Crazy for Cookies

Did you know that tomorrow, December 4^th, is National Cookie Day? That’s right, there is an entire day designated to celebrate this delicious dessert!

Let’s start with how cookies were created – It’s quite an interesting story as they were actually created by accident. Back in the day, when chefs were baking cakes, they would use a small amount of cake batter to test the temperature of their ovens. The cake batter would form what is now called, a cookie. The term came from the Dutch word “koekie”, which meant little cake. This now popular dessert item arrived in America in the 17^thcentury.

So Many Cookies!

There are many different varieties of cookies and they can be made in many different ways.  Here are 5 popular types of cookies.

• Drop Cookies are your traditional chocolate chip cookies. Dough is dropped onto the baking sheet and spread during baking.
• Rolled Cookies are made with stiff, chilled dough that is rolled out and cut with a cookie cutter. Sugar and gingerbread cookies are an example of this.
• Pressed cookies are made from soft dough that is placed in a cookie press. These are typically fancy cookies.
• Bar cookies are some of the easiest cookies to make. The dough is poured and pressed into a pan, sometimes with multiple layers. After baking, they can be cut into squares to resemble bars.
• Filled cookies are made from cookie dough stuffed with fruit, raisin or peanut butter! Tart cookies are an example of this.

Homemade Cookies

Making your own cookies at home is a great way to celebrate this delicious dessert. There is nothing better than a fresh cookie straight out of the oven.

Here are a few recipe modifications for you to try on your traditional cookie recipe to reduce the amount of sugar and fat, while also adding fiber and other nutrients!

• Replace butter with canola oil. This will reduce the saturated fat content. You can use ¾ of the amount that the recipe calls for. Just as a heads up, this will change the texture of the cookies – but I promise it is still delicious!
• Cut the total amount of sugar called for in the recipe by 1/3. The end product will be just as delicious!
• Add oats to your cookie dough for a delicious twist. It’ll add more texture andfiber to your baked treat.
• Mix walnuts, peanuts, almonds or pecans into your cookies. They provide healthy fats, while also adding a desirable crunch!

Your Turn to Take Action:Enjoy National Cookie Day by baking a batch of cookies! Do you have a favorite cookie recipe? Let me know in the comments below!

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