Print Email Share

Low Sugar Desserts (continued)

Sweet ways to lower the sugar and the carbs in some holiday favorites.

Chocolate Peppermint Kisses

Studded with both chocolate and peppermint, these meringues are the stuff sugar plum dreams are made of. Better yet, because meringue cookies do not require flour, they are lower in carbohydrates than most cookies. Note: For these, a combination of sugar and sugar substitute is used. Do not eliminate the sugar entirely as the cookies will not dry out properly.

3 large egg whites (room temperature)
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons Splenda Sugar for Baking or 6 tablespoons EACH Splenda granulated and granulated sugar 6 tablespoons mini-chocolate chips
3 tablespoons crushed sugar-free peppermint candies (about 6)

1. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees.
2. Line a cookie sheet with either parchment or foil.
3. Place egg whites in a grease free bowl. Add cream of tartar and beat until frothy. Slowly beat in Splenda Sugar for Baking or Splenda granular and sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until egg whites are stiff. Fold in chocolate chips and peppermint with a spatula or spoon.
4. Drop the cookie mixture using a tablespoon onto cookie sheet, lifting the spoon to create rounded mounds. Do not spread batter.
5. Place in oven and bake one hour or until dry to touch and easy to remove from pan.

Serves 24 (1 cookie)

Calories 30; Fat 1 gram (0 saturated); Carbohydrate 6 grams (sugar 8 grams); Fiber 0 grams; Protein 1 gram; Sodium 30 milligrams

Diabetic Exchange = 1/2 Other Carbohydrate

Old Fashioned Lemon Bars

A holiday classic, lemon bars combine the great taste of lemon with the sweetness of sugar. Unfortunately, it takes a lot of sugar to sweeten up a lemon! These luscious bars again take advantage of both a no-calorie sugar substitute and a sugar/sugar substitute blend to eliminate more than half the usual sugar, but none of the luscious sweet taste. This is one of those low sugar desserts you can love.

CRUST
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Splenda Granular
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons cold margarine or butter
2 tablespoons buttermilk

TOPPING
2 large eggs + 1 egg white
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
(or 1/2 cup EACH Splenda granular and granulated sugar)
2/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square pan with nonstick baking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, Splenda, salt and baking powder. Cut in margarine or butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle buttermilk over mix and blend. Press onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Chill for 15 minutes and then bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. While crust is baking, prepare topping. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and egg whites with flour and Splenda Sugar blend. Beat in the lemon juice, and zest. Pour over hot crust.
4. Turn oven down to 350 degrees F and bake bars an additional 18-20 minutes or until top is set. Cool completely.
5. Just prior to serving, dust with powdered sugar if desired.

Serves 16 (1 bar)

Calories 100; Fat 4 grams (1 saturated); Carbohydrate 15 grams (sugar 8 grams); Fiber 0 grams; Protein 2 grams; Sodium 75 milligrams

Diabetic exchange = 1 Other Carbohydrate, 1 Fat