The Big Book of Diabetic Desserts (17 page)
1. Combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to mix well. Set aside.
2. Combine the oil, molasses, and sugar in a large bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and beat at low speed until a stiff dough forms. Cover the dough and refrigerate 2 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
4. Roll the dough into 60 balls, 2 level teaspoons each, and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. (For thinner cookies, moisten your fingertips with water and gently flatten each mound of dough.) Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly browned but the centers remain soft.
5. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets on wire racks for 2 minutes. Remove from the baking sheets and cool completely on the wire racks. The cookies can be covered in an airtight container and stored at room temperature up to 3 days.
Exchanges: 1 Carbohydrate ⢠1/2 Fat
Calories 96, Calories from Fat 37, Total Fat 4 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 14 mg, Sodium 46 mg, Total Carbohydrate 13 g, Dietary Fiber 0 g, Sugars 5 g, Protein 2 g.
Makes 26 servings ⢠Serving size: 2 (1 1/2-inch) cookies
A plate of these little half moon cookies will put a smile on any face. As the cookies bake, they expand, creating crackles in the sugar coating.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup 67% vegetable oil butter-flavored spread, at room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to mix well. Set aside.
3. Combine the butter-flavored spread and brown sugar in a large bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and beat at low speed until a stiff dough forms.
4. Place the confectioners' sugar in a shallow dish. Roll the dough into 52 balls, 2 level teaspoons each. Toss in confectioners' sugar to coat, shaking off excess. Place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned on the bottoms and have a crackled appearance on top.
5. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets on wire racks for 2 minutes. Remove from the baking sheets and cool completely on the wire racks. The cookies can be covered in an airtight container and stored at room temperature up to 3 days.
Exchanges: 1 Carbohydrate ⢠1/2 Fat
Calories 100, Calories from Fat 33, Total Fat 4 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 16 mg, Sodium 81 mg, Total Carbohydrate 16 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugars 9 g, Protein 2 g.
Makes 16 servings ⢠Serving size: 2 (1 1/2-inch) cookies
Crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside, this version of almond macaroons is one of the easiest and most pleasing cookies you'll ever taste.
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 ounces almond paste, crumbled
2 egg whites, at room temperature
32 whole blanched almonds
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Combine the sugar, flour, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to mix well. Set aside.
3. Combine the almond paste and egg whites in a large bowl and beat at medium speed, about 3 minutes, or until mixture is smooth. Gradually beat in the sugar mixture.
4. Drop mounds of dough, about 2 teaspoons each, 1 inch apart, onto the prepared baking sheets. Gently press an almond into each cookie. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until the edges of cookies are lightly browned.
5. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets on wire racks for 2 minutes. Remove from the baking sheets and cool completely on the wire racks. The cookies can be covered in an airtight container and stored at room temperature up to 4 days.
Exchanges: 1 Carbohydrate ⢠1 Fat
Calories 106, Calories from Fat 44, Total Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 44 mg, Total Carbohydrate 14 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugars 11 g, Protein 2 g.
Makes 12 servings ⢠Serving size: 2 (2-inch) cookies
For nut lovers only, these delicate cookies are chewy in the center and crisp on the edges. The texture softens when they're stored, but they taste just as good. Try making them with walnuts, too.
1 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 large egg
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Combine the pecans, brown sugar, flour, and salt in a food processor and pulse until the pecans are coarsely chopped. Add the egg and pulse until a stiff dough forms.
3. Drop mounds of dough, 2 level teaspoons each, 2 inches apart, onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges.
4. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets on wire racks for 2 minutes. Remove from the baking sheets and cool completely on the wire racks. The cookies can be covered in an airtight container and stored at room temperature up to 2 days.
Exchanges: 1 Carbohydrate ⢠1 Fat
Calories 110, Calories from Fat 65, Total Fat 7 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 18 mg, Sodium 22 mg, Total Carbohydrate 11 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugars 9 g, Protein 2 g.
Makes 20 servings ⢠Serving size: 2 (1 1/2-inch) cookies
Don't panic when see how thin this dough is. It holds together just enough to bake up into moist, chewy cookies with a zing of citrus. And one teaspoon of flour is just enough!
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup 67% vegetable oil butter-flavored spread, melted and cooled
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon fresh grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Combine the oats and butter-flavored spread in a large bowl and stir to mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until moistened.
3. Drop mounds of dough, 2 level teaspoons each, 2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned.
4. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets on wire racks for 2 minutes. Remove from the baking sheets and cool completely on the wire racks. The cookies can be covered in an airtight container and stored at room temperature up to 2 days.
Exchanges: 1 Carbohydrate ⢠1 Fat
Calories 104, Calories from Fat 49, Total Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 11 mg, Sodium 87 mg, Total Carbohydrate 12 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugars 8 g, Protein 2 g.
Makes 30 servings ⢠Serving size: 2 (1 1/2-inch) cookies
To guarantee that the cookies turn out moist, make sure your dates haven't been stored too long. They should be supple and plump with no crystallized sugar on the outside.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup 67% vegetable oil butter-flavored spread, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pitted dates, coarsely chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, salt, and cloves in a medium bowl and whisk to mix well. Set aside.
3. Combine the butter-flavored spread and sugar in a large bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fluffy. Beat in the egg and milk. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and beat at low speed until a stiff dough forms. Stir in the dates.
4. Roll the dough into 60 balls, 2 level teaspoons each, and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. (For thinner cookies, moisten your fingertips with water and gently flatten each mound of dough.) Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly browned.
5. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets on wire racks for 2 minutes. Remove from the baking sheets and cool completely on the wire racks. The cookies can be covered in an airtight container and stored at room temperature up to 3 days.
Exchanges: 1 Carbohydrate ⢠1/2 Fat
Calories 101, Calories from Fat 26, Total Fat 3 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 7 mg, Sodium 94 mg, Total Carbohydrate 18 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugars 9 g, Protein 2 g.
Makes 16 servings ⢠Serving size: 2 (1/2-inch) biscotti
These crunchy cookies turn afternoon coffee or tea break into something special. They keep well, tooâperfect to have on hand for an impromptu coffee klatch.
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granular no-calorie sweetener
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Place the almonds in a small baking pan and bake 6 to 8 minutes, stirring once, or until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool. Maintain the oven temperature.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to mix well. Set aside.
4. Combine the no-calorie sweetener, sugar, eggs, and milk in a large mixing bowl and beat at medium speed until the mixture is smooth. Beat in the almond extract. Add the flour mixture and beat at low speed until a stiff dough forms. Stir in the almonds.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, sprinkle top of dough lightly with flour, and knead 6 to 8 times. Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into an 8-inch log. Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet and flatten slightly.
6. Bake 20 minutes or until the tops are firm to the touch and the bottoms are lightly browned. Maintain the oven temperature. Place the logs on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Cut each log diagonally into 1/2-inch slices using a serrated knife. Place the slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes. Turn the biscotti over and bake 8 more minutes or until lightly browned. Place on wire racks to cool. The cookies can be covered in an airtight container and stored at room temperature up to 4 days.
Variation
To make Chocolate-Almond Biscotti, reduce the flour to 1 3/4 cup and add 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa.
Exchanges: 1 1/2 Carbohydrate ⢠1/2 Fat
Calories 118, Calories from Fat 24, Total Fat 3 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 27 mg, Sodium 92 mg, Total Carbohydrate 20 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugars 8 g, Protein 3 g.
Makes 25 servings ⢠Serving size: 2 (1 1/2-inch) cookies
These are a fruitcake lover's dream. There's just enough of the spicy dough to hold the generous portion of fruit and nuts together.
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup 67% vegetable oil butter-flavored spread, at room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
3/4 cup pitted dates, chopped
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup dried currants
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Combine the flour, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to mix well. Set aside.
3. Combine the butter-flavored spread and brown sugar in a large bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and beat at low speed until a stiff dough forms. Stir in the pecans, dates, apricots, raisins, and currants.
4. Drop mounds of dough, 2 level teaspoons each, 2 inches apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the bottoms of cookies are lightly browned but the centers remain soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets on wire racks for 2 minutes. Remove from the baking sheets and cool completely on the wire racks. The cookies can be covered in an airtight container and stored at room temperature up to 2 days.
Exchanges: 1 Carbohydrate ⢠1/2 Fat
Calories 97, Calories from Fat 38, Total Fat 4 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 8 mg, Sodium 68 mg, Total Carbohydrate 15 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugars 10 g, Protein 1 g.