1. Reduce the fat in your recipes of choice.
Believe it or not, cookie recipes also have some quick substitutions that will reduce the fat but retain the flavour. But those substitutes do not work for all recipes. Some low-fat and fat-free ingredients do not stand up to heat very well; others have different quantities of water which can affect your cookies' texture. Using cake flour instead of an all-purpose flour can also help with cookie tenderness.
You’ll need to experiment a bit to get the best results – but it’ll be worth it!
Here are several substitutions in your favorite cookie recipes to minimize the amount of fat (or saturated fat) in:
Instead of butter or margarine: use light butter, fat-free cream cheese, or even applesauce (the volume of liquid will have to be decreased elsewhere in the recipe).
Instead of shortening: use butter or soft butter, or margarine.
Using an egg substitute (amount as specified on the label) or 2 egg whites instead of an egg:
Instead of chocolate chips: use chips made of mini-chocolate.
Using unsweetened cocoa powder (3 table spoons per 1 oz. of chocolate) and 1 table spoon of canola oil instead of chocolate.
Using crispy rice cereal, rather than nuts.
Instead of peanut butter: use peanut butter which is reduced-fat.
To use skim milk instead of whole milk.
2. Reduce by approximately one-third the amount of sugar needed in your recipe. Sometimes, this can be achieved without affecting the taste or feel.
3. Using alternatives to sugar which is granulated. Below are a few suggestions:
Honey. Use 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey instead of 1 cup sugar; reduce by around 2 tablespoons other liquid ingredients. Cookies made with honey tend to brown more easily.
Concentrate fruit juice. Use 3/4 cups of fruit juice concentrate (good apple juice and orange juice concentrate) for each cup of white sugar; reduce by 3 tablespoons other liquid ingredients.
Molasses. Molasses. Use 1-1/3 cups molasses for 1 cup sugar; reduce other liquid ingredients by about 5 tablespoons. Your cookies will look darker and may not taste as sweet.
Maple syrup. Use 3/4 cup maple syrup for 1 cup of white sugar; reduce other
liquid ingredients by 3 tablespoons.
4. Use sugar-free substitutes.
Many common items come in sugar-free versions. For example, if a recipe calls for jam or chocolate, consider using sugar-free versions.
5. Using sugared artificial sweeteners. Mind I didn't say use sugar For artificial sweeteners.
You do not want to fully remove sugar, since it plays a crucial role in keeping your cookies warm and moist. Yet artificial sweeteners Like sugar can be used to minimize calories. Try half-and-a-half (for example, when your recipe needs 1 cup of sugar, use 1⁄2 cup of sugar and 1⁄2 cup of an artificial sweetener) for better results.
Artificial sweeteners that are suitable for baking include saccharine (Sweet and Low®); acesulfame potassium (Sunette® or Sweet One®); and sucrolose (Splenda®).
Aspartame (Equal® and Nutrasweet®) is not good for baking, but can be used in no-bake cookie recipes.
For all artificial sweeteners, be sure to read the label for sugar substitution tips.
Notice that some artificial sweeteners can appear to bake your cookies faster so keep an eye on them.
6. Spray cookie/baking sheets lightly with vegetable cooking spray instead of greasing them with shortening or butter.
In summary, these suggestions will take some trial and error on your part. But with a little experimentation and creativity, you can make your holiday cookie baking a healthier, yet still delicious tradition!
