We
all know that Christmas is just around the corner and there are only a couple of
days left till Christmas Eve! In order to be perfectly prepared in terms of
food I have come up with my favourite Christmas cookies. Here are three healthy
cookie recipes for you try out – it´s definitely worth it! ;)
Almond & Honey-Butter Cookies
Healthy, because:
This
cookie uses honey as the only sweetener. Honey is just as sweet and much
healthier than sugar, because it provides some nutrients such as B vitamins.
Also, ground almonds replace much of the butter as
they are high in heart-healthy fats.
Ingredients:
1 cup ground
almonds
2 cups
whole-wheat flour
1
teaspoon baking powder
1/2
teaspoon salt
2/3 cup
honey
1/3 cup
canola oil
4
tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 large
egg
Directions:
Step 1: Use
a large bowl and add whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt - stir until
just combined.
Step 2: Beat
2/3 cup honey, oil and butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer. Add egg
and beat until blended.
Step 3: Add
the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Refrigerate the
dough for 1 hour.
Step 4:
Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.
Step 5: Place
spoonfuls of the cookie mixture on a baking tray and press down to
flatten a little. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Wishing
everyone bon appétit! :)
Linzer Cookies
Healthy,
because:
Whole-wheat
flour is used instead of white flour (like in my other Christmas cookie
recipes as well! ;) ). Whole grains contain higher amounts of vitamins, minerals and
essential fatty acids.
Ingredients:
1 cup
ground almonds (or hazelnuts)
1 cup
whole-wheat flour
1
teaspoon cinnamon
1/4
teaspoon salt
1 egg
2
teaspoon water
1
tablespoon butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup
sugar
3/4 cup
jam
2
tablespoon water
powdered
sugar for dusting
Directions:
Step 1: Use
a large bowl and mix ground nuts, flour, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl
whisk egg with 2 teaspoon water.
Step 2:
Beat butter with sugar until smooth. Add
egg and water mixture and beat for another minute.
Step 3: Add
dry ingredients to wet and stir gently. Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.
Step 4:
Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.
Step 5: Roll
out the dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. Use a round cookie cutter to cut
circles. Use a smaller round cookie cutter to cut circles out of the centers of
half of the cookies (these will form the tops).
Step 6:
Bake cookies for 12 minutes. While doing that, bring jam and 2 teaspoon water
to a boil in a saucepan, stirring occasionally.
Step 7: Dust
top cookie halves with powdered sugar. Place a small spoonful of jam on each
bottom cookie. Place a top cookie half over the jam - finished! These cookies look really nice and taste twice as good! :)
Gingerbread:
Healthy,
because:
They boost
your iron intakes - and iron plays a key role in energy production! These
delicious cookies also contain ginger – an herb used as a spice and also as a
medicine.
Ingredients:
3 cups
whole-wheat flour
1
teaspoons ground ginger
1
teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4
teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup
butter
1 cup
molasses
1 egg
1
teaspoon baking soda
1
teaspoons warm water
(almonds
or other nuts for decorating)
Directions:
Step 1:
Put butter, sugar, egg and warmed molasses into a large bowl. Dissolve baking
soda in warm water and add to egg mixture - beat until smooth.
Step 2: Mix
in flour, spices and salt until well blended. Cover and chill for 24 hours.
Step 3:
Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.
Step 4: Roll
out dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch on a floured surface. Cut out cookies with
desired cutter (gingerbread man cutter definitely look cute, but I used the normal round ones).
Step 5: Bake
10 to 12 minutes in the oven. It smells incredible!! *0*
