Name: ICHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-06-05T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-06-07T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Bourbonnais, IL

This topic has 11 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 5 months ago by Bookworm.

Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)

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December 13, 2011 at 1:01 pm
Misty
Participant
Ok so I know that Christmas cookies are a once a year thing but I don’t want to go overboard with tons of white flour/sugar etc. Does anyone have any healthier cookie recipes that they could share? We don’t even use white flour/sugar so hoping to fine recipes that use wheat and sucanat/honey. More natural ingredients but still feel like Christmas cookies.
I want to make gingerbread, spritze cookies and maybe a basic sugar cookie. But am open to any recipes.
December 13, 2011 at 1:10 pm
MamaSnow
Participant
I have several…don’t have time to post now, but I will try to when I have a little more time later.
For now, you may want to explore the treats (scroll down to desserts)from here http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/recipe-index….I made her homemade peanut butter cups and the Russian Gingerbread Shortbread cookies last year and they were both very good.
Jen
December 13, 2011 at 2:45 pm
Sue
Participant
We are in the same boat. I found a pretty good price in a local store for the bigger package of Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose baking flour (the gluten-free kind), so I’m ready to bake! My dilemma is that each year, we love to make the traditional candy cane cookies, which I could make using the gf flour and a sugar sub, but I don’t like the thought of using all of that red food coloring in half the dough. Somehow, the thought of an all-white candy cane is just….strange!
December 13, 2011 at 3:03 pm
Rachel White
Participant
Check out this one:
http://nourishedkitchen.com/sugar-plums-recipe/?utm_source=Newsletter+List&utm_campaign=de6a45888d-Newsletter_12_9_1112_9_2011&utm_medium=email
http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/fun-healthier-holiday-baking
Rachel
December 13, 2011 at 7:03 pm
heatherma
Participant
Could you use pomegranate or beet juice in place of the liquid to color the candy cane dough? Or make milk paint (check online, but you basicallly add food coloring to milk, or even almond milk I would think) and you “paint” the stripes onto the baked cookies? At least then it wouldn’t be as much food coloring.
December 14, 2011 at 3:23 am
Wings2fly
Participant
You can substitute half the recipe for whole wheat flour. I have even done 1/3 all-purpose white, 1/3 100% whole wheat, and 1/3 quick oats. You can also use natural applesauce to substitute for the sugar. For oil, you can lower the fat, by using 1/2 oil and 1/2 natural applesauce.
December 14, 2011 at 3:41 am
trulyblessed26
Participant
HI there,
We make oatmeal, chocolate chip, and ginger bread cookies fairly often and always just use all whole wheat flour. The recipe calls for white or all purpose, but we just ignore that and use our whole wheat as we don’t even have white or other types of flour and the cookies always turn out good.
December 14, 2011 at 12:45 pm
Misty
Participant
Thanks for the suggestions. I will have to try many of them.
December 14, 2011 at 5:19 pm
Gem
Participant
Just saw this recipe for “Hot Chocolate Cookies” with NO added sugar – sweetened with dates… Everyone would probably enjoy this blog called Chocolate Covered Katie. It has a lot of info and tested recipes for sweets with unusual and healthier ingredients. Lots of garbonzo beans LOL.
December 14, 2011 at 8:11 pm
LindseyD
Participant
Here’s just what you’re looking for: http://www.elanaspantry.com/10-healthy-christmas-cookie-recipes/
Enjoy!
December 14, 2011 at 10:05 pm
Misty
Participant
Lindsey those look great thanks!
December 14, 2011 at 11:14 pm
Bookworm
Participant
This is not a cookie, but we make this all winter. It is really solid and hearty and so good with homemade whipped cream!
Gingerbread
1 cup molasses
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 T baking powder
1 t salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1 t cloves
1 t ginger
2 cups milk
Beat molasses, honey, oil and eggs. Combine dry ingredients and add to molasses mixture alternately with milk. Pour into greased 13×9 pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until tests done.
This makes the whole house smell like Christmas. You CAN substitute some applesauce for part of the oil if you like–I’ve tried it. Makes it a bit denser and you might have to bake it a bit longer.