There’s really no holiday cookies on shelves are truly “good” for us, but it’s not all bad news in the bakery department! More & more stores are selling mini versions of decadent cookies, and there are other little sweet bites that can double as better-for-you cookies. In today’s Love it, Like it, Hate it, we’re Getting the Skinny with Molly on the best bets for holiday cookies, and which have a full day’s worth of sugar in a single cookie!
LOVE IT!
They’re still just cookies with refined flour, sugar and oil, but at least their small size keeps calories & sugar in check
Trader Joe’s bite-size Crispy Crunchy Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Per cookie: 12.5 calories – 1.6 grams carb – 0.75 grams sugar
- Ingredients include unbleached enriched flour (white flour), palm oil, sugar, chocolate chunks, peppermint candies, coconut flakes, egg white, sea salt, molasses…
- Per cookie: 21 calories – 3 grams carb – 1.5 grams sugar
- Ingredients include wheat flour (white flour), sugar, oil, sugar…
LIKE IT!
French Twists – Puffed Pastry Twists by Barry’s Bakery (available at Rouses)
- Per twist: 35 calories – 5.5 grams carb – 2.5 grams sugar
- Ingredients include unbleached enriched flour (white flour), palm oil, beet sugar, cinnamon
Meringues – e.g. Trader Joe’s Vanilla Meringues (GF)
- Per cookie: 22.5 calories – 5 grams carb – 5 grams sugar
- Ingredients include sugar, egg whites, vanilla extract
Pepperidge Farm Chessman Sweet & Simple Cookies
- Per cookie: 40 calories – 6 grams carb – 1.6 grams sugar
- Ingredients include white flour, butter, sugar, cornstarch….
HATE IT!
LoftHouse Holiday Frosted Sugar Cookies
- Per cookie: 160 calories – 26 grams carbohydrate – 16 grams sugar
- Ingredients include sugar, white flour, margarine, eggs, corn starch, artificial colors like Red 3 & 40,Red 40 Lake, Yellow 5 & 6, Yellow 5 & 6 Lakes, Blue 1 & 2, Blue 1 & 2.
Starbuck’s Frosted Snowman Cookie
- Per cookie: 390 calories – 15 grams saturated fat – 45 grams carbohydrate – 23 grams sugar
- Ingredients include white flour, butter, margarine, sugar, fructose, sugared egg yolks, egg whites, white confectionary coating, chocolate flavored confectionary coating….
Coming up next: Ben McLaughlin of Swerve Sweetener joins Molly in the kitchen with recipe for a Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookie that’s festive, delicious, and nutritious!
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