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WW Recipe of the Day: Lighter Healthier Sugar Cookies
I like making sugar cookies more than I like eating them. Most are just way too sweet for me. While I enjoy the occasional sweet treat, I’ve learned the hard way that too much sugar isn’t good for me.
So, I was excited when I came across this recipe from Roni of GreenLiteBites on Pinterest for less sugar, sugar cookies.
I love that she did all the work researching and perfecting healthier sugar cookies and we could just get right to the making, baking, decorating and eating!
I made just a few tweaks to these healthier sugar cookies. I used half all-purpose flour and half white whole wheat flour (which is lighter and softer than regular whole wheat flour), decreased the baking powder a little and used a combination of almond and vanilla extracts instead of all of one or the other.
The dough mixed up easily and rolled out beautifully after a short chill in the refrigerator.
Peter and I had fun icing and decorating them with holiday sprinkles. What is it about baking cookies that takes you back to being a kid???
Recipe Notes
These cookies are relatively light as sugar cookies go, with just a hint of sweetness. The calories will depend on the size of the cookie cutters you use and how heavy-handed you are with the icing and sprinkles.
We used relatively small cookie cutters, which resulted in 26 cookies and used a total of about 6 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar mixed with a little water and food coloring to ice them.
How Many Calories and WW Points in these Lighter Sugar Cookies?
According to my calculations, each 2-cookie serving has about 115 calories.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
5 SmartPoints (Green plan)
5 SmartPoints (Blue plan)
5 SmartPoints (Purple plan)
3 PointsPlus (Old plan)
If you’ve made these Lighter Iced Sugar Cookies, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Healthier Iced Sugar Cookies Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 tablespoon skim milk (I used soy eggnog beverage)
For the icing:
- 6 tablespoons confectioners sugar
- food coloring (optional)
- 3 or more teaspoons water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Measure or weigh out the all-purpose and white whole wheat flours. Whisk together the flours, baking powder, nutmeg and salt and set aside.
- In a medium size bowl beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar using an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extracts and beat until well mixed. Beat in the flour 1/3 at a time just until it’s mixed in. Then beat in the tablespoon of milk.
- Form the dough into a flat circle and wrap it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least 1 hour to chill.
- When you are ready to bake the cookies, heat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease 2 cookie sheets.
- Sprinkle a little flour on the counter to help the dough not stick. Roll out the dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out with smallish cookie cutters and lay them on the cookie sheets.
- Bake for around 10 minutes until the bottom just starts to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer to wax paper to cool.
- While the cookies cool, mix up your icing. We used 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar mixed with about 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons water for each color.
- Lightly drizzle with icing and decorate with sugar sprinkles. Let dry completely before storing.
- This should make about 24 to 28 cookies.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 5 SmartPoints (Green plan) 5 SmartPoints (Blue plan) 5 SmartPoints (Purple plan) 3 PointsPlus (Old plan)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Source: adapted from GreenLiteBites
These were a very big hit at the cookie exchange I attended. Everyone was very interested in getting the recipe I love them not only because they are WW friendly but also because they make great dunkers for tea or coffee
I love those candy cane sprinkles. Americans get the best stuff. 🙂 I never thought of healthy where sugar cookies are concerned and these really caught my eye.
Thanks, Maureen! We certainly don’t suffer from a shortage of fun foods here in the States!! Happy Holidays!