Whole–Wheat Holiday Treat

The holiday baking buzz is in full swing this week. Celebrate with these lighter dessert favorites. They're made with whole–wheat pastry flour and unsalted butter for a crisper and more flavorful cookie.

Lemon Drop Cookies

• Canola oil cooking spray
• 1 cup whole–wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup unbleached all–purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 small or 1/2 large lemon
• 2 Tbsp. cold water
• 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 tsp. salt

Set racks in top and bottom third of oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat two baking sheets with cooking spray, and set aside.

In mixing bowl, whisk the two flours with baking power, and set aside.

Using swivel-blade peeler, zest lemon. Cut off two ends, and standing lemon on one end on work surface, use sharp knife to remove white pith in strips, discarding pith. Cut lemon flesh into chunks and place in blender, add water and zest, and whirl until lemon is pureed and zest finely chopped. Add butter, egg, sugar, and salt to blender, and whirl until mixture is smooth.

Pour lemon mixture over dry ingredients and whisk until they are well combined.

Drop batter, by scant teaspoon onto prepared baking sheets, using a second teaspoon to push and shape the batter into rounded, 3/4-inch buttons. Space cookies 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.

Bake cookies for 5 minutes. Rotate pans and reverse their position in oven. Bake 5 minutes longer, or until cookies have dark brown ring around edges and are browned on bottom. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 1 minute, then transfer them with a spatula to wire racks to cool completely. Cookies will be crisp when cooled.

If reusing, wipe baking sheets with paper towel and re-spray them.

These cookies keep for 5 days layered between wax paper sheets in airtight container. If they soften let cookies stand on a plate and they will regain their snap.

Makes 5 1/2 dozen cookies

Serving Size: 3 cookies

Per serving: 100 calories, 3.5 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 17g carbohydrate,
1 g protein, 1g dietary fiber, 110 mg sodium.

From AICR.org