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How Can These Holiday Cookies Be So Good . . . But Not So Bad for You?

December 18, 2020

If you thought the words “holiday treats” and “healthy” didn’t belong in the same sentence, think again. Here are four holiday treats that are healthier than the store-bought variety.

So preheat the oven and take out your rolling pin. You can feel good about giving your family and yourself a treat or two.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Gingerbread Cookies

These gingerbread cookies are a delicious treat to the holiday. The almond-based cream cheese contains heart-healthy unsaturated fat, which reduces your LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol. Almonds also provide a dose of vitamin E, which prevents free radical damage, and magnesium, which boosts energy.

Ingredients
  • 3 cups Flour, All Purpose
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • ½ tsp Sea Salt
  • 1 tbsp Ground Ginger
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon, Ground
  • ½ tsp Cloves, Ground
  • ½ cup Safflower Oil
  • 2/3 cup Agave Nectar
  • ½ cup Honey
  • 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • ½ cup Almond Cream Cheese Style Spread
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon and clove powder in a bowl
  3. In a separate bowl, mix the oil, agave and 1 teaspoon vanilla
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to form a dough. If it is too wet (measuring varies), add a little more flour
  5. Roll out the dough between sheets of wax paper
  6. Cut out the cookies and place on parchment lined cookie sheets
  7. Bake for 8-10 minutes until just browned
  8. Place dough in the refrigerator between rolling and cutting out the cookies to make it easier to cut them out
  9. Combine the honey with the remaining teaspoon of vanilla and the cream cheese.  You can put it into a squeeze bottle to decorate, or use a knife

Serving Size: 2 cookies. Per serving: 213 calories, 8g fat, 33g carbs, 3g protein.

Honeysuckle crumble cake sliced into pieces on grey marble tray. Homemade streusel berries pie. Selective focus (Honeysuckle crumble cake sliced into pieces on grey marble tray. Homemade streusel berries pie.

Jam and Oat Bars

These delicious oat bars can be used as a dessert, snack or even for breakfast. They contain fruit and oats which are rich in antioxidants and fiber. They can help reduce heart disease and also help lower cholesterol.

Ingredients
  • 1 cup Oat Flakes
  • 1 cup Oat Flour
  • 1 cup All Purpose Flour
  • ½ cup Maple Syrup
  • ½ cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • ½ cup Fruit Spread, Red Currant
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Mix the flours and oats in a mixing bowl
  3. Mix  the syrup, oil and vanilla in another bowl
  4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and combine well
  5. Spread 2/3 of the mixture into an oiled 9” baking pan or pie plate
  6. Spread a layer of jam over the entire batter
  7. Crumble the remaining dough on top of the jam
  8. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes

Serving Size: 1 bar. Per serving: 140 calories, 5g fat, 22g carbs, 1g protein.

Fresh baked homemade oatmeal cookies with cranberry

Oatmeal Cranberry Gems

Heart-healthy oats and fiber rich cranberries make a delicious tart combo. Full of fiber and antioxidants, these cookies are the perfect blend of sweetness

and spiciness. Recipe doesn’t include eggs, so these cookies are vegan-friendly.

Ingredients
  • 6 tbsp Safflower Oil
  • 1 ½ cups Brown Rice Syrup
  • 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 2 cups Oat Flour
  • 2 cups Oat Flakes
  • 2 cups Organic Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, Stone Ground
  • 1 tsp Ground Ginger
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon, Ground
  • ¼ tsp Sea Salt
  • 1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
  • ½ cup Candied Sunflower Seeds
  • 2 tbsp Maple Syrup
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Combine the flours, oats, salt, ginger and cinnamon in a bowl
  3. In another bowl, mix the oil, rice syrup and vanilla
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well
  5. Stir in the cranberries
  6. Drop the batter with a spoon onto parchment-lined cookie sheets
  7. Heat the maple syrup in a small pan and bring to a boil while stirring
  8. Stir in the toasted sunflower seeds and remove from heat
  9. Top each cookie with the seed mixture
  10. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly brown

Serving size: 1 gem. Per serving: 179 calories, 4g  fat, 33g carbs, 1g protein.

Stacked Sugared Lemon Cookies

Lemon Drops

Here is a zesty treat for anyone. These lemon cookies are packed with immunity-boosting Vitamin C. They also contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.

Ingredients
  • ½ cup Safflower Oil
  • ¾ cup Maple Syrup
  • ½ cup Brown Rice Syrup
  • ½ cup Lemon Juice
  • ½ tbsp. lemon zest
  • 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 4 cups Flour, All Purpose
  • ½ tbsp Baking Powder
  • ½ tsp Sea Salt
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl
  3. In another bowl, combine the oil, rice syrup, ½ cup of the maple syrup, lemon juice, zest and vanilla
  4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients
  5. Place the remaining ¼ cup of maple syrup in a small pan over medium heat and let it come to a boil while you stir it for several minute to thicken
  6. Drop the lemon batter onto parchment-lined cookie sheets
  7. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes or until the bottoms are brown

Serving Size: 2 cookies. Per serving: 215, 6g fat, 37g carbs, 3g protein.

Recipes courtesy of Livestrong.com.

Sharon Knight is a transplant dietitian with the Hartford Hospital Transplant Program.