Christmas Cookies!
Do you think it is impossible to make a rich, decadent cookie that is both carb and sugar free? Well think again! This Christmas I was able to find recipes to make 6 different, rich and decadent cookies. I have included links to every recipe and the recipe for my very favorite sugar free sweetener below. The cookies are pictured above and are as follows, clockwise from the top:
Snickerdoodle - Made with the THM Holiday Cookie recipe (This recipe link will only be good for about a month so write it down! I tweaked it by adding 1/4 tsp cream of tartar to the dough and then rolling the cookies in 2TB of sweetener mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon).
Pecan Snowball - Thank you Jennifer Griffin for this recipe!
Magic Cookie Bar - Oh, my, AMAZING!! These don't miss anything from their sugar laden original! My tweak on these - The recipe calls for 1 TB of molasses, which is a bit much for a truly THM friendly cookie. Instead, I added one extra TB of sweetener and 1 tsp of molasses and a 1/4 tsp of caramel extract. The caramel sauce did not need any more. This caramel sauce is DECADENT!
Maple Butter Cheesecake Fudge - Thanks again Jennifer Griffin!
Peanut Butter Fudge - The recipe for this fudge is printed at the end of the video. Again, it will be gone in a month so write it down!!
Chocolate Chip Cookie - Also an adaptation of the THM Holiday cookie recipe. Just followed the recipe and added 1/2 a cup of chocolate chips. Write this recipe down so you don't lose it!
Now, for my favorite sweetener! In my many attempts to make sweet treats that my whole family will like I have tried many different sweeteners. My problem is that my family likes things much sweeter than I do, but when you add too much of a stevia based sweetener it can get bitter fast. I have found the solution for our family! I saw a recipe mixing stevia, erythritol and xylitol about a year ago. I could not ever find who originated the recipe, but I tweaked it just a bit for frugality sake. :) Here is my go to sweetener for all things:
Mix together
1 cup xylitol
1 cup erythritol
1 tsp stevia
Put all ingredients in a jar or canister and shake to combine. You can powder this sweetener but it is not required. Just shake it together and use in equal measurements that you would sugar. It offers great sweetness with no funny aftertaste. (Be aware that some people do not handle xylitol well as it causes tummy troubles for some. If you haven't tried it before go easy at first to make sure you tolerate it. My family has no trouble with it. Also, xylitol, like chocolate, is not good for dogs so keep it away from your pets.)
Have a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
