Recipe: Low-Fat Sugar Cookies

These cookies, with subtle hints of vanilla, are sure to please. They’re also lower in fat than most cookies. But with all the flavor, you won’t miss the fat.

Ingredients

For cookies:
2 ¼ cups cake flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup unsalted stick margarine or butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons firmly packed
brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
5 tablespoons hot water
1/8 teaspoon vanilla, orange, or lemon extract
2 drops food coloring (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the margarine, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until fluffy, 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, corn syrup and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the margarine mixture in thirds, until the dough becomes smooth and stiff. Divide the dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill thoroughly, at least 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Arrange the oven racks to divide the oven into thirds. Spray two baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Working with one piece at a time (and keeping the remaining piece in the refrigerator), roll the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into shapes with a 2-inch cookie cutter and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Reroll and reuse the dough scraps. Repeat with the remaining dough.
3. Bake until barely golden along the edges, 8-10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. Let cool for one minute, then transfer the cookies to a rack.
4. To make the icing, use a small bowl to combine the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of the hot water and the vanilla, and orange or lemon extract. Stir until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add a few more drops of water. Color with food coloring if desired. When the cookies are completely cool, decorate with icing.

Nutrition information

Makes 18 cookies

Each 2-cookie serving contains:

Calories: 142
Calories from fat: 27
Total Fat: 3g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 12mg
Sodium: 47mg
Total carbohydrate: 27g
Dietary fiber: 0g
Sugars: 14g
Protein: 2g