I've mentioned before on this blog that diabetes runs in my family which isn't necessarily ideal when you love to bake as much as I do. Inevitably this question always seems to come up when I make something for the relatives, "can you make it less sweet"?
How excited was I when America's Test Kitchen recently came out with a cookbook specifically dedicated to baking with less sugar, entitled Naturally Sweet. If this book didn't have my family's name written all over it I don't know what would!
The recipes in the book use alternatives to the traditional granulated white sugar, which helps to bring down the level of sweetness. Sucanat, an unrefined cane sugar, is the one predominantly used in Naturally Sweet.
I was keen to test out a recipe to see if the cookbook really lived up
to its claims and decided to have a go at one of my all-time favorite
cookies,
Oatmeal Raisin. The cookie dough came together really easily, although
you do have to take the extra step of grinding the Sucanat in a spice
grinder.
The cookies browned beautifully in the oven with crispy edges and a soft center, just how I like them! They tasted great and had a very nice molasses flavor to them. I didn't even miss the extra sugar to be honest but the true test was to get other people's review.
I brought the cookies in to the office but didn't disclose that they were low sugar. My co-workers devoured them and when I revealed that they were made with less sugar they were completely surprised. One person even said I could have cut the sweetener a little more and they still would have been fantastic. Now that's a testimonial if I ever heard one! I plan on making more recipes from the cookbook for my family to enjoy this holiday season.
My friends at America's Test Kitchen have kindly donated two copies of Naturally Sweet to give away to my blog readers. Here's how to enter:
GIVEAWAY RULES:
1) Only open to those with a U.S. mailing address
2) Leave your email address in the comments section of this post. Sorry, comments without an email address will be disqualified.
3) Deadline for entry: Saturday December 31 at 11:59pm PST.
Good Luck!
Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/4 cups (7 ounces) Sucanat
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
3 cups (9 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup raisins
Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg in bowl. Working in 4 batches, grind Sucanat in spice grinder until fine and powdery, about 1 minute.
Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and ground Sucanat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, and mix until combined, about 1 minute, scraping down bowl as needed. Add oats and raisins and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Give dough final stir by hand.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Working with 2 heaping tablespoons of dough at a time, roll into balls and space 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Press dough to 1/2-inch thickness using bottom of greased drinking glass.
Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges begin to turn golden and firm, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cookies cool completely on sheet. Serve.
i love atk! this book sounds awesome
ReplyDeletejudith
j.rontal@gmail.com
This looks great! I love to bake for my family, and would love to bake with less sugar without having to sacrifice taste.
ReplyDeletekroeker.elizabeth@gmail.com
Thanks for the opportunity and the recipe. Flholmes1@aol.com
ReplyDeleteHow great it would be to win a book.paintpiano@aol.com
ReplyDeleteYum! Can't wait to try this recipe.
ReplyDeleteJansanderson70@gmail.com
What a wonderful giveaway! Thanks so much :)
ReplyDeletemia2009(at)comcast(dot)net
This is great! Can't wait to try the new recipes. I also have family members who are diabetic and always looking for healthier options.
ReplyDeleteholoh@yahoo.com
ATK + "healthy" recipes = ππΌππΌπͺπ
ReplyDeleteSimmi.shulman@gmail.com
I'd love to see and bake what is in that book. I love baking and always looking for low sugar options, diabetes is also a concern for me.
ReplyDeletedaniela.ev4@gmail.com
Looks like a great book - deanna.carpenter@rocketmail.com
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Would love this cookbook!
ReplyDeleteissla@hotmail.com
This looks great! I'm always looking for new recipes to try. Being a new mom means I've got to cook quick! This naturally sweet cookbook would be a great tool for me to have for my growing family! :)
ReplyDeleteLindsey
linz_rae@hotmail.com
This is awesome! I love America's Test Kitchen, it's my favorite show to watch at night when I'm winding down from a long day with my 2 year old son. I would love to have this cook book to make treats for him and my family with less sugar. nannan8.sw@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI will try anything from ATK and I'm always looking for ways to lower sugar in baking recipes!
ReplyDeleteBethfab@gmail.com
Oh, I'd love a copy of this cookbook! Anything by ATK is great!
ReplyDeletenejsterioti@gmail.com
I always cut sugar in my recipes but I would love to learn more about sucanant and using it instead of regular sugar. America's Test Kitchen does great stuff! Chute.beth@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteFantastic. I'd love to make healthier cookies, esp with date sugar. Are there crunchy crispy cookies as well?
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Thank you!
Thank you for this giveaway! I would love to try the recipes. ATK is AWSOME!!! lao129@juno.com
ReplyDeleteWow, this is a really best and also nice sweet for eating and also for buying other family members. I wish I will buy it and taste it after ending my https://www.topbustours.com/cherry-blossom-bus-tour-vacation-packages-from-newyork/
ReplyDeleteYou don’t have to grind the Sucanat. They still turn out amazing and you can’t tell from the cookie’s appearance. I had a batch of these out for friends along with about half a dozen oatmeal cookies from a national natural food supermarket chain. My home-made cookies disappeared. There were still 5 cookies from the supermarket left.
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