Cookies!

I usually don't post on Sundays, but since we're close to Christmas, I decided to add a Sunday post here. And since cookies are wonderful for gift-giving (as well as bringing to cookie exchanges and work for sharing), I wanted to make sure to post cookies that everyone - including diabetics - can enjoy. Here are six cookie recipes, including Pumpkin Polka Dot Cookies and Chocolate Chip Meringue Crisps. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Who doesn’t love chocolate or gingerbread? This yummy recipe comes from Diabetes Self-Management and makes about 2 dozen cookies.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon shortening

4 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

2 tablespoons molasses

1 egg

White decorating icing (optional)

Directions

Combine flour, cocoa, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and shortening in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add chocolate; beat until blended. Add molasses and egg; beat until well blended.

Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into disc; wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out 1 disc of dough between sheets of plastic wrap to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out shapes with 5-inch cookie cutters; place cutouts on ungreased cookie sheets. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are set. Cool on cookie sheets 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate with icing, if desired.

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Drops: Decrease flour to 1 3/4 cups. Shape 1 1/2 teaspoonfuls of dough into balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten balls slightly. Do not refrigerate before baking. Bake as directed. Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

Yield: About 2 dozen cookies. Serving size: 1 cookie.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving: Calories: 59, Carbohydrates: 8 g, Protein: 1 g, Fat: 3 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 9 mg, Sodium: 20 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Exchanges per serving: 1/2 Bread/Starch, 1/2 Fat.

CINNAMON GINGER SPSICE COOKIES

Yield: 30 servings

Serving Size: 1 cookie

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=1163

View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1163.shtml

Ingredients

6 tablespoons vegetable shortening

6 tablespoons margarine

1 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 large egg

1/4 cup molasses

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

Mix together shortening, margarine, Splenda Granulated Sweetener, egg and molasses in a large mixing bowl.

Sift dry ingredients together and add to shortening mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Chill dough in refrigerator until firm (approximately 2 hours).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Form dough into 30 balls, approximately 1 level tablespoons each. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet and pat down gently with fork making a criss-cross pattern.

Bake cookies in the center of the preheated 350 degrees F oven for 10-12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies will look chewy when they come out but will become crisp. Cool cookies on wire cooling rack.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 80; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 30 mg; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 8 g

CHOCOLATE CHIP FUDGIE CUPS

This recipe begins, “This cookie has something for everyone. The crust is chocolate chip cookie dough; the filling is a rich brownie. They are a little more involved to make, but well worth the effort.”

Yield: makes 2 dozen

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=881

View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=881

Chocolate Chip Dough Ingredients:

1/3 cup stick butter, softened

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup Equal Spoonful*

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Fudge Nut Filling Ingredients:

1 cup Equal Spoonful**

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1/3 cup chopped nuts

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

6 tablespoons stick butter, softened

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

* May substitute 8 packets Equal sweetener

** May substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

For Chocolate Chip Dough, beat 1/3 cup butter with electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla until blended. Mix in 1/3 cup Equal* and brown sugar until combined.

Combine 1 cup flour, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix into butter mixture.

Stir in chocolate chips. Form dough into circle about 1/2-inch thick. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze while preparing Fudge Nut Filling.

For Fudge Nut Filling, combine 1 cup Equal**, 3/4 cup flour, cocoa, nuts, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Beat applesauce, 6 tablespoons butter, 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla until blended. Stir in combined flour mixture until well blended.

Remove Chocolate Chip Dough from freezer. Spread approximately 1 rounded tablespoonful of dough in each of 24 mini-muffin pans. Fill each with Fudge Nut Filling to top of cup.

Bake in preheated 350F oven 15 to 18 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in muffin pans about 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 138; Protein: 2 g; Fat: 8 g; Sodium: 106 mg; Cholesterol: 41 mg; Carbohydrates: 14 g; Exchanges: 1 starch, 1-1/2 fat

CHOCOLATE CHIP MERINGUE CRISPS

Yield: 36 servings

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=1164

View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1164.shtml

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup Splenda Sugar Blend

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Bake walnuts in a shallow pan, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until toasted. Set aside.

Beat egg whites and vanilla at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy.

Add Splenda Sugar Blend, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form; stir in walnuts and chocolate morsels.

Spoon rounded teaspoons of mixture on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake 15 minutes. Drop oven temperature to 200 degrees F.

Bake for one hour and 45 minutes. Cool slightly on cookie sheet. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight tin.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 35; Calories from Fat: 15; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 5 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 4 g

CHOCOLATE CHERRY OATMEAL COOKIES

Yield: 4 Dozen Cookies

1 cookie per serving

Source: Equal

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1152.shtml

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups Equal Granulated*

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup pasteurized egg whites

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup nonfat milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

2-1/4 cups quick oats, uncooked

1/2 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate

Cooking spray

*May also substitute with 30 packets Equal Sweetener

Directions

Combine Equal, butter, brown sugar, egg whites, applesauce, milk and vanilla.

Mix with electric mixer until well blended. Stir in combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt.

Gradually mix in oats, cherries and chocolate until well combined.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto lightly sprayed baking sheets.

Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 9 to 10 minutes, or until light golden in color.

Remove from baking sheet and cool completely on wire rack.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 63; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 54 mg; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Exchanges: 1/2 starch; 1/2 fat

PUMPKIN POLKA DOT COOKIES

Yield: Makes about 4 dozen. Serving size: 1 cookie

Source: Equal

Print Version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/879.shtml

This begins, “Chocolate chips enhance the flavor of the pumpkin and spices in these easy to make drop cookies. The hearty blend is perfectfor the end of the year holidays.”

Ingredients

1/2 cup stick butter, softened

1-1/4 cups Equal Spoonful*

3 tablespoons light molasses

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 egg

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

* May substitute 30 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

Beat butter, Equal and molasses until well combined. Mix in pumpkin, egg and vanilla until blended. Gradually stir in combined flour, baking powder, spices, baking soda and salt until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto sprayed baking sheets. Bake in preheated 350F oven 11 to 13 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from baking sheet and cool completely on wire rack. Store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 57; Protein: 1 g; Sodium: 51 mg; Cholesterol: 9 mg; Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g; Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat