Who doesn’t love sugar cookies? Even though I’m a certified health nut (err, I mean coach), I find their simple buttery sweetness to be nearly irresistible — and so do my clients. So, I’ve adapted the traditional recipe to make it a bit healthier but just as tasty. Of course, my cookies are still cookies, so please indulge in moderation.
Here are some of my secrets that you can try out in your own recipes:
My favorite coconut sugar brands: Organic Nectars’ PalmSweet or Sweet Tree’s Blonde Coconut Palm Sugar. I don’t like sugar substitutes, which won’t provide the same bulk and never taste quite right to me.
Happy eating!
Completely You’s Healthier Sugar Cookies Recipe
Makes 40 cookies
Ingredients
1.5 cups gluten-free flour (note: check the brand to see if you need to add xanthan gum for best results; you can also use all-purpose flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups coconut sugar (you can use regular sugar if you must)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. Mix together the flour, baking soda and baking powder and set aside.
3. Place the sugar and butter in a large bowl. Using an electric hand-mixer, mix together until smooth and creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Then, gently blend in the dry ingredients.
4. Make balls of dough from rounded teaspoons. Place the balls on ungreased cookie sheets, at least 1 inch apart.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden. Do not overbake.
6. Let the cookies stand on the cookie sheets for three minutes. Then, remove them with a spatula and allow them to completely cool on a wire rack. Store them in a plastic container.
Variations: Dip cooled cookies in melted 70 percent dark chocolate, or break dark chocolate into chunks and push one chunk into the center of each cookie before you bake them. Yum!
What are your favorite cookie recipes? Share below in honor of National Sugar Cookie Day.
Nancy Kalish is a certified health coach, and an editor and writer with more than 20 years of experience. She has covered health, nutrition and oral health for Prevention, Health, SELF, Real Simple, The New York Times, Completely You and more.