Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
Gingerbread, biscotti and spritzes, oh my!
Everyone loves a good cookie, especially during the holidays. However, oftentimes, these tiny treats aren’t exactly that great for our health.
That’s where this recipe for Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies comes in.
Made from wholesome ingredients like flaxseeds, oats and dates, these cookies are high in fiber, which helps control blood sugar, lower cholesterol levels and will make you feel full, not stuffed!
“The fiber found in dates helps slow digestion of their natural sugars, so you add sweetness to the cookies without having a spike in blood sugar levels,” says Nicole Sievers, a registered dietitian with Wilcox Medical Center.
“Ground flaxseeds also supply omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart health,” Sievers adds.
While this holiday-inspired recipe calls for frozen raspberries, feel free to replace with different seasonal fruit throughout the year.
And because they contain no eggs, these cookies can be enjoyed raw, making them a fun kitchen project for all ages.
If you prefer a crunchier texture, you can bake them – with or without the filling.
When raw, the filling has a wonderfully bright and fresh taste, while the baked version is slightly more “jammy,” similar to a pie filling.
Baked or raw, these cookies freeze very well. To use, thaw frozen cookies and store in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
Recipe from the Ornish Reversal Program
Serves 20
Ingredients:
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted and firmly packed, about 10 dates
1/4 cup ground flax meal
1 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal (preferably brown rice)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup frozen raspberries
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Directions:
1. To make the cookies, place pitted dates and flax meal in a small bowl. Cover with 1/2 cup boiling water. Cover bowl and set aside until dates are soft and hydrated and liquid has thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Using a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse oats and rice cereal two to three times, for about three seconds each time, until mixture is coarsely ground. Transfer mixture to a small bowl.
3. Place the date/flax mixture into the food processor. Add vanilla, cinnamon, almond extract and sea salt. Puree until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed. Measure out 1/4 cup of the date puree and set aside for use in the raspberry filling.
4. Pour oat and rice mixture onto the remaining date puree in the food processor. Pulse together until mixture is smooth and date puree is thoroughly incorporated. Taste and season with additional vanilla, cinnamon, almond extract or salt, if necessary. Mixture should be firm enough to roll into a ball. If it seems too wet, add a little more crushed rice cereal; if too dry, add a small amount of water.
5. To make the filling, thaw raspberries until they are soft enough to mash. In a medium bowl, whisk together the thawed raspberries, reserved 1/4 cup date puree, and almond extract. Mixture should look like a bright-red jam.
6. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Using a rounded tablespoon, roll dough into balls. Arrange balls on prepared sheet tray. Make a 1-inch indentation in the center of each ball by pressing down with your thumb. Spoon one teaspoon raspberry filling into each cookie. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
To bake filled cookies: Follow the above instructions, but do not chill cookies. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake filled cookies for 20 minutes.
To bake unfilled cookies:Shape and indent the cookies as instructed in step 6. Bake the unfilled cookies for 20 minutes. Let cookies cool, then spoon 1 teaspoon raspberry filling into each indentation.
Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 102; Carbohydrates: 22.7g; Protein: 2.3g; Total Fat: 1.1g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sodium: 62mg
Published on: December 19, 2015
