I can’t escape Christmas cookies. And I don’t want to. They are my favorite edible aspect of the holidays. Instead of denying myself the simple pleasures they bring, I make them with healthier ingredients. And then I can enjoy every sweet morsel with no regrets.
My favorite Christmas cookies to make every year are sugar cookies. In the past Lizzie enjoyed painting sugar cookies with an egg-white glaze. This year I wanted to try soft sugar cookies with sprinkles! And they were so moist, so sweet, and so incredibly soft! Oh so good.
I followed the recipe from Annie’s Eats. Hey, with a name like Annie I knew it had to be awesome! And it was! The only change I made was I substituted Smart Balance blended butter sticks instead of butter. This one change cut the saturated fat by 28% and packed my cookies full of Omega 3s EPA/DHA. What I loved about the blended butter from Smart Balance is that it is made with real butter so it tastes rich and smooth! But the plant sterols in it help block the cholesterol in the butter.
Even with amazing ingredients and a fantastic recipe, I was still baking alone with a 5 year old, 3 year old and 2 year old. The first batch didn’t turn out so picture perfect.
I asked on my Facebook page for help. Why were my cookies “sugar balls?!?” Lisa from Crazy Adventures in Parenting had this same problem with her cookies! Everyone was so incredibly helpful. It turns out I didn’t refrigerate the dough long enough and – most importantly – I didn’t flatten the cookies. Yeah. I was rushing through the recipe and didn’t read that totally obvious point! I rolled them in balls but didn’t flatten them with a cup. After flattening them, they turned out amazing!
Ladies, read recipes through very carefully. It will save you much embarrassment.
My sugar cookie balls were still amazingly delicious! And I think that tomorrow I am going to buy a brownie mix so we can make Brownie Cookies! I found that recipe on the Smart Balance site and it looks scrumptious!
Just for fun - Go to the Smart Balance Facebook page – they have this really fun game you can play with Santa. It is the “Help Santa” app and full of tons of fun things. You can play Santa games, get coupons, find cookie recipes, and create your own St. Nick Name.
What is your favorite Christmas cookie to make or eat? Have you tried Smart Balance butters or peanut butter before?
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this Campaign. All opinions are my own.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
I love love love sugar cookies. I shall need to make these.
those look really yummy. gingerbread cookies are my weakness.
have not made sugar cookies in a few years.. it is the hubby’s favorite.. have to give him a little surprise,
See, my issue what my butter wasn’t the right one, back before we started using Organic Smart Balance. Love me some SB.
YUMMMMM.
those look amazing!
We get together and bake my grandmother’s butter cookie recipe together. Everyone has a role, from making the dough to using the cookie press, but the one who mans the oven gets the most samples.
Those brownie cookies do look good! And don’t feel bad about your cookie balls – I have done that more than once. Just remember that no matter what they look like, as long as they taste like cookies you are golden
This is def the way to go! Id much rather make them with healthier ingredients than feel like I needed to cut them out all togthr. Christmas cookies should always be enjoyed without the guilt
these look so good!
Thank you Sarah! And yes – I love making healthy substitutions whenever I can so I can actually enjoy my sweets. I can’t give them up entirely LOL
Looks yummy! My kids love sugar cookies
Those look delicious! Soft and chewy is just how I like my cookie. I can’t stand a hard cookie. I’ll have to give these a try!
These do look so moist and soft. I just pinned, thanks for sharing!
Brownie cookies? Oh yummm!
I loooove sugar cookies! Would love to try to make these!