsp. lemon zest

1. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients

2. Mix in wet ingredients to form dough

3. Chill in freezer for 1 to 2 hours

4. Roll out dough and cut with cookie cutters

5. Use spatula to transfer shapes to baking sheet

6. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes

7. Cool and decorate!