Last Edition Of The Year!!
Hello and welcome once more to the health article!
Today we have for you some recipes for this Christmas season, so that you can have a healthy feast. Which is why today we bring some healthy sugar cut-out cookie recipe that uses white whole-wheat flour, honey and lemon zest to make a delicious cookie, perfect for decorating.
Pull out all your cookie cutters and decorate these adorable cookies with natural decorating sugar and icing!
Ingredients
Natural Decorating Sugars
- ½ cup clear crystal sugar, white sparkling sugar or sanding sugar, divided
- Red natural liquid dye
- Green natural liquid dye
Cookie Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
- ⅔ cup white whole-wheat flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup canola oil or corn oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- Finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract or lemon extract
Preparation
Prepare decorating sugars:
1. Divide decorating sugar between two small bowls. Add a few drops of red dye to one and green dye to the other and stir until evenly blended. Adjust color with more dye as desired.
2. Spread each colored sugar in a thin layer on a separate small parchment-lined baking sheet. Turn on the oven to 350 degrees F for 2 minutes, then immediately turn it off. (The warm oven dries the sugar, but too much heat will burn it.) Let the sugars stand in the oven for 1 1/2 hours.
Prepare cookie dough:
1. Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Beat oil, butter, granulated sugar, egg and lemon zest in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Beat in honey, vanilla and almond (or lemon) extract until evenly incorporated.
2. With the mixer at low speed, then medium speed, beat about half the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until incorporated. Beat in the remaining flour mixture until just incorporated.
3. Divide the dough into thirds. Place one third on a 12-inch-long sheet of parchment paper and shape into a disk. Top with a second sheet of parchment. Roll the dough out between the parchment into an 8-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick. Place the dough in the paper on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Freeze on the baking sheet until cold and firm, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day. Place another baking sheet in the freezer to chill too (it will be used under the dough as the cookies are cut out).
To shape cookies:
1. Position a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.
2. Working with one portion of dough at a time, remove from the freezer and place on the chilled baking sheet. Remove the top sheet of parchment and cut out cookies with 2 1/2- to 3-inch cookie cutters. Transfer to a prepared baking sheet with a wide, thin spatula, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining dough. (If the dough gets too soft, freeze until firm again. As you cut out cookies, set aside the scraps. Shape all the scraps back into a disk and reroll between parchment. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before cutting out.)
To decorate & bake cookies:
1. Sprinkle cookies with red and green sugars and gently pat to help them adhere. Bake the cookies on the center rack, one pan at a time, until browned on the bottom, 6 to 12 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool.
Hope you have a nice cooking!
Remember that this is healthy to stay happy during this season, and spend it with you friends and family is the ideal suggestion.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
See you in the next edition.
By Susana Rengifo, Step 10
