3 healthy, winter holiday desserts

Makes 24 servings

Prep: 25 min Cook: 13 min

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• ¾ cup whole almonds
• 2 Tbsp plus ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• 1½ cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup unsalted light butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp almond extract
• ¼ cup turbinado sugar
• 3 Tbsp raspberry jam

Preparation

Arrange two oven racks evenly spaced in the upper and lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat two large baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

Place almonds and 2 tablespoons brown sugar in a food processor. Process until the nuts are finely ground, about 40 seconds. Add flour, baking powder, and salt and pulse to combine.

Beat butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the remaining ½ cup brown sugar and beat until combined. Scrape sides, add egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat until completely incorporated. Add flour mixture and mix until dough forms.

Roll dough into 24 balls. Roll balls in turbinado sugar and place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Press gently down in the center with thumb or finger to create a slight indent. Whisk jam in a medium bowl until smooth. Using a teaspoon, fill indents with jam.

Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until the cookies are just lightly golden.

Nutrition information per serving (serving size = 1 cookie)

• Calories: 97
• Total fat: 5 g
• Saturated fat: 1 g
• Sodium: 83 mg
• Cholesterol: 13 mg
• Total carbohydrates: 14 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Sugars: 7 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Potassium: 21 mg

Coconut cream pie

Makes 9 servings

Prep: 30 min  Cook: 40 min total

Ingredients

• 1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs (about 26 wafers)
• 2 Tbsp reduced-fat margarine, melted
• Nonstick cooking spray
• ⅓ cup plus 3 Tbsp sugar, divided
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2½ cups nonfat milk
• 2 eggs, separated, egg yolks lightly beaten
• ¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp flaked coconut, divided
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp coconut extract
• 3 egg whites

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine wafer crumbs and margarine in a bowl and stir well. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate, coated with cooking spray. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Combine the ⅓ cup sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Slowly stir in the milk. Stir constantly with a whisk until mixture comes to a boil. Cook for one more minute and remove from heat. Add egg yolks and place saucepan back over medium heat, stirring for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in ¼ cup coconut, vanilla, and coconut extract. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites at high speed until foamy. Gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes. Pour filling into prepared crust. Spread egg white mixture evenly over filling. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon coconut. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. Slice into 9 pieces.

Nutrition information per serving (serving size = 1 slice)

• Calories: 167
• Total fat: 6 g
• Saturated fat: 2 g
• Sodium: 158 mg
• Cholesterol: 47 g
• Total carbohydrates: 25 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Sugars: 18 g
• Protein: 5 g
• Potassium: 133 mg