TASTE
Cake-mix cookie drops fat, retains chocolatey flavor
| • | There's something about tomatoes |
By Elaine Magee
Cookies from a cake mix? That's right! And for this recipe, we are using a box of devil's food cake mix (or German chocolate cake mix).
Instead of creating cookie dough with 1/2 cup shortening and an egg, as it's usually done, we used 6 tablespoons of low-fat vanilla yogurt or fat-free sour cream and a higher omega-3 fatty acid egg. And to make a lighter coconut-pecan German chocolate filling, we used fat-free sweetened condensed milk. In place of 5 tablespoons of butter, we used 3 tablespoons of fat-free half-and-half. I also suggest skipping the dollop of chocolate frosting on top of the sandwich cookie. Just add a light dusting of powdered sugar, because the cookies taste plenty yummy and chocolatey without it. The light version has one-third fewer calories and two-thirds less total fat and saturated fat per sandwich cookie.
Original recipe contains 335 calories, 21 grams fat, 8 grams saturated fat, and 65 milligrams cholesterol per sandwich cookie.
GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE COOKIES
For the coconut pecan filling:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat cookie sheet with canola cooking spray.
Add cake mix, yogurt or sour cream, and egg to large mixing bowl and beat on low just until blended and a dough forms. Coat your fingers and palms with canola cooking spray and then shape dough into 1-inch balls, and place on prepared cookie sheet. (There should be around 34 to 36 balls.) Flatten balls slightly using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass that has been coated with canola cooking spray.
Bake until lightly browned (about 8 minutes). Remove cookies from pan and let cool on wire rack or paper towels.
To make coconut pecan filling, add sweetened condensed milk, fat-free half-and-half, and vanilla in a small, nonstick saucepan. Stir, then cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until well blended.
Whisk egg yolks in medium bowl, and whisking constantly, add about 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks until combined. Whisk the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens nicely (about 5 minutes). Stir in the pecans and coconut.
To assemble the cookie sandwiches, spread about 2 teaspoons of filling on the flat side of one cookie. Add another cookie on top (flat side on the filling) to make a cookie sandwich. Dust the tops of the sandwiches with powdered sugar if desired or add a small dollop of your favorite fudge frosting.
Makes 18 cookie sandwiches.
Elaine Magee is a registered dietitian. Find out more at http://recipedoctor.com.
