Low Fat Holiday Sugar Cookies with Icing That Hardens
Delight in the festive charm of these Low Fat Holiday Sugar Cookies with Icing That Hardens—perfect for guilt-free indulgence this season! Crafted with a clever swap of applesauce for excess butter, these cookies maintain a soft, tender texture while keeping the fat content low. The dough is fuss-free to work with, ideal for cutting into your favorite holiday shapes, and bakes to perfection in just 10 minutes. Topped with a glossy icing that dries firm, these treats are both beautiful and easy to store or gift. Add a personal touch with vibrant food coloring to make the decorations pop! Whether you're gearing up for cookie exchanges or creating family traditions, this healthier take on a classic sugar cookie will be a hit.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt
- 0.25 cup Unsalted butter, softened
- 0.25 cup Unsweetened applesauce
- 0.75 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 0.5 teaspoon Almond extract (optional)
- 1.5 cups Powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons Milk (low fat preferred)
- 0.5 teaspoon Vanilla extract (for icing)
- as needed Food coloring (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, applesauce, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until creamy and well combined.
Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) to the wet mixture. Beat until smooth.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too sticky, chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out holiday shapes and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets.
Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are set but not browned. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cookies cool, prepare the icing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. For colored icing, divide the mixture into separate bowls and stir in food coloring as desired.
Using a piping bag or a small spoon, decorate the cooled cookies with the icing. Allow the icing to harden completely before stacking or storing.
Store the finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
2942 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 58.3 g | 75% | |
| Saturated Fat | 32.9 g | 164% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.8 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 326 mg | 109% | |
| Sodium | 1758 mg | 76% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 570.6 g | 207% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 8.8 g | 31% | |
| Total Sugars | 335.0 g | ||
| Protein | 38.5 g | 77% | |
| Vitamin D | 1.6 mcg | 8% | |
| Calcium | 119 mg | 9% | |
| Iron | 15.0 mg | 83% | |
| Potassium | 501 mg | 11% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
