Ginger Cookies – Light Version

I get teased A LOT by my family for always using recipes from Cooking Light, but I say if you can eat delicious food – even dessert – and make it a little healthier, why not?! I enjoy having dessert, but don’t want to overdo it with the fat and sugars!

I found a Ginger Cookie recipe recently that tastes every bit as good as my favorite Ginger-Molasses recipe (which is amazing!), but this one is much lighter!! I’m not sure I’ll ever make my old favorite version again! These were so yummy! Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, they are the perfect treat! This is one of my husband’s favorite cookie flavors, so I’m glad to have a recipe to make that I can feel a little better about making!

I always under-bake my cookies a little because I like them soft. I probably baked these around 8 minutes. You be the judge, but that’s all the time my oven required.

Ginger Cookies – Cooking Light

• 6 Tbl. Butter, softened
• 2/3 Cup plus 3 Tbl. sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground mace (I didn’t have this and it was still great)
• Cooking spray

1. Place butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add 2/3 cup sugar, beating at medium speed until light and well blended.
2. Add molasses and egg; beat well.
3. Combine flour and the next 4 ingredients (through mace), stirring with a whisk.
4. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, stirring until well blended
5. Divide dough in half.
6. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap, and freeze for 30 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 350°.
8. Shape each portion of dough into 26 (1-inch) balls. Roll balls in remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Flatten cookies with the bottom of a glass to 1/2-inch thickness.
9. Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

If you have a bit of a sweet tooth, but don’t want to kill your diet with dessert, please make these yummy treats! I can’t wait to make up another batch!

What’s your favorite splurge food-wise?

Here’s another special cookie from Cooking Light that we love and this is a delicious Angel Food Cake that is a special dessert!