12 Days of Holiday Cookies: Chef Meg's Spice Cookies

By , SparkPeople Blogger
Serve these holiday cookies with a cup of tea or lowfat vanilla ice cream.

We used a silicone baking mat for this recipe. You can find them anyplace kitchen supplies are sold. They are great-- you don't have to use any fat to grease the pan, and the cookies slide right off the tray. If you don't have one, put it on your holiday list. You can also use them to "faux" fry and roast foods. (Substitute parchment paper if that's what you have on hand.)

These are an affordable cookie to make: just $2.80 for the whole batch!

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ginger, ground
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
  • 2 teaspoons allspice, ground
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 stick margarine
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup very ripe banana, pureed
  • 1 teaspoon decorating sugar, candy sprinkles or sugar in the raw

    Nutrition Info:
    Calories: 61.1
    Fat: 2.6 g
    Find the full nutrition info here.

    Directions:
    Sift all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.

    Place the margarine in a mixing bowl, then add the sugar and mix until creamy.

    Add the banana and continue to beat at medium speed for 2-3 minutes.

    If the mixture looks loose, add one tablespoon of the flour mixture to the wet mixture.

    Add all the flour mixture in small amounts until combined.

    Divide the dough into 2 balls, wrap and press each one into a flat disk.

    Chill for at least two hours.

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

    Place the dough balls between two sheets of wax paper and roll out as thinly as possible.

    Stamp with a small (1"-1 1/2") cookie cutter.

    Sprinkle with decorating sugar; bake 10 minutes.

    Immediately after cooking, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

    Store cookies in an air-tight container for up to one week.

    One serving equals two cookies.

    Yields 3 dozen cookies.

    Members who subscribe to SparkPeople's Recipe of the Day Newsletter receive one new cookie/dessert recipe each day, beginning December 1, to help them prepare for holiday parties and gift exchanges. We're also sharing them here because, well, who doesn't love good (and somewhat healthy) cookies?

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    What is your favorite holiday spice?