The government has stepped in, significantly lowering the import tax on butter so that Christmas—or at least cookie baking—can be saved. However, it begs the question—how the heck do you bake without butter? Unless you’re vegan, you might not have thought about it before. Luckily for Prevention, we didn’t have to answer that question ourselves. Marisa Churchill, former Top Chef contestant and author of Sweet and Skinny (Crown Publishing Group, 2011), stopped by the office to share her secrets to swapping healthier ingredients for butter, sugar, and other fattening ingredients. Even though we’re not suffering a butter shortage, we could all lighten up our baked goods, right? Below are some of her favorite swaps (and an amazing cookie recipe): For Butter: Cream cheese: Try replacing all or part of the butter in a recipe with reduced-fat cream cheese. It replicates butter’s texture, but with just 30 calories and 2 grams of fat per tablespoon, it’s much lighter than butter’s 100 calories and 11 grams of fat. Greek Yogurt: This thick yogurt works like a dream in cakes. Just be sure it’s Greek, because thinner yogurts may add too much liquid. For Granulated Sugar: Truvia: This calorie-free sweetener replicates the taste and texture of granulated sugar, making it an easy alternative. If you prefer other sugar-free sweeteners, be sure to test them out before serving to a crowd. Some may behave strangely when mixing, heating, or baking. Agave nectar: Made from the agave plant, this liquid adds sweetness without using sugar. Some studies have even shown that it may spike your blood sugar less than sugar! Get her Gingerbread cookie recipe [header=Gingerbread Cookie Recipe] Gingerbread Cutout Cookies Makes 25-35 cookies Cookies Nonstick pan spray (if not using baking mats or parchment) 1½ cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Scant ½ teaspoon ground cloves ¼ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (ground fine) ¹⁄8 teaspoon salt 1½ ounces (3 tablespoons) reduced-fat cream cheese (neufchâtel) 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened ¹⁄³ cup plus 1 tablespoon (packed) dark brown sugar ¼ cup liquid egg substitute, or 1 large egg ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon unsulfured molasses Royal Icing ¹⁄³ cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon dried egg whites liquid food coloring (optional) To make the cookies: Coat two baking sheets with pan spray, or line them with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, pepper, and salt; set aside. Using a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and brown sugar on medium speed for 4 min- utes, or until the color lightens. (Alternatively, use a handheld electric mixer.) Scrape down the bowl. Add the egg substitute and molasses, beating until they are well combined. Add the flour mixture on low speed, just until it is incorporated. Transfer the dough to a flat surface and roll it out between two pieces of plastic film until it is 1⁄ 8 inch thick. Peel off the top film and use cookie cutters to cut the dough into shapes. Reroll the dough scraps and cut out cookies up to two more times, to make 25 to 35 cookies. Transfer the cookies to the prepared pans, cover with plastic film, and freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate for 2 hours. About 20 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Bake the cookies for 25 minutes, or until the tops no longer appear moist and shiny. Halfway through the baking time, rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back. When the cookies are done, set the sheets on wire racks and leave them for at least 30 min- utes, until the cookies are cool to the touch. To make the icing: Sift the powdered sugar and dried egg whites through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl. Whisk in 2 teaspoons water until the mixture is well blended. If you are coloring the icing, divide the icing into small bowls, one for each color, and stir in a drop or two of coloring to create the desired color. Brush the icing onto the cookies with a pastry brush. (Alternatively, use small piping bags or resealable plastic bags—one for each color, each fitted with a small round tip—to pipe decorative patterns onto the cookies.) Let the icing set for 20 minutes before serving. Store any leftover cookies at room temperature in an airtight con- tainer, layered between sheets of waxed paper, for up to 3 weeks. Make It Sweet and Sugar-Free Substitute ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon (16 packets) of Truvia® natural sweetener for the brown sugar in the cookies. Replace the molasses with 1¼ teaspoons instant espresso powder mixed with 1½ table- spoons water. Increase the ginger to 1 tablespoon, and add ¼ tea- spoon ground star anise. The sugar-free cookies will puff slightly when baking; avoid using a pat- terned cookie cutter, as the detail will be lost. For the icing, combine ¼ cup cornstarch, 1 tablespoon (4 pack- ets) of Truvia, and 1 tablespoon dried egg whites in a clean coffee grinder or a food processor for 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and whisk in 2 table- spoons water. The icing color will be off-white but is lovely when colored. Brush or pipe the icing over the cookies as described. Each cookie contains 50 calories and 1 gram of fat. Each sugar-free cookie contains 35 calories and 1 gram of fat. Reprinted from Sweet & Skinny by Marisa Churchill. Copyright © 2011. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc.
