These collagen gingerbread bites are basically a gingerbread truffle in bar form. They have a soft, chewy ginger and cinnamon center that is high in protein thanks to the addition of collagen. These healthy candy bars are coated in smooth, dark chocolate and topped with a pinch of flaked salt. This is the best collagen recipe - Paleo, gluten free, refined sugar free and nutritious!
Over the past couple years, gingerbread has become one of my favorite holiday flavors.
The combination of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and molasses sends my taste buds to heaven! It's like a taste of home during the holidays, bringing back fond Christmas memories with my family...even though I never even ate anything gingerbread growing up!
These collagen gingerbread bites are pretty much gingerbread truffles. But, rather than rolling the filling into balls, I put them into bar form.
These healthy gingerbread truffles are:
- Paleo
- gluten free & dairy free
- no bake
- easy to make
- high in protein because of the collagen
- refined sugar free - sweetened with honey and molasses
As far as truffles and candy bars go, these have great ingredients. This is a healthy dessert that you can feel good about eating AND they taste fantastic! Plus, these Paleo gingerbread truffles look fancy but they're actually really easy to make.
Ingredients in Collagen Gingerbread Bites
A few simple ingredients are needed for this recipe:
Filling
- cacao butter
- almond butter (unsweetened, unsalted)
- Manuka honey
- molasses
- vanilla extract
- collagen peptides
- ground ginger
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- salt
Coating
- 4-5 oz dark chocolate
- flaked sea salt (optional)
Ingredient Substitutions
As always, for best results I recommend keeping the ingredients as-is. However, a few small tweaks may be made and you can still have similar results.
Almond Butter
The almond butter may be swapped with any nut or seed butter. Just note, this will change the taste of the gingerbread bites. The best swap would be using cashew butter instead of the almond butter.
Cacao Butter
Cacao butter helps solidify the filling, making these bites hold together. This is especially important when you go to dip them into the melted dark chocolate.
Coconut butter can be used instead, but its not as smooth as cacao butter and it has a coconut taste. (Cacao butter is pretty flavorless.)
I have used cacao butter in quite a few of my recipes including: pumpkin protein bars, Andes mint chocolates and Vegan maple fudge. If you make a lot of your own chocolates, protein bars or fudge, then I would consider buying cacao butter.
Honey
This gingerbread recipe is sweetened with Manuka honey (and molasses) but maple syrup can be used instead. Personally, I like the combination of honey and molasses over maple syrup and molasses.
Collagen
Do I have to use collagen? Collagen improves the nutritional content of this recipe, but can be left out or substituted with protein powder.
Removing the collagen will change the texture of the filling, but will not affect the taste.
Using protein powder in place of the collagen will most likely change the taste (since protein powders are often flavored) and will also change the texture. If you make this swap, I recommend starting with half the amount of protein powder (¼ cup instead of ½ cup) and then adding more as needed.
How to Make Collagen Gingerbread Bites
These bites don't require any baking and are super easy to make.
Make the Filling
First, make the filling. In a small sauce pan, melt the cacao butter on the stove top, over low heat. Once fully melted, remove the pan from the stove top and add in the almond butter, honey, molasses and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
In medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the collagen, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix with a spatula until well combined.
Line an 8" x 4" loaf pan with foil and pour the filling into the pan. Use the spatula to spread the filling to the edges and smooth out the top.
Place the filling in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to set.
Make the Coating
Once the filling is ready, melt the dark chocolate on the stove top, over low heat.
Remove the filling from the freezer and cut into pieces. Then, dip the fillings into the dark chocolate, coating them completely. Set them on a sheet of parchment paper for the chocolate to set.
After all of the truffles have been dipped, drizzle the remaining chocolate over the top and add a pinch of flaked sea salt. I poured the leftover chocolate into a small plastic bag, cut a hole in the end and piped it over each chocolate bite.
How to Store Collagen Gingerbread Bites
These gingerbread candy bars can be kept at room temperature for a few hours, but need to be stored in the fridge or freezer.
More Paleo Gingerbread Recipes
For more Paleo gingerbread recipes, check these out:
- Gingerbread Waffles
- Chocolate Gingerbread Truffles
- Healthy Gingersnap Cookies
- Gingerbread Protein Muffins
Enjoy!
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Collagen Gingerbread Bites (Paleo, Gluten Free)
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 18 bites 1x
Description
These collagen gingerbread bites are basically gingerbread truffles in bar form. They have a soft, chewy gingerbread flavored filling and a dark chocolate coating. These bars are high in protein, low in sugar, Paleo friendly and dairy free.
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 oz cacao butter
- ½ cup almond butter (unsweetened, unsalted)
- 2 Tbsp Manuka honey
- 1 Tbsp molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup collagen peptides
- ¾ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp salt
Coating
- 4-5 oz dark chocolate
- flaked sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Make the filling: Place cacao butter in a small sauce pan and melt on the stove top, over low heat.
- Once fully melted, remove the pan from the stove top and add in the almond butter, honey, molasses and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients: collagen, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir with a spatula until well combined.
- Line an 8" x 4" loaf pan with foil and pour the filling into the pan. Use the spatula to spread the filling to the edges and smooth out the top.
- Place the filling in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to set.
- Make the Coating: Melt the dark chocolate on the stove top, over low heat.
- Remove the filling from the freezer and cut into pieces (I cut into 18 square pieces). Dip the fillings into the dark chocolate, coating them completely. Set them on a sheet of parchment paper for the chocolate to set.
- After all of the truffles have been dipped, drizzle the remaining chocolate over the top and add a pinch of flaked sea salt. (I poured the leftover chocolate into a small plastic bag, cut a hole in the end and piped it over each chocolate bite.)
- Store in fridge or freezer.
Keywords: gingerbread, truffles, bites, collagen peptides, paleo dessert, chocolates, egg free, high protein, dessert
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