Holiday Cookie Exchange by Miraval

This holiday season, impress your friends with these healthy alternatives to traditional holiday cookies. From Miraval’s new cookbook, Sweet & Savory Cooking, these three cookie recipes are easy to make and will surely impress at the parties and functions that inevitably fill our end-of-year calendars. Pre-order Sweet & Savory Cooking now before it hits bookstores January 7, 2014 for more healthy cooking tips and one-of-a-kind recipes.

Trail Mix Cookies

Makes 3 Dozen Cookies

• 4 Tbsp. butter, softened
• ½ c. light or dark brown sugar
• ¼ c. raw cane sugar
• ½ c. honey or agave nectar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• 2 c. rolled oats
• ½ c. mixed seeds and/or nuts (pumpkin, sunflower, etc.)
• ½ c. mixed dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, blueberries, etc.)
• ¼ c. mini semisweet chocolate chips

HEAT the oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with kitchen parchment

IN a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and cane sugar until smooth. Add the honey and egg whites, scrape down the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula, and continue to mix for another minute.

IN a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this mixture and the oats to the ingredients in the mixer and continue mixing until just combined. Last, add the seeds, dried fruit, and chocolate chips. Scoop 1-tablespoon portions onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between the cookies. Bake until the cookies are lightly browned and they release from the parchment, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Serving Size: 1 Cookie; Calories: 96; Total Fat: 2 G; Carbs: 17 G; Dietary Fiber: 1 G; Protein: 2 G

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

Makes 2 Dozen Cookies

• 1 ½ c. organic peanut butter
• ½ c. raw cane sugar
• ½ c. light brown sugar
• 1 ½ tsp. Ener-G Egg Replacer (egg substitute)
• 2 Tbsp. water
• ¼ c. strawberry or raspberry jelly or jam

HEAT the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

IN a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the peanut butter and the cane and brown sugars until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix the egg substitute and water together until smooth, and then add it to the peanut butter mixture.

SCOOP about 1 tablespoon of the dough and roll into a ball with your hands. Use the back of a ½-teaspoon measuring spoon to make an indentation in tpuhe top of each dough ball. Drop ¼ teaspoon jelly into the center of each cookie. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

BAKE until very lightly browned and the jelly is set in the center, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool at room temperature.

Serving Size: 1 cookie; Calories: 120; Total Fat: 8 g; Carbs: 10 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Protein: 4 g

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Makes 2 Dozen Cookies

• 2 Tbsp. butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp. prune puree
• 1 c. brown sugar
• ¾ c. canned pumpkin
• ¼ c. molasses
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 ½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ c. whole-wheat flour
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. allspice
• ½ tsp. ginger
• Pinch of kosher salt

HEAT the oven to 350°F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

IN a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter, prune puree, and brown sugar. Add the canned pumpkin, molasses, egg, egg white, and vanilla and continue to mix until smooth.

IN a separate bowl, sift together the flours, baking soda, and baking powder and add the cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Scoop spoonfuls of dough onto the baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between the balls of dough. (They will spread slightly during cooking.) Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until puffed and slightly golden around the edges. Cool at room temperature.

Serving Size: 1 cookie; Calories: 100; Total Fat: 1 g; Carbs: 20 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Protein: 2 g

Pre-order Sweet & Savory Cooking >

Purchase more books by Miraval >

Learn more about Pastry Chef Kim Macy >