TASTE
Mexican wedding cookies with less fat
| • | Crowning touch |
By Elaine Magee
Q. My favorite cookies ... are Mexican wedding cookies, and it would be wonderful if you could make them over in time for Easter. I know they will never be "low fat" and taste as great, but I also know you will take the calories down as far as you can and it will still taste awesome.
A. I love these cookies too. When faced with a cookie assortment to choose from at a party, nine times out of 10, I'll reach for one of these babies. (I have the powdered-sugar fingers to prove it.)
I started with a recipe from Bon Appetit May 2003, which calls for 2 sticks of butter. This is a tricky cookie, because the fluffy butter batter gives this cookie the texture and taste for which it is so loved. I used 3/4 cup whipped butter (which contains 70 calories and 7 grams of fat per tablespoon compared to stick butter with about 102 calories and 12 grams of fat per tablespoon) and added 1/4 cup of fat-free half-and-half to replace the lost butter. Then I used half whole-wheat flour and half unbleached white flour instead of all-white flour. I kept the cup of chopped pecans because at least they add nutrients and smart fats along with their calories and these cookies wouldn't taste the same without them either.
Each cookie now has 26 fewer calories, 3 fewer fat grams, and about a gram more fiber! Everyone knows you can't just have one Mexican wedding cookie, so if you have two cookies you will save more than 50 calories, 6 grams fat and you will add a couple grams of fiber.
Original recipe contains 110 calories, 7.5 grams fat, 3.4 grams saturated fat and only .3 grams fiber per cookie. These cookies are a holiday favorite, be it Christmas or Easter!
MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES
In a large mixing bowl, beat together whipped butter and fat-free half-and-half until light and fluffy, scraping the sides midway. Add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and the vanilla and beat until blended.
Add the flours and the pecans and beat on low just until blended, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Divide dough in half and form each half into a ball. Wrap the balls separately in plastic or foil and chill in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 350 degrees and coat two nonstick baking sheets with canola cooking spray. In a bowl, measure remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and ground cinnamon (if you want a stronger cinnamon flavor, use 1/4 teaspoon) and whisk to blend; set aside.
Take one of the dough packages out of the refrigerator and start rolling one level tablespoon's worth of dough between your palms to make a ball. One by one, place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing an inch apart. Repeat with the second dough package.
Bake cookies until golden brown on bottom and just pale golden on top (about 15 minutes). Cool cookies about 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then gently toss them in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat completely. If you aren't serving the cookies immediately, store them in an airtight bag or container at room temperature.
Makes about 3 dozen.
Elaine Magee is a registered dietitian. Lean more at www.recipedoctor.com.
