• Cream the softened butter and brown Swerve in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer. Continue until the sweetener is evenly distributed and the mixture looks creamy.
• Blend in the first egg, then incorporate the second while keeping the mixer running. The mixture should look uniform before you move on.
• Incorporate the optional yacon syrup or blackstrap molasses if you’ve chosen to include it. Mix until no streaks of syrup remain.
• Add the almond flour, baking soda, ground ginger, and cinnamon, then work them into the butter mixture at low speed. Stop when the dough has an even color and no loose pockets of flour.
• Gather the dough on a work surface, knead briefly to smooth it, and refrigerate it in plastic wrap for 15 minutes. The chilled dough should feel firmer and less tacky than it did after mixing.
• Set the oven to 350 °F and cover your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. The lined sheets should provide a flat surface for the cutouts.
• On a surface lightly dusted with almond flour, roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick, stamp gingerbread men with cutters, and arrange them with space between each cookie. Keep the thickness even so the edges and centers bake consistently.
• Bake for 8–10 minutes, rest the cookies on their baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and decorate once fully cooled if desired. Look for a light golden-brown color rather than deep browning before removing the sheet from the oven.

Writing Icing

• Whip the cream cheese, heavy cream, and Swerve confectioner’s sweetener for 2–3 minutes, then spoon the icing into a zipper bag and trim a tiny opening from one corner. The icing should look smooth enough to pipe fine details onto cooled cookies.