Turn up the holiday tunes, get out your favorite apron and bake yourself a batch of these healthy Christmas Cookies!
I’ve been experimenting with my protein powders to give these tasty holiday treats a little boost and balance out the nutrient profile. Most cookies are very high in sugar and fat, with little to no protein. But this recipe has a much more balanced profile so you can munch your way through stars, gingerbread men and Christmas trees and not feel that massive sugar spike.
One of my secrets to maintaining lean muscle is to always focus on getting enough protein alongside my other key nutrients. Even if you’re eating more holiday treats than normal, the protein helps stabilize your blood sugar, makes you feel more full and satisfied (so you can enjoy these cookies and support your protein needs at the same time).
Plus including enough protein in your meals has the added benefit of supporting your muscle tissue even if you’re not exercising as much this time of year (1).
This fun recipe will fill you with holiday cheer, while doubling as an easy way to sneak in some extra protein. Remember, the amino acids from the protein we eat supports more than just your muscle tissue – it supports your brain function, hormone and enzyme function, and your immune system – something I really pay attention to around the holidays.
Share these with your friends and family and enjoy!
Christmas Cookies
Yield: Approximately 3 dozen medium sized cookies (depending on the sizes and shapes you make)
You will need: assorted cookie cutters, baking sheets, parchment paper, mixing bowl, wooden spoon, measuring cups and spoons
Key: T = Tablespoon; tsp = teaspoon
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
- 1/2 cup coconut oil (or ghee, or half coconut oil, half ghee – all work well)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup oat flour*
- 5 servings (150 grams) I ❤️ Vanilla Protein
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 T tapioca flour for dusting
For the icing:
- 1/2 cup organic powdered sugar (this can be either powdered monk fruit or coconut sugar*)
- 1 tsp matcha powder, Berry Green Protein or I ❤️ Chocolate Protein
- 3/4 tablespoon almond milk
Directions:
- Beat together the coconut oil (or ghee or butter) and maple syrup with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the egg and milk, beat until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until the dough sticks together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Line a flat surface with parchment paper, sprinkle with a little tapioca flour. Turn the chilled dough onto the surface and allow it to sit for 30 minutes.
- Gently knead it with your hands until it’s pliable, then roll the dough to ¼” thick and cut with cookie cutters. Remove the extra dough and transfer the cut cookies onto the baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough until you don’t have any left.
- Bake the cookies for 9 – 11 minutes until they’re nicely golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack.
- When they are ready to add the icing, whisk together the icing ingredients, pour into a piping bag and pipe onto the cookies!
*oat flour – you can purchase this, or make your own blending oats in a blender – be sure to remeasure after blending to get the right amount.
*coconut powdered sugar – you can make your own by blending the coconut sugar to a powder.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 3 cookies Servings per Recipe: 12 Calories per Serving: 200 Protein: 10 grams Carbohydrates: 14 grams Fat: 11 grams
I hope that you enjoy these cookies in good health and share with your loved ones this season!
I love using my own Betty Rocker protein powders because I know exactly what’s in them (and what’s not!). If you’re looking for clean, delicious protein powders that contain all the essential amino acids, are organic, and versatile enough for hot drinks, to bake with or to simply shake in a mixer bottle, you’ve found a winner!
Shop Betty Rocker organic protein powders HERE!
References:
- Haghighat, Neda et al. “The effect of 12 weeks of euenergetic high-protein diet in regulating appetite and body composition of women with normal-weight obesity: a randomised controlled trial.” The British journal of nutrition vol. 124,10 (2020): 1044-1051. doi:10.1017/S0007114520002019 Web. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32513334/
