Sub This For That: 3 Healthier Holiday Cookie Recipes
Holiday cookies are delightful. More often than not, though, those lightly sprinkled, heavily frosted saucers of delight pack a high-caloric punch. But it doesn’t have to be that way! You can easily make a healthier holiday cookie that will still tantalize taste buds without making you feel the need to unbutton your pants after consuming the sweet holiday treats.
1. Instead of “Traditional” Peanut Butter Cookies, try “New and Improved (with Less Ingredients)” Peanut Butter Cookies, via my mom’s kitchen
Yield: 28 cookies
Ingredients*
*Use all organic ingredients when you can!
Method
Heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly oil two baking sheets. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Drop rounded teaspoons of dough about two inches apart on the baking sheets. Don’t flatten the dough! Bake for seven to nine minutes, or until cookies are puffed and cracked. Let the cookies stand on the baking sheets for five minutes, or until firm. Remove the cookies and place them onto a wire rack to cool.
2. Instead of Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies, try Double Chocolate Mocha Cookies, via Elana’s Pantry
Yield: 24 cookies
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 cup cacao powder
2 tablespoons organic decaf coffee, espresso grind
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt
1/2 cup grapeseed oil or vegan shortening
1/2 cup agave nectar or honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chocolate chunks
Method
In a large bowl, combine almond flour, cacao powder, ground coffee, baking soda, and salt. Then, in a smaller bowl, stir together grapeseed oil, agave and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix in the chocolate chunks. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for seven to eight minutes. Cool and serve.
3. Instead of traditional Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, try Oil-Free Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, via Shape
Yield: 18 cookies
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon flaxseed meal
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup vegan white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup spelt flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup raisins
Method
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Combine applesauce and flaxseed meal — let sit for five minutes. Using a hand mixer, beat applesauce mixture and sugars until the combined mixture is fluffy. Then, mix in vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Gradually add to wet ingredients, mixing well for about three minutes. Use a large mixing spoon to stir in oats and raisins until evenly distributed. Then, drop the mixture by heaping tablespoon onto the cookie sheet – make certain the cookies are one to two inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool!
Check out these similar cookie recipes on Organic Authority:
Shh! 5 Secretly Healthy Holiday Cookies
Gluten Free Cookies Recipe with Quinoa, Cranberry and Stevia
Image: GabrielaP93
