Guilt-Free Holiday Baking: Healthy Twists on Classic Christmas Recipes

This season floods our minds with hopes, dreams, and memories. For children, there are dreams of brightly colored presents wrapped under a bright and glinting tree. For parents it may be watching the glow of excitement fill the eyes and a smile spreading across the faces of their child as they open that special gift. For a new couple, it could be the joy of that first Christmas, together, filling their hearts with hope and love of the years to come. All of these things create memories that will last the rest of our lives. To this day, I carry some great holiday memories with me, as well as some bad ones. 

Sitting here in my cozy study, looking out the window as the cold is pierced with the warming rays of sun and seeing the last of the snow hold on, I am filled with so many memories. The memories that stay with me the most are those delicious treats that come with this holiday celebration. From savory to sweet, there are so many things, from my childhood, that I miss and long for. Maybe its just the memory of my mother cooking away during the holiday or maybe I actually miss some of them since all of my health changes. On this side of life, I have often looked at the recipes that have been passed down to me, from my mother, and wonder how I can make them a bit more healthy. Now that it is the week before Christmas, I thought I would share three holiday treat recipes you can make that are just a bit more healthy than their traditional cousins. Join me as I give you my Top 3 Holiday treat recipes in a Guilt-Free Holiday Baking: Healthy Twists on Classic Christmas Recipes.

1. Rethinking holiday treats
2. Top 3 healthier holiday treats
   1. 1. Simple Sugar Cookies
   2. 2. Gingerbread cookies
   3. 3. Applesauce cake
3. Healthy holidays

Rethinking holiday treats

If I were to ask you what three things do you think of most, when you think of Christmas, I would almost guarantee that those sweet delectable treats of the season would come to mind. Who could think of Christmas without cookies, after all, what would you give the man in red then? From there, it wouldn’t be a big jump to have someone talk about cakes and pies. Those wonderful sugary creations also have the unfortunate side effect of adding inches and pounds to us, during this magic time of year.Funny how magic seems to have negative side effects, maybe what those witches say has some merit.

Now that I have gone through all of these health changes, sugar and sweets do not always factor into my diet. There are issues around consuming white sugar and the over processed flour and other ingredients that I have to avoid, due to the damage to my liver. Then there is the simple fact that as you age your metabolism slows down and all those spirituous seasonal succulent snacks cause us to expand our waist size more than it our good will to expand. 

Not to worry, I have you covered. Keep reading for my healthier take on three holiday sweet treat recipes that you can add to your Christmas repertoire to keep your guests, and you, festive and feeling healthier, at the same time.

Top 3 healthier holiday treats

Holiday eating doesnt have to be totally bad for you. With some minor tweaks, you can turn almost any of your favorite festive foods to something that won’t add extra calories to your diet.

Trust me on this, your waist and health will thank you for the break. Now, I know you may be worried about how these alterations may affect the outcome, I get it but let me tell you that if you werent making these and knew what was going in them, you would have no clue that they were more healthy than the original. So, let’s dive in.

1. Simple Sugar Cookies

I am sure there are some people out there that see this recipe and think that I must be crazy thinking I can make this healthier. Well, do I have news for you, you better sit down for this one, But first, a little hint, These recipes offer healthier alternatives to traditional Christmas cookies, using whole grains, natural sweeteners, and healthy fats. Enjoy these treats guilt-free!

Pic below is how ours turned out.

Healthy Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, almond flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, coconut oil, egg, and vanilla extract.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
5. Roll out and cut: Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out desired shapes.
6. Bake: Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
7. Cool: Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Now, you are probably thinking what good are Christmas Sugar Cookies without any icing. No worries, I am way ahead of you and yes, it is healthier, also.

Healthier Icing

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar substitute (make sure it is a 1 to 1 substitution like coconut sugar)
• 2-3 tablespoons of plant-based milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• A few drops of food coloring (optional)

Instructions:

1. Combine ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
2. Adjust consistency: Add more milk for a thinner icing or more powdered sugar for a thicker icing.
3. Add food coloring: If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix well.
4. Decorate cookies: Use a spoon or a piping bag to frost the cooled cookies.

Tips for a Healthier Icing:

• Use a natural sweetener: Replace powdered sugar with coconut sugar for a less processed option.
• Use a plant-based milk: Opt for almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk for a dairy-free and healthier choice.
• Add natural food coloring: Use natural food coloring made from fruits and vegetables for a healthier alternative to artificial dyes.
• Limit the amount of icing: While it’s tempting to go overboard with the icing, try to keep it to a minimum to reduce sugar intake.

By using whole wheat flour, almond flour, and natural sweeteners, these cookies offer a healthier twist on a classic holiday treat.

2. Gingerbread cookies

Nothing says Christmas more than gingerbread. From house to cookies, it is a holiday mainstay. Yes, I have you covered here with a graciously more healthy gingerbread cookie recipe. 

Healthy Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, spices, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the molasses, maple syrup, coconut oil, and egg.
4. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out desired shapes.
6. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
7. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

3. Applesauce cake

One of my most treasured holiday treat memories is my mothers Spiced Applesauce Cake. It was one of my favorites growing up and when I went to college, my mother would make sure to send me a care package that included it. This cake can last a long time and always tastes as amazing as you remembered it. This was the one dessert I was afraid I would have to completely give up. Lo and behold, I found a way to still enjoy it with fewer of the bad ingredients. 

Spiced Apple Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger   
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup chopped apples

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×9 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, coconut oil, egg, and vanilla extract.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
5. Stir in the applesauce and chopped apples.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 7. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.   

We often used a mold to bake this cake in, the mold is in the shape of a house in winter and when lightly dusted with powdered sugar, takes on the look of a cottage covered in snow. It is beautiful. (pic below)

Healthy holidays

It is so easy to let your diet slip over the holiday season or even worse, beat yourself up for not being able to partake in the things you miss from your childhood. I am here to tell you that you dont have to give it all up. All it takes is learning some basics on how to cook on the healthy side, using moderation, and allowing yourself room to enjoy a nice treat, every now and then. With these three recipes, you are on your way to finding ways to augment your seasonal deductibles so that you can enjoy them without as much guilt.

Have you found ways to make your recipes a bit more healthy? Have you ever thought it was possible to change childhood favorite recipes around to be better for you? Maybe you just dropped by because you saw I had healthier dessert offerings for everyone to try? Let me know in the comments below. Share some of your holiday memories and favorite recipes. Maybe I can make them a bit more healthy and try, as well. Thanks for being a part of GayintheCLE. Each and everyone of you make this what it is and I, simply, could not do it without you all. Thanks again!