Dear Jeanne: I have sent along a recipe that my mother has used for more than 50 years. It is a favorite of my brothers and myself; but as we are at a stage in our lives where we are watching our weight, we would appreciate it if you could revise our favorite cookie recipe to make it lower in fat and calories.
Thank you. — Mrs. Susan Lupinski, Lower Burrell, Pa.
Dear Susan: This recipe makes a cookie that is like a soft oatmeal cookie, with an extra kick from the molasses and cloves.
Reducing the fat in cookies generally makes them softer and more cakelike. Since your cookies are soft to begin with, it was easy to come up with a lower-fat version and retain all the qualities of the original.
MOLASSES OATMEAL COOKIES
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup shortening, melted
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup raisins
Mix in the order given. Use teaspoon to measure cookies and to place on cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 F. Makes 50 cookies.
REDUCED-FAT MOLASSES OATMEAL COOKIES
3/4 cup raisins, plumped
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
2 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup liquid egg substitute (or 1/2 cup egg whites, about 4)
1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Prepare baking sheets by spraying with nonstick cooking spray, then set aside.
2. In a small bowl or cup, cover the raisins with hot water to plump them; set aside.
3. Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves; add the oatmeal and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, molasses, butter, buttermilk and egg substitute. Drain the raisins and add to the liquid ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients and stir until moistened. The batter will look thin, but let it sit for just a few minutes, and the liquid will be absorbed into the oats.
5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared pans and bake for 10 minutes. Makes 50 cookies.
Each cookie contains approximately: Original Recipe: 90 calories; 4 gm fat; 8 mg cholesterol; 62 mg sodium; 13 gm carbohydrates; 1 gm protein; 1 gm fiber. Revised Recipe: 76 calories; 1 gm fat; 6 mg cholesterol; 52 mg sodium; 11 gm carbohydrates; 2 gm protein; 1 gm fiber.
Jeanne Jones is the author of 33 cookbooks, most recently "Cooking From the Cupboard" (Rodale Press). For more information, you can go to her Web Site, jeannejones.com. Send your recipe for revision to: Cook It Light, Deseret Morning News, P.O. Box 1212, La Jolla, CA 92038. Please include a stamped (60 cents), self-addressed envelope. © King Features Syndicate Inc.