Cookies!

If you've checked in here with any regularity, you know I usually don't post here over the weekend. That said, since my internet was down for just over a week, and Christmas is exactly a week away - yes, next Sunday! - I figured I'd get some cookie recipes in here for those who'd like to do some baking before the big day. Enjoy!

SNOWY VANILLA PECAN CRESCENTS

This begins, “The generosity and sweetness of pueblo foods at Christmastime is embodied in this recipe.”

Servings: 36 Cookies

Source: Enduring Harvests: A Treasury of Native American Foods For Every Season

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1278.shtml

Ingredients

1 cup powdered sugar, divided

2 sticks fat-reduced margarine, suitable for baking (must have 60-70% fat), such as Imperial or Fleischmann's

1/4 tsp salt (optional)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/4 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F. In a large bowl, cream half of the sugar into the margarine, then add th salt and vanilla extract, blending well. Next add the flour, oats, and nuts, and blend thoroughly.

Place dough by the Tablespoonful on ungreased cookie sheet. Shape into crescents. Bake for 15 minutes or until bottoms are light honey-golden. Remove to wire rack and sift remaining powdered sugar generously over warm crescents.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 75; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 50 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 9 g; Exchanges: 1 Bread; 1 Fat

CHOCOLATE MINT SNOWBALL COOKIES

This recipe begins, “These chocolate mint snowball cookies are a decadent little treat that you can enjoy any time of the year.” Makes 10 servings; Serving size: 2 cookies.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

3/4 cup unbleached white flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup mint-flavored, semisweet chocolate morsels (like Nestle Toll House)*

3 tablespoons fat-free sour cream

3 tablespoons canola oil

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup Splenda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg (use a brand higher in omega-3s, if available)

2 tablespoons egg substitute or 1 egg white, beaten slightly

Powdered sugar

Directions

Combine flours, baking powder, salt; set aside. Melt chocolate chips over low heat in microwave or in a small nonstick saucepan.

In large mixing bowl, beat sour cream and canola oil with sugar and Splenda. Add chocolate mixture and vanilla and beat to blend. Add egg and egg substitute and beat until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat only until blended.

Split dough into fourths and wrap each fourth in plastic wrap. Freeze until firm (about 20 minutes.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape each portion of dough into about 10 (1-inch) balls, and place on cookie sheets that have been coated with canola cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes, watching carefully. Once the cookies are cool, dust the tops with powdered sugar, if desired.

Nutritional Facts: Servings: 10; Serving size: 2 cookies; Calories 100 (36% from fat); Protein 2 g; Carbohydrate 15 g; Fat 4 g; Cholesterol 10 mg; Fiber 1.2 g; Sodium 60 mg

ITALIAN LEMON COOKIES

This recipe begins, “These delicate lemon cookies have excellent flavor and an interesting texture. They are perfect for adding variety to a cookie tray.”

Yield: 27 Servings

Serving Size: 2 cookies

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=1159

View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1159.shtml

Ingredients

1/2 cup light butter

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup egg substitute

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly oil a cookie sheet and set aside.

Blend together butter, Splenda Granulated Sweetener, and vanilla in a medium sized mixing bowl until butter is softened.

Add egg substitute, lemon juice and zest. Mix briefly. Add flour, cornmeal, baking powder and nutmeg. Mix using a hand mixer on low speed (or by hand) until dough is formed. Do not over mix.

Remove dough from bowl and divide in half. Roll each half into a log approx. 1 inch thick in diameter. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 1-2 hours, allowing dough to chill and become firm.

Remove dough from freezer, unwrap and cut into slices approximately 1/4 inch thick. Place cookies on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake in a preheated 325 degrees F oven 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 160; Calories from Fat: 60; Protein: 2 g; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 55 mg; Cholesterol: 30 mg; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 19 g

CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

The recipe begins, “A cookie that is quite simply – heavenly!”

Yield: 24 servings

Serving size: 1 cookie

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=1156

View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1156.shtml

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons Dutch cocoa powder

1 3/4 cups flour

2 tablespoons flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet or jellyroll pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Place the butter, Splenda Granulated Sweetener, sugar, vanilla and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Mix, using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer until the mixture is light and creamy (approx. 1-1 1/2 minutes). Add cocoa powder and all the flour. Mix until just blended.

Remove dough from bowl and form into a ball. Place the ball of dough on the parchment lined pan. Roll the dough into a rectangle approx. 6 1/2 inches wide by 11 inches long and 1/4 inch thick. Pierce the surface of the dough with a fork all over. This allows the air to escape during baking preventing air pockets from forming.

Bake in preheated 375 degrees F oven 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan after 10 minutes of baking. Remove shortbread from oven after 20-25 minutes and immediately cut into 24 fingers or rectangles while the shortbread is still warm. If allowed to cool, shortbread will not slice well.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 120; Calories from Fat: 5; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 8 g; Sodium: 25 mg; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g

MERRY GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Yield: 54 servings

Serving size: 1 cookie

Source: Splenda

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1044.shtml

Ingredients

6 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

4 teaspoons ground ginger

4 teaspoons cinnamon

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup molasses

3 tablespoons water

Directions

Blend together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices in a large mixing bowl.

Cream butter, SPLENDA Granulated Sweetener and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the molasses and water. Stir well. Add the flour mixture and stir until well blended. Refrigerate dough 1-2 hours before rolling out and cutting into shapes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll cookie dough out slightly less than 1/4 inch. Cut into desired shapes. Bake in preheated oven 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 100; Calories from Fat: 35; Protein: 2 g; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 75 mg; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 16 g

CHERRY COCONUT MACAROONS

Servings: 35 (Serving = 1 piece)

Source: The Diabetic Dessert Cookbook

Author: Coleen Howard

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/215.shtml

Ingredients

2 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/3 cup sugar substitute

1 teaspoon almond extract

2-1/4 cups grated coconut

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl. Beat until stiff peaks form. Continue beating, adding the sugar substitute. Fold in the almond extract. Then fold in the grated coconut. Mixture will be stiff.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a nonstick cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes.

Remove macaroons to a wire rack to cool. Cookies will be 1" in diameter.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 34.1; Protein: .546 g; Fat: 3.23 g; Sodium: 5 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 1.26 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Fat