Melt in your mouth texture and the subtle spice of delicious ginger and molasses makes these cookies a definite holiday treat.

Coconut Oil vs. Butter in Cookies

There has been a debate for years about which oils are the best, which provide the most health benefits, which will save your heart and arteries.  When it comes to baking, certain types of fat just make a better product.  So the great debate in the food world – what type of fat should you use??  If basing your decision purely on taste and texture preferences, here are some differences of using coconut.

1. Coconut oil is 100% fat vs butter that has about 16% water.  If there is less moisture, then you get a crispier cookie.
2. Coconut oil has a distinct coconut flavor – it isn’t super strong especially considering the other ingredients in your baked good, but you may taste a hint of coconut.
3. You should use room temperature ingredients because coconut oil will ‘seize’ up if you use other cool ingredients.

Christmas Traditions in the Kitchen

Are there foods that you make every year?  Those recipes that were passed down from your Grandma and you make them with your kids now.  If you don’t have many of those types of recipes, this one is a great place to start!  The smell of ginger and other delicious spices baking in your kitchen will make your home smell like Christmas and is something your kids will look forward to every year! This recipe is fun for your kids, because they can help roll the balls of dough and roll them in sparkly sugar.

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 Whole Wheat vs White Flour in Cookies

Whole wheat definitely has white flour beat in the nutrition department.  But what does it do to your baked goods?  Whole-wheat flour makes your baked goods denser and a lot heavier than those made with just all-purpose flour. You can start by substituting some whole-wheat flour for all-purpose flour, but no more than 25 percent of the total amount unless you’re willing to really sacrifice the texture of your baked goods. Unlike white flour, whole-wheat flour contains wheat bran. The bran cuts through the gluten and detracts from the airy texture of the cake or the flaky texture of the pastry.

A few tips when using wheat flour in your baked goods:

• You can replace white flour with whole-wheat flour cup for cup. For every cup you exchange, add five teaspoons of water.
• If you are making bread with 100 percent whole-wheat flour, add two teaspoons of vital wheat gluten per cup to create a stronger structure and higher rise. For each teaspoon of wheat gluten you use, add another one and a quarter teaspoons of water.
• If using 100 percent whole-wheat flour, allow the dough to rise in volume by just one and a half times, as opposed to the typical two times.
• Bread is a great baked good to replace white flour with wheat.

The Perfect Christmas Cookie

These cookies are amazingly soft, chewy and have the perfect amount of ginger for a totally delicious bite every time.  Making a few healthier swaps to this recipe are a great way to bump up the nutrition, but still have a sweet treat!  We hope you enjoy these cookies with your family this holiday season!