Healthy Recipes

Holiday Cookie Recipes

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The holidays are upon us and that means it won't be long before you're faced with plates of homemade cookies and end-of-the year goodie baskets. You've been on the nice list all year, and now it's easy to be tempted to be a little naughty. But we're not complete Scrooges. Everybody deserves a little treat, especially if they've been good. Here are a couple of our favorite cookie recipes that are healthier than some of the little sugar bombs that will show up in the office kitchen, but won't make you feel like you're eating a lump of coal.

Gingerbread Cookies

6 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 lb. unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
4 tsp. ground ginger
4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1-1/2 cups molasses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and mix in the spices and salt. Then, add the eggs and molasses. When combined, begin adding the flour mixture, mixing at low speed until all the ingredients are completely combined. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour. On a floured board, roll out cookie dough 1/8" thick. Cut cookies into desired shapes and place on an ungreased baking sheet and refrigerate until firm. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Let cookies cool and decorate if desired. Makes 8 dozen 3-inch cookies.

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Almond, Lemon, and Anise Biscotti

2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. lemon zest, grated
2 tsp. anise seeds, crushed
1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
Plain or vanilla sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the first eight ingredients. Add the flour and almonds and stir until the ingredients make a dough. Knead dough until smooth and divide in half. Roll each half into a log that measures about 2 inches in diameter. On an ungreased baking sheet, bake logs about 30 minutes until firm. Take the logs out (but leave the oven on) and let them cool for 10 minutes. With a serrated knife cut the logs crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Return the slices cut side down to the baking sheet and return them to the oven for another 20 minutes, or until brown. Let cool and eat! Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

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If you've been extra nice this year, you can coat half of the biscotti in chocolate. Just melt 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a double boiler and whisk until smooth. Dip half the biscotti in chocolate and allow to cool on a sheet of wax paper. For extra variety, you can do the same thing with white chocolate.

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