Holiday Cookies: A Recipe and Tips for Success

Tis the season...for baking!  

But how can you enjoy the plethora of holiday goodies 

without adding a few inches to your waistline?  

A few simple substitutes can help cut some fat and 

calories out of some of your recipes.

My mom has always loved pecan pie...but who needs all of that sugar and corn syrup?

Here is an alternative...Pecan Date Bars. These cake-like bars taste just like good ol' fashioned pecan pie, without all the guilt! (Remember...they're still sweets, so watch your portions)

Pecan Date Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup organic unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar (gotta have it - it doesn't taste the same without it)
• 3 large eggs (organic, free range) room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 cups finely chopped pecans
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup finely chopped dates (pitted)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
2. Cover a large baking sheet with cooking spray and then with a sheet of parchment paper so that the parchment hangs over the sides. (the spray will help the paper adhere to the pan)
3. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
4. Cream the butter and light brown sugar together with an electric mixer.
5. Add eggs one at a time to the butter/sugar mixture - beat well.
6. Add the vanilla. Beat until creamy.
7. Add HALF of the flour mixture and stir well until combined.
8. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg - stir in completely.
9. Take the left over half of the flour mixture and add the pecans, raisins and dates to it - toss to coat, then stir it into the mixing bowl until just combined - do not over mix!
10. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking sheet using a spatula.
11. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven - carefully lift the sides of the parchment being careful not to bend the bars - place it on a cooling rack.
12. Cool for at least 45 minutes. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Adapted from the Original Recipe from Eating Well

Some people say they hate baking because it has to be so precise. I often hear, "I'm a cook, not a baker!"  But, you can be both. Yes, baking is pretty much an exact science, but there are some little tips and tricks that you can use to make it a little easier on you. 

Here are a few cookie baking tips I live by!

• Always preheat your oven - allow the oven to sit at the desired temperature for 15 minutes before opening the door to place your pan in to bake.
• Have parchment paper on hand at all times - it can be your best friend..it minimizes extra fat additives, prevents sticking and provides you with easy clean up.
• Always bring butter and eggs to room temperature before using them to bake with - it gives your cakes and cookies "lift". If you need to do this quickly...cut the butter into tablespoons and immerse eggs into lukewarm water...15 minutes, they're ready to go!
• If you're adding nuts or fruit to a batter, toss them in a bit of flour first. The flour will help to keep them suspended in the batter so they are more evenly distributed and don't sink to the bottom.
• Measure your ingredients accurately!
• Don't work your dough too much - your cookies will be tough and dry due to overproduction of gluten from the flour.
• If your cookies are supposed to be chewy, underbake them just slightly...they should "droop" over the edge of your spatula.
• Use chilled dough and place the dough on a cool baking sheet to avoid overly crisp edges on cookies.
• Store your "chewy" cookies with a piece of bread in a resealable bag at room temperature to keep them from turning dry and brittle.

Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas

and

A Happy New Year!