Sweet treats are nice to give and receive, but they come with that naughty price tag of sugar and fat. When you give homemade goodies, you can control these variables. Anyone who loves treats will appreciate these imaginative and eye-appealing goodies. Thoughtfully, they contain more healthy ingredients and minimal “naughty.” Then just gather a few wicker baskets, colorful tins and printed cloths; wrap it all with bright cellophane, ribbons, raffia or silk cords and prepare to be the most thoughtful gift giver ever.
Butterscotch ranger cookies
In the midst of all the fancy goodies comes this old-fashioned, bumpy little cookie. A chewy combination of oats, cornflakes and butterscotch chips, this recipe from “Starbuck’s Passion For Coffee” pairs well with, you guessed it, a good cup of coffee. Add a pound of pure Kona whole bean coffee to your gift basket. Makes about 80 cookies.
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups regular or quick-cooking oatmeal
2 cups butterscotch morsels
2 cups cornflakes
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter one or two cookie sheets, or coat them with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until mixed. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla and water. In a separate bowl, toss together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture; beat until combined. Add oatmeal, butterscotch morsels, cornflakes and nuts (if using); mix well. Place heaping teaspoonfuls of batter, about 2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets. With moistened fingertips, gently press each cookie to flatten slightly. Bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely before storing in an airtight container until ready to use.
Russian tea cakes
This version from Eating Well magazine cuts the fat per cookie from 8 grams down to 2.2 grams, something that’s always appreciated during the holidays. Makes about 4 dozen cookies; store in a tightly covered tin for up to a week or freeze for longer storage.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
5 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons lowfat milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (2 ounces)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch and salt together. Use an electric mixer to cream 3/4 cup of the sugar, the butter and oil in a large bowl until smooth and light, about 3 minutes. Add milk and vanilla; beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients and walnuts; blend on low speed just until mixed. Roll dough into ¾-inch balls and put on two ungreased baking sheets about an inch apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 10 to 12 minutes or until very lightly browned on the bottoms. While cookies are baking, sift remaining 1/2 cup sugar into a shallow dish. Remove cookies from oven and roll them immediately in the sugar, a few at a time. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
Curried pumpkin seeds and corn nuts
Here’s a savory gift that makes a great munch for holiday football games, or just to balance out all the sweets. Recipe from “Food &Wine’s Holiday Favorites;” makes about 4 cups. If you prefer, you can substitute almonds, cashews and/or walnuts in place of the pumpkin seeds and corn nuts. Just bake the nuts for a shorter period of time.
1 pound hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 3-ounce bags Corn Nuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put pumpkin seeds in a medium bowl. In a small frying pan, combine oil and curry powder; cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until oil is very hot, about 3 minutes. Immediately pour the oil over the pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle with the salt and toss. Spread pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and bake on middle rack, stirring occasionally, until light brown, about 15 minutes. Return seeds to the bowl, add Corn Nuts, and toss to combine. Stir mixture as it cools. Store in airtight containers.
Cinnamon biscuit crisps
These wafer-thin whole wheat biscuits are topped with cinnamon sugar for a delicious accompaniment to fruits or hot chocolate. Recipe from “Biscuits and Scones” by Elizabeth Alston; makes 40 crisps.
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut up
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2/3 cup milk
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put flours, baking powder, salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon into a large bowl; stir to mix well. Add butter; cut in with a pastry blender or rub in with your fingers until mixture looks like fine granules. Add 2 tablespoons of the sugar; toss to mix. Add milk and stir with a fork until mixture forms a dough. Gather it into a ball; put onto a lightly floured board and knead 10 to 12 times. Cut dough in half. Mix remaining 1/4 cup sugar and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. On a lightly floured board, roll out half the dough into a 7-by-6-inch rectangle. Lift dough; sprinkle bottom with half the cinnamon sugar. Roll dough on sugar without turning dough over, into a rectangle about 14-by-11 inches. Trim edges. Cut dough in four lengthwise strips, then five crosswise strips to make 20 rectangles. Put rectangles, sugar side up, an inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until medium brown on top. Cool, uncovered, on a wire rack. Roll, cut and bake remaining dough. Store airtight at room temperature.