December Treats
By now the holiday season has been in full swing for over a month, and we even had
our first snow on Halloween! (Ironically, this was the day, the snowmen replaced the
pumpkins at the Kroger near my house.) The holidays are a busy time, and one way I’ve
found to get away from the retail frenzy is to focus on the traditions that make the
holiday season special. In my house, the most important tradition is baking. Specifically,
baking sugar cookies! As a child, my sisters and I looked forward to making them every
holiday with my mom — a tradition I continue today with my kids.
This year, out of necessity, we will be embarking on a new adventure as we attempt
gluten free versions of our favorite treats. Our gluten free Thanksgiving pies and
cookies were a big hit, so far, so good!
The tradition of preparing cookies for the holidays dates back to the Middle Ages when
Christmas celebrations replaced century old winter solstice festivals around the world.
More widespread use of ancient spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper, as
well as the addition of dried fruits, sugar, lard and butter, made creations such as
cookies a treat for royalty and the commoner alike. Unlike pies and cakes though,
cookies were easily shared among friends and neighbors. Fast forward several
centuries and you can see the evolution of the modern day cookie exchange!
History aside, the abundance of cookies and other sweets can make it hard to resist
temptation and stick to a healthy diet during the holidays. The good news is that even
these sweet treats can fit in to the USDA Dietary Guidelines that tell us to limit calories
from added sugars and solid fats. For an average 2000 calorie diet, this amounts to
about 260 calories–enough for a few small sugar cookies or squares of peppermint
bark. The key is to keep portions small and balance them with other healthy choices.
Here are a few tips for navigating the “cookie” season:
1. Make small cookies. Instead of giant and icing-covered, think about making smaller,
bite-sized cookies adorned with colored sugars and sprinkles. This way, you can
sample more of your favorites for fewer calories.
2. Use high quality ingredients. Splurge on high quality chocolate and vanilla (It is the
holidays, after all). This way, you can eat less, but savor every bite.
3. Sneak in some healthy ingredients. Try substituting some whole wheat pastry flour for
some of the all-purpose flour, add some nuts or dried fruit to a brownie or cookie.
4. Make your own chocolate bark. Use some antioxidant-rich high quality dark chocolate
and add some healthy toppings like dried cranberries and shelled pistachios. An issue
of Food Network Magazine featured a variety of options.
5. Balance a plate of small cookies with a non-sugary beverage like water, milk, tea or
coffee.
Ever wonder how to make those giant cookies on a lollipop stick? This recipe can be
used to create fun holiday “cookie pops” as well as traditional sugar cookies that taste
as great as they look! Supplies, including varying lengths of lollipop or candy sticks and
meringue powder, can be purchased at most craft stores.
Sugar Cookies on a Stick
Recipe adapted from a class taken at the Baker’s Nook in Saline, Michigan
1 1/4 cups butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup half and half
1 tablespoon meringue powder (optional; helps cookies stay fresh longer)
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• In a bowl, sift dry ingredients together.
• Alternately, add the dry ingredients and the half and half to sugar mixture.
• You may need to add a little extra flour (no more than 1/2 cup) if the dough is too
sticky.
• For the cookies on a stick, roll out dough to between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick. Insert the
stick before baking (Tip: First, dip the stick into a glass of water to wet the top inch.
This will allow it to glide more easily into the dough without disturbing the shape.)
• Lay cookies onto a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes for
thick cookies and 6-8 minutes for thinner cookies.
Note: Cookies can also be make without sticks. Baking time will vary according to
thickness of the cookies.
Makes 36-42 average sized cookies.
Buff Puffs
Use these to dust your work surface and rolling pin. It keeps the dough from sticking
without adding too much additional flour!
1 piece of cheesecloth (cut into an approximately 8” x 8” square)
1 large spoon of powdered sugar
1 large spoon of flourMix together the dry ingredients and spoon into the middle of the cheese cloth. Then pull up the sides and secure with a twist tie or rubber band. Use the puff to sprinkle
dough and work surfaces as needed.
Royal Icing
This is a great all-purpose icing recipe that eliminates any health risk from using raw
eggs whites.
1 pound confectioner’s (powdered) sugar (approximately 4 cups)
3 tablespoons meringue powder
5-6 tablespoons water
In a grease-free bowl, mix the above ingredients at low speed for 7-10 minutes. Icing
should be white and stiff–not grey or yellow. When dry, this icing becomes very hard. It
also works well for “gluing” a gingerbread house together.
The icing can be used as is, or it can be thinned with small amounts of water before
spreading on the cookies. Try dividing the icing into separate containers, adding liquid
or gel food coloring into them, as desired. Reserve some of the icing to pipe (using a
pastry bag with a small round tip or a Ziploc® bag with a small hole cut in the corner)
around the edges of the cookies. With the remaining icing, add small drops of water
until you can pull out the blade of a kitchen or icing spatula and the icing “ribbon” returns
to a smooth surface in about 10 seconds. Spread this icing onto the cookie inside of
your hard icing perimeter, and it will harden to a smooth, shiny surface. You can then
and place sprinkles or adornments on the icing before it hardens.
Almond Macaroons
I found and adapted this cookie recipe from one in Peggy Cullen’s, got milk? the cookie
book, while searching for one that resembled my favorite sliced almond cookies at
Vaccaro’s Italian Pastry Shop in downtown Baltimore. It’s not a perfect match, but it’s
the closest I’ve found! What’s more, it’s naturally gluten free–perfect for the two Celiacs
in my family.
2 cups (10 ounces) untoasted, sliced almonds (You can also use pine nuts.)
8 ounces almond paste
1 cup superfine sugar
2 large egg whites at room temperature
(Note: Superfine sugar can be somewhat
hard to find in regular grocery stores, but can
be purchased through on-line retailers. I have also used granulated sugar processed
until very fine in a food processor).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or
aluminum foil. Place the sliced almonds onto a jelly roll or sheet pan pan lined with
waxed or parchment paper. (Note: Silicone sheet pan liners also work well.)
• Break the almond paste into chunks and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add
the sugar and process until the mixture is homogenous, stopping once to scrape down
the bowl using a rubber spatula. Add the egg whites and process until smooth. Scrape
again and process for a few more seconds.
• The mixture will be sticky, but with a light touch and moist hands, it can be gently
rolled. Keep a damp towel or bowl of water nearby to wipe and wet your hands. Using
damp hands, round the mix into scant 1-inch balls and drop the balls onto the tray of
almonds. Once you have three or four balls formed, roll them into the nuts to cover
completely. Place about 16 balls 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake the first tray while preparing the second, until the cookies are pale golden and
puffy, about 25 minutes. Place the baking sheets on wire cooling racks and cool the
cookies completely before lifting them off. Store in an airtight container for up to 2
days, or freeze for up to one week.
Note: For this recipe, the canned almond paste works better than the almond paste
that’s packaged in 7-ounce tubes. Don’t confuse almond paste with marzipan which has
much more sugar.
Makes about 30 cookies
Here is another of my seasonal favorites from Peggy Cullen’s, got milk? the cookie
cookbook.
Cranberry-Oatmeal White Chocolate Chip Cookies
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup white chocolate chunks (from high quality white chocolate bars; white chips are
too sweet for this recipe)
1 cup dried cranberries (look for fresh, moist and brilliant red dried cranberries)
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugars and vanilla until well
combined. Beat in the egg. Scrape down the bowl using a rubber spatula and beat for
a few seconds more. Beat in the oats.
• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, and mix on low speed just until absorbed. Combine thechocolate chunks and cranberries in a small bowl and stir them into the dough.
• Shape the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and drop them about 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. For perfectly uniform cookies, scoop dough using a 1 1/2-inch-diameter ice cream scoop, leveling the dough off across the top before dropping onto the baking sheets. Use the upper palm of your hand to flatten each ball into a 1/2-inch-thick disk. Bake for about 14 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Let sit for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
Whether you bake for the pure enjoyment of it, or you would rather just sample the
tastes of the season, the holidays are a great time to enjoy the abundance of treats that
are a part of tradition. So, try a new cookie recipe, make a gingerbread house or simply
mingle with friends. Whatever you choose, use this time to slow down, be mindful and
enjoy each and every bite!
Happy Holidays!
~Brooke P.
Sources:
Butler, Stephanie. “The Medieval History of the Christmas Cookie.” History.com. A&E Television
Networks, 18 Dec. 2013. Web. 04 Nov. 2014.
“Dietary Guidelines — 2010.” The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. United States Department of
Agriculture Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, 31 Jan. 2011. Web. 02 Nov. 2014.
Cullen, Peggy. Got Milk? the Cookie Book. San Francisco: Chronicle, 2000. Print
