2 Low-Sugar Cookie Recipes

You’re taking steps to reduce or eliminate sugar from your diet, but that doesn’t mean that you have to swear off desserts forever. You can make smart choices to have your dessert and eat it too. Following are two recipes for tasty, low-sugar cookies

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Credit: ©iStockphoto.com/ NightAndDayImages

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 12–15 minutes

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate chunks

1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts

2 eggs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. (Prepare two cookie sheets if you’re able to bake two trays at once.)

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.

3. Drop the batter by teaspoons onto the cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until brown.

5. Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to wire racks to cool.

Per serving: Calories 52 (From Fat 25); Fat 3g (Saturated 0.5g); Cholesterol 8mg; Sodium 18mg; Carbohydrate 6g (Dietary Fiber 0.5g); Protein 1g.

Pineapple Carrot Cookies

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10–12 minutes

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

2 cups whole-wheat flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup rolled oats

1 cup grated carrots

3/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained

3/4 cup raisins

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1 egg white

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice concentrate

1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice concentrate

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. (Prepare two cookie sheets if you’re able to bake two trays at once.)

2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and oats. Mix in the carrots, pineapple, and raisins.

3. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the butter, egg white, vanilla extract, and apple and pineapple juice concentrates. Beat well.

4. Add the oat and carrot mixture to the butter mixture, and beat until well blended.

5. Drop the batter by teaspoons onto the cookie sheet.

6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until browned.

Per serving: Calories 44 (From Fat 8); Fat 1g (Saturated 0.5g); Cholesterol 2mg; Sodium 23mg; Carbohydrate 2g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 1g.

For moister cookies, add 1/4 cup vegetable oil to Step 3.