We want to cook healthier desserts, but we want to keep that rich, delicious flavor. I’ve perfected these recipes and hope you enjoy them. My favorite is Granny Sue’s Cranberry Muffins. These muffins are filled with fresh cranberries and pecans. Both ingredients are ripe in the winter, so the holidays are the perfect time to use them. The cranberry’s tartness, along with the chewiness of the pecans, makes this a holiday favorite. Serve it once, and your friends will ask you to bring it to their holiday parties.
My kids love the Holiday Thumbprint Cookies. The fresh raspberry filling is delicious. I always double the recipe because they’re gone in a flash. If you want a few more recipes, check out my article, Healthy Holiday Eating Tips and Recipes, which includes recipes for Banana Nut Bread and Apple Crisp.
If you haven’t found that perfect gift yet, check out my article Tips for Holiday Gift Giving.
Also, consider giving the gift of health with these holiday bundles I’ve created at discounted prices. And 10 percent of all the proceeds will go to Compassion International.
Happy holidays!
Desserts
Apple Coconut Cookies
(Makes 12 cookies)
4 tablespoons coconut flour
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 apple, chopped
4 pitted dates, chopped
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Mix all ingredients in a food processor until it makes a thick paste. Roll into 1 inch balls, then flatten cookies on a greased baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Baked Pears
(Makes 4 servings)
2 firm pears
4 teaspoons butter or coconut oil
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut pears in half lengthwise and remove the core. Place on a baking pan with cut side up. Add 1 teaspoon of butter or oil on each pear. Sprinkle with cinnamon and ginger. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Coconut Macaroons
(Makes 8 cookies)
3 egg whites
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
½–1 teaspoon stevia
1½ cups unsweetened, shredded coconut
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a cookie sheet. Whip the egg whites and vanilla until peaks form. Fold the rest of the ingredients into the whipped egg whites. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes. Bake for 10–15 minutes on a greased cookie sheet until the macaroons are lightly brown.
Cranberry Muffins
(Makes 18 muffins)
¾ cup almond flour
¼ cup coconut flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 4 ounce package of chopped dates
3 ½ cups pecans, chopped
4 eggs
½ teaspoon Stevia Select or sweetener of your choice
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl sift the flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix cranberries, dates, and pecans into the flour. In another bowl beat eggs, stevia, and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture and mix well. Pour into a well-greased muffin pan and bake for 15 minutes.
Holiday Thumbprint Cookies
(Makes 8 cookies)
1 ½ cup almond flour
3 ½ tablespoons coconut oil
1 egg
2 tablespoon of cashew butter (or almond butter)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
Filling
1 cup fresh raspberries or strawberries
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl combine all of the cookie ingredients. Refrigerate dough for 20 minutes. While dough is chilling, make the filling. Smash the fruit and add to a saucepan along with chia seeds and syrup. Heat on the stovetop on low-medium for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool and thicken.
After dough has chilled, create eight balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. With your thumb, press an indent into the middle of the cookie ball. Bake for ten minutes. After the cookie has cooled, add the filling to the center of the cookie.
Dark Chocolate Nut Clusters
(Makes 6–8 servings)
1 bar GF chocolate, at least 70 percent cocoa
1½ cups nuts (any variety you like)
½ cup seeds (any type)
¼ cup dried cranberries or cherries
2 microspoons Stevia Select
Melt 1 bar of dark chocolate (at least 70 percent cocoa). Add a mixture of nuts, seeds, and currants until fully coated. Drop by tablespoons onto a sheet of wax paper. As the mixture cools, the nut clusters will harden. Store nut clusters at room temperature for up to one week.
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