Diabetic Christmas Cookies

Make Holiday Fruit Bars, Thumbprints, & Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars

Dec 15, 2008 Deborah Harding

Diabetics and others who require low sugar treats shouldn't be left out during the Holidays. Prepare these delicious treats that they can eat.

Low sugar cookies are great to give to your diabetic family members or friends during Christmas. They are something the diabetic can have without compromising their diet or sugar intake too much. Most diabetics can intake some sugar but it can be dangerous for them to ingest too much. Their body cannot process sugar well and eating too much can make them sick. If you do give these cookies as a gift, make sure the diabetic understand that they can’t eat them all at once.

It is tempting to see all the goodies around during the holidays and not be able to eat any of them. Diabetes is one of the most common diseases today and almost all families have a member that is affected. In moderation and in conjunction with the diabetic’s individual diet, these cookies can be safe and delicious for them to eat.

NOTE: Use cake flour in the first two recipes. It makes the cookies come out less dense and rubbery than if you use all purpose flour.

Holiday Fruit Bars

  • ¾ cup cake flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar substitute
  • ¼ cup walnut meats, chopped
  • ½ cup apple, peeled and chopped
  • ½ cup dried cranberries (find no sugar added cranberries but if you can’t, just take a bag of cranberries, put them on a cookie sheet and put them in a 200 degree oven for about 3 to 4 hours or until they come out dried with slightly leathery skin)
  • 1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • 1 egg + 1 egg white
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice (from the orange)
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Line a 9 inch square pan with parchment paper and lightly coat it with butter flavored non stick spray.
  3. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, brown sugar substitute and walnuts.
  4. In a small bowl combine dried fruits.
  5. Add some of the flour mixture to the fruit mixture and toss with hands. Incorporate all the fruit into the flour mixture making sure all fruits are coated well.
  6. In a third bowl beat the egg and egg white with a whisk.
  7. Add orange juice and oil and mix well.
  8. Gradually add flour fruit mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly mixed.
  9. Pour into prepared pan and press down.
  10. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  11. Cool in pan 10 minutes then cut into 2 inch squares.
  12. Cool completely and store in airtight containers.

One 2 inch square = 1 carbohydrate from fruit and 1 fat - Makes 25 squares

Thumbprint Cookies

  • ¼ cup margarine, room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons regular granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 – ½ cups cake flour
  • 3 tablespoons no sugar added raspberry or apricot jam

Directions:

  1. In a mixing bowl cream margarine and sugar until fluffy.
  2. Add egg white and vanilla.
  3. Gradually add flour.
  4. Using hands form dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes (or overnight).
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  6. Make 16 – 1 “ balls and place 2” apart on a cookie sheet sprayed with butter flavored non stick spray.
  7. Using your thumb press an indentation in the center of each cookie.
  8. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown.
  9. Cool completely on wire racks.
  10. Spoon ½ teaspoon of jam into center of each cookie

1 cookie = 1 carb (bread/starch) Makes 16 cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

  • 1 – 1/3 cups flour (can use either cake or all purpose)
  • ¼ cup brown sugar substitute
  • ½ cup sugar substitute, divided
  • 1 cup old fashion oats
  • ½ cup pecans, chopped
  • ¾ cup margarine, cold
  • 1 – 8 ounce fat free cream cheese
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 – 15 ounce can plain pumpkin
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ginger
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Line a 13 x 9 x 2 pan with foil and spray with butter flavored non stick spray.
  3. In a bowl combine flour, brown sugar substitute, half of the sugar substitute, oats and pecans.
  4. Cut in margarine with pastry cutter or two forks until mixture is crumbly.
  5. Remove 1 cup of the mixture.
  6. Put the rest in the pan and press down.
  7. In a mixing bowl combine cream cheese, eggs, and remaining sugar substitute and beat well.
  8. Add pumpkin and spices and beat until blended.
  9. Pour over the mixture in the pan and sprinkle the 1 cup that was saved over top along with the chocolate chips.
  10. Bake 25 minutes or until set.
  11. Cool in pan and then cut into 2 x 2 -1/4 inch bars.

1 bar = 1 carb (bread/starch) and 1 carb (fat) Makes 25 bars

Make sure to have these around for people that can't eat the regular sugary treats during the holidays.

See other recipes and good Holiday Information at my web site 2008 PrymeThyme Christmas

The copyright of the article Diabetic Christmas Cookies in Recipes is owned by Deborah Harding. Permission to republish Diabetic Christmas Cookies in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Christmas Cookie Jar, dc harding
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Comments

Dec 19, 2008 8:22 AM
Guest :
I don't like the taste of sugar free jam. Could you find another way to get the fruit flavor in it?? Help!!!
Dec 19, 2008 3:34 PM
Deborah Harding :
Have you tried the low sugar jams. They are good. I don't like the sugar free either. You would probably have to add a little more to the exchanges if you use them.
2 Comments