How to Make Cookies Healthier
Cookies are loaded with calories, without much fiber, particularly if you are on a diet. There are a lot of trans fat in cookies, so if possible, modify the recipe a little bit and make it as healthy as you can.
The first change you should make is to cut down the sugar content. In most cookie recipes, you can cut down to one third of the sugar without much difference in taste. Adding dry fruits to the dough will help to make up for the reduced sugar content. You may also opt for sugar substitutes, but remember to follow the instructions given in the label. Ensure that the artificial sweetener will not change the texture or flavor of the cookie. Saccharin and sucralose are two popular options as substitutes.
In most cases, butter or margarine is used to bake cookies. Both of these ingredients add a lot of unhealthy fats to the cookies. Replacing half of the fat content with other options will help in adding healthy ingredients. The options include unsweetened apple sauce and prune butter. Replacing half of the fat content with canola oil adds some amount of good cholesterol by including healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Pureed fruits and vegetables are also good substitutes for fat. If you really want to use margarine, you may opt for soft margarine with less fat. Although this replacement may not make the cookies as crispy as they are with butter and margarine, the healthy flavor is the added incentive. While baking, the duration may have to be reduced. This will prevent the loss of moisture due to fat substitution.
Add whole wheat flour while making the cookies to increase the fiber content. The measure of the whole wheat flour can be decided based on individual taste. If the texture and flavor of the cookie is good, one may increase the amount of whole wheat flour in the dough. When additional amounts of whole wheat flour is added, more liquid needs to be added to get the right consistency for the dough. With extra liquid in the dough, the baking time may be longer.
Try to make cookies healthier by:
- Reducing salt content
- Cutting down the amount of chocolate chips
- Adding more spices like cloves, cinnamon, and vanilla
