Diabetic Cookies

This has been a week for Cookies. Monday, we had vegetarian cookies, Tuesday was another cookie day, and now diabetic cookies. But really, who doesn't love cookies? And yet, if you or a loved one are diabetic, you can't grab or bake up any old cookie. Here are some that are baked specifically with the diabetic's needs in mind, but are yummy enough that you'll want to eat them! Enjoy!

ORANGE CRANBERRY COOKIES

Found at Diabetic Gourmet's site; the recipe is at http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/945.shtml. It yields 24 cookies, and starts by stating, "Two favorite Fall flavors - cranberry and orange - combined in an easy to make drop cookie."

Ingredients

1/4 cup stick butter, softened

1 egg

3 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

3/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1/4 cup quick or old-fashioned oats, uncooked

1/3 cup Equal Spoonful or Granulated*

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Dash salt

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

*May substitute 8 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

Beat butter in a medium bowl. Beat in egg and orange juice concentrate.

Mix combined flour, oats, Equal, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and orange peel into creamed mixture until blended. Stir in dried cranberries and chopped walnuts.

Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake in preheated 375° F oven 8 to 10 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Remove from baking sheet and cool completely on wire rack.

Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving): Calories: 65; Protein: 1 g; Sodium: 17 mg; Cholesterol: 14 mg; Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g; Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat

ALMOST SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Yield: 2 dozen cookies (24 servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/26.shtml

View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/512.shtml

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup corn or canola oil

1 large egg

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a cookie sheet with non-stick pan spray.

Combine all the ingredients and 1/4 cup water in a large bowl to form a soft dough. Refrigerate the dough 1 hour to chill. Roll or pat out 1/4 inch thick on a floured board.

Cut 2-inch rounds and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges are a light golden brown. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 90; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 26 mg; Cholesterol: 9 mg; Carbohydrates: 9 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 1 Fat

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE BITES

Can be found online at http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1046.shtml

Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients

1/4 cup margarine, softened

1 cup creamy style peanut butter

1/4 cup egg substitute

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat margarine and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until creamy, approximately 1 minute.

Add egg substitute, honey and vanilla. Beat on high speed for approximately 1 1/2 minutes. Add SPLENDA Granulated Sweetener and beat on medium speed until well blended, approximately 30 seconds.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small mixing bowl. Slowly add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture, beating on low speed until well-blended, about 1 1/2 minutes. Mixture may be crumbly.

Roll level tablespoons of dough into balls and drop onto a lightly oiled or parchment lined sheet pan, two inches apart. Flatten each ball with a fork, pressing a crisscross pattern into each cookie. Bake 7-9 minutes or until light brown around the edges. Cool on wire rack.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving): Calories: 120; Calories from Fat: 70; Protein: 4 g; Sodium: 150 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g

SUGAR-FREE OATMEAL COOOKIES

This recipe yields 15 servings, and can be found online at http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1118.shtml

Ingredients

3 banana (ripe)

1/3 cup margarine

2 cups quick-cooking oats (uncooked)

1/4 cup skim milk

1/2 cup raisins

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put the margarine in a small saucepan. Melt it on low heat.

Put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix really well. Let the mix stand for about 5 minutes, until the oats are wet.

Lightly grease the cookie sheet. For each cookie, spoon out about 1 tablespoon of dough and drop it onto the greased cookie sheet. Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes.

Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for about 1 minute. Move the cookies to wire racks or a towel. Let them cool completely.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving): Calories: 110; Protein: 2 g; Sodium: 35 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Sugars: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g

CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COOKIES

Yield: 40 cookies; Serving size: 1 cookie

Source: Splenda

View Online with Photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1077.shtml

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/4 cups rolled oats

6 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons trans-free margarine, softened

1/2 cup Splenda Sugar Blend

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine flour, oats, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

In bowl of electric mixer, beat margarine and Splenda Sugar Blend on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes, or until light and aerated. Beat in eggs for 1 minute, or until light. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. Stir in dry ingredients.

Drop teaspoonfuls of dough onto lightly greased baking sheets and flatten each with the back of a fork dipped in water.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or just until puffed and no longer shiny on top. Cool on sheets 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 50; Calories from Fat: 20; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 55 mg; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g

CHOCOLATE DUNK COOKIES

Yield: 36 servings; Serving size: 1 cookie

Source: Splenda

Find at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1042.shtml

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 squares Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided

3/4 cup(1 1/2 sticks) margarine, softened

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon thawed Cool Whip Sugar Free Whipped Topping

1 teaspoon warm water

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside. Chop 2 of the chocolate squares.

Beat margarine, brown sugar and Splenda Granulated Sweetener in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Blend in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chopped chocolate.

Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake cookies 11 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets one minute; remove and place on wire racks. Cool completely.

Melt remaining 2 chocolate squares as directed on package. Stir in cool whip and water. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate; let stand until firm.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 90; Calories from Fat: 45; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 90 mg; Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 10g

Munchies

Most of us realize that we need to eat healthy foods. Many of us even try to eat healthy. But there are times we simply want something a little snacky. So, in honor of all snackiness, here are today's offerings. Enjoy!

Note: I've included where I got each recipe from immediately after the recipe's title.

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

from Diabetic Gourmet Recipes Yield: 40 cookies

Serving size: 1 cookie

Source: Splenda

View Online with Photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1077.shtml

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/4 cups rolled oats

6 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons trans-free margarine, softened

1/2 cup Splenda Sugar Blend

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine flour, oats, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

In bowl of electric mixer, beat margarine and Splenda Sugar Blend on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes, or until light and aerated. Beat in eggs for 1 minute, or until light. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. Stir in dry ingredients.

Drop teaspoonfuls of dough onto lightly greased baking sheets and flatten each with the back of a fork dipped in water.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or just until puffed and no longer shiny on top. Cool on sheets 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 50 ; Calories from Fat: 20 ; Protein: 1 g ; Fat: 2 g ; Sodium: 55 mg; Cholesterol: 10 mg ; Saturated Fat: 0 g ; Dietary Fiber: 1 g ; Carbohydrates: 7 g

Find more great COOKIE recipes at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/Desserts/Cookies

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

From Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, guide at HomeCooking.about.com

Peggy writes, "These taste similar to the commercial peanut butter cups, but better! Great for gifts." Yum! Peggy always seems to come up with great recipes, so you might want to sign up for her emails. Just saying...

Prep Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate bar

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter (4 Tbsp or 1/2 stick)

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate bar

1/8 cup butter (2 Tbsp or 1/4 stick)

1 ounce paraffin wax, chopped

Preparation:

Place 1-inch mini-muffin or candy1 papers in a mini-muffin tin.

In a double boiler, melt 4 ounces chocolate bar, peanut butter, and 1/4 cup butter, mixing until smooth. Gently mix in graham cracker crumbs.

Place about 1 teaspoon chocolate5 graham cracker mixture in bottom of paper cups. Chill 15 to 30 minutes to harden.

Place 3/4 cup peanut butter6 in a bowl over hot water to soften. Mix in powdered sugar and graham cracker7 crumbs. Place 1 teaspoon peanut butter8mixture on top of hardened chocolate9 cracker layer. Chill 15 to 30 minutes.

Melt 6 ounces chocolate10 bar with butter and paraffin wax11. Top the peanut butter12 layer with about 1 teaspoon chocolate13 mixture. Chill to harden. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 3 dozen peanut butter cups

Chocolate Dunk Cookies

another offering from Diabetic Gourmet Recipes

Yield: 36 servings

Serving size: 1 cookie

Source: Splenda

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 squares Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) margarine, softened

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon thawed Cool Whip Sugar Free Whipped Topping

1 teaspoon warm water

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside. Chop 2 of the chocolate squares.

Beat margarine, brown sugar and Splenda Granulated Sweetener in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Blend in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chopped chocolate.

Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake cookies 11 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets one minute; remove and place on wire racks. Cool completely.

Melt remaining 2 chocolate squares as directed on package. Stir in cool whip and water. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate; let stand until firm.

Nutritional Information Per Serving Calories: 90; Calories from Fat: 45; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 90 mg; Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g

Whoopie Pies

from Carroll Pellegrinelli, guide at Baking.about.com

Carroll writes, "Want to make someone smile? Just offer them a Whoopie Pie. It's a cookie. It's a cake, but I can't think of it as a pie. It's also known as the official treat of Maine. Typically, it's top and bottom are chocolate cake with a middle fluffy frosting often made with marshmallow fluff. These days you can find fancier versions made of Red Velvet Cake, Pumpkin and/or Gingerbread Cake both with a cream cheese frosting filling. You'll note that I've included both a from-scratch cake and a cake mix recipe on this page. You could also make yours with a more traditional buttercream frosting. Personally, I prefer the taste and texture of the marshmallow cream frosting."

She always comes up with decadent dessert recipes; I recommend signing up for her emails, too. You won't regret it!

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 57 minutes

Yield: Makes 8 individual servings

Ingredients:

From-Scratch Whoopie Pies

2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg

1 cup buttermilk*

Filling

1 cup butter, softened

7-ounce jar marshmallow fluff

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cake Mix Version

one 18-ounce chocolate or Devil's Food cake mix

1/2 cup vegetable oil or softened butter

3 eggs

3/4 cup water

Preparation:

For From-Scratch Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Mix in egg. Slowly add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Ending with the buttermilk. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into rounds on prepared baking sheet. You should be able to get 16 cakes. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks for cooling. Cool completely.

For Cake Mix Recipe

Mix ingredients in a bowl with a electric mixer to just moisten. Then, on medium for 2 minutes until well combined. Finish by following the above baking instructions.

Filling Instructions

Cream the butter and marshmallow fluff. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Add vanilla and beat until smooth.

To Assemble Whoopie Pies

Place a couple of tablespoons of filling on the flat bottoms of half of the pies. Top the filling with the flat bottoms of the other pies.

Notes in the Margin: *Don't have buttermilk? Take a glass mixing cup and add one tablespoon of white vinegar. Fill the rest of the cup with milk. Stir and use instead of the buttermilk.

So, if these recipes, sound good, sign up for Carroll's and Peggy's emails (at about.com), as well as Diabetic Gourmet Recipes. You won't be disappointed!