Holiday Treats with a Healthy Twist
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp baking soda
½ cup quick-cooking oatmeal
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 and lay parchment paper on cookie sheets (or lightly grease).
2. Beat together peanut butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.
3. Add beaten egg and baking soda to peanut butter mixture and beat until well combined.
4. Roll 1 teaspoon of dough into a ball and place on cookie sheet (you can roll it through more sugar to keep it from being sticky if you want).
5. Place dough balls one inch apart on cookie sheet and flatten slightly with tines of fork making a criss-cross pattern.
6. Bake until puffed and lightly golden, about 10 minutes.
7. Makes 2 dozen cookies.
Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies
½ cup cocoa
¼ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 Tbs coconut oil
1 ½ tsp vanilla
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce (smooth)
½ tsp peppermint extract
4 Tbs coarsely crushed peppermint candy canes
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
Directions
1. Beat together melted oil, cocoa, sugar, egg, applesauce, peppermint extract, and vanilla.
2. Gently stir in flours, baking soda, 3 tablespoons chocolate chips, and salt just until well combined.
3. Grease 8x8 pan with coconut oil and dust it lightly with cocoa, pour in batter, then bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
4. Remove from oven, top with crushed candy canes and remaining chocolate chips. Return to the oven for 30 seconds (not letting topping melt).
Peanut Butter & Honey Cookies
2 cups dry roasted peanuts
1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal (or run through blender 30 seconds)
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt (omit if peanuts are already salted)
1. Place peanuts and flour in a food processor and whiz for about 1 minute until nuts and flour are about the same texture.
2. Heat honey over low heat on stovetop until it will pour like water.
3. Place flour and nut mixture in a mixing bowl, add salt, honey and vanilla. Stir together and then mix with your hands.
4. Note: The dough should hold together without being dry and crumbly. If needed, add a tablespoon of water, but be careful not to get it so wet that it sticks to your hands. It should be like piecrust. If it is too dry, the cookies will crumble and not hold together, but if too wet, they will be hard to handle and the baked cookies will be hard. A little extra flour can be worked in if the dough is too sticky!
5. Pinch off pieces of dough and roll into balls the size of walnuts. Place on parchment paper on a cookie sheet and press flat with hands. Then press flatter with fork, dipping the fork in water as needed to keep it from sticking to the dough
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Watch them carefully. They are done when just beginning to brown on the edges – err on the side of soft cookies!
7. Lift cookies on parchment paper off cookie sheet and place on counter or rack to cool.
Healthy Brown Rice Krispies Treats
1 tsp coconut oil
1 cup brown rice syrup
2 Tbs almond or peanut butter
2 tsps vanilla extract
6 cups dry natural brown crispy rice cereal
Directions
1. Put oil in a large pot and heat.
2. Add rice syrup and nut butter. Stir and heat until bubbles form.
3. Turn off heat and add vanilla extract.
4. Add cereal and mix well.
5. Press mixture flat into a 9 x 13 pan with slightly wet hands.
Let set to room temperature. Slice and serve. Lasts a week in an airtight container.
Snicker Re-Doodles
½ cup virgin coconut oil (minus 1 tablespoon) in solid/room temp form
¾ cup sugar
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp
½ tsp vanilla
¾ cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup white flour
2 Tbs sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Directions
1. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the coconut oil with sugar for 1 minute. Add baking soda and cream of tartar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl.
2. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. Add flour.
3. Cover and chill 15 minutes.
4. Combine the 2 tablespoons sugar and ground cinnamon. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, rolling in your hand quickly. Then roll in the cinnamon sugar mix to coat.
5. Place 2” apart on ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a 375 oven for 10 minutes.
6. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.