Low-Fat Holiday Cookie Recipes

Jingle Bell Brownies

Chocolate brownies are a big hit at any party, but particularly during the holidays. Try this delicious recipe for unfrosted brownies, which contains a few healthy ingredient substitutions.

1/3 cup low-fat margarine (melted)

1 cup granulated sugar

(May substitute diet sugar substitute.)

5 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup flour

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F) Spray a 9" x 9" baking pan lightly with vegetable oil.

In a large bowl, combine margarine, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, salt and flours. Blend by hand with a wooden spoon. Add eggs, and stir until mixture becomes smooth.

Pour brownie batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool completely before cutting and serving brownies.

For a festive holiday look, brownies may be trimmed into shapes with sturdy metal cookie cutters. Jingle bells, hearts, trees and other symbols can be fun for the holidays.

Crispy Christmas Wreaths

Building on the time-honored tradition of crispy rice bars, these great green wreaths add color and crunch to a holiday buffet.

¼ cup low-fat butter (not margarine)

1 package (10 oz.) marshmallows

Green food coloring

6 cups crispy rice cereal

Red cinnamon hearts

Spray a large oblong baking pan lightly with vegetable oil.

Melt butter in large kettle, using low burner heat. Add marshmallows, and stir constantly until all marshmallows are melted. Stir in several drops of green food coloring.

Remove pan from heat. Stir in crispy rice cereal. Blend until all cereal bits are completely covered with the marshmallow mixture.

Spray hands with vegetable oil. As soon as the sticky concoction is cool enough to handle, shape it into small wreaths by hand. (Work fast, before the mixture hardens.) Place shaped wreaths on waxed paper on flat baking sheets.

Press several red cinnamon hearts into each wreath to decorate.

Cool baking sheets in the refrigerator (or a cool garage) for at least an hour before serving.

Yummy Yule Logs

Gooey and good, these yummy Yule logs are simple enough for the youngest children to prepare. Still, even adults will snatch these no-bake goodies up quickly.

1 cup oatmeal

¾ cup crunchy peanut butter

½ cup honey

1 cup low-fat powdered milk

½ cup crushed peanuts

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Blend well.

Hand-roll cookie mixture into one-inch balls. Roll cookie calls in crushed peanuts. (Peanuts may be placed inside a sturdy zippered plastic bag and crushed with a wooden rolling pin.)

Set cookie balls atop waxed paper on flat baking sheets. Place in refrigerator or cool garage for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Simple and sweet, these healthy holiday cookie recipes will appeal to holiday revelers, while offering nutritional choices at the holiday table.