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Slimmer treat
still satisfies

The Christmas holidays would not be the same without all the wonderful treats of the season, including classic Toll House chocolate chip cookies. However, entering the new year without extra holiday pounds would also be a wonderful treat. This modified classic cookie recipe includes lots of flavor, but includes 15 percent fewer calories and 40 percent less fat.

To increase the satisfaction in each bite, we've made these cookies chewy. This is accomplished by adding oatmeal and raisins and baking these cookies in a very slow oven.

Slow-Baking Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dry rolled oats
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1-3/4 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
3/4 cup loose raisins

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F and allow ingredients to reach room temperature.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and oats and set aside.

In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine butter, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract and beat until creamy. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat until smooth.

Gradually combine dry ingredients into butter-sugar mixture until thoroughly mixed. Stir in chocolate chips, walnuts, and raisins.

Drop rounded teaspoons of cookie dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. Place cookie pan in oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove Let pan stand for 2 minutes and then move cookies to wire racks to cool.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Approximate nutritional information, for two original Toll House Cookies: 175 calories, 10 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 150 mg sodium, 2 g protein, 21 g carbohydrates

Approximate nutritional information, for two Slow-Baking Chocolate Chip Cookies: 150 calories, 6 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 125 mg sodium, 2 g protein, 24 g carbohydrates

Here are a few tips to modify your favorite cookie recipes at home, remember these rules.

1. Include the freshest and most flavorful ingredients. For example, to provide the freshest aftertaste, use pure vanilla extract and fresh lemon juice instead of imitation forms.

2. When substituting lower-fat ingredients for higher-fat ingredients, consider the function of the ingredient and the flavor. A key function of butter in a cookie is to impart moisture. Substituting applesauce or another pureed fruit for some of the butter would maintain function and add flavor.

3. Proportions are as important as the ingredients themselves. To give the most similar flavor and have the best success, start by substituting one ingredient at a time and substitute only part of the original ingredient.

4. Adding a really flavorful ingredient which is not part of the original recipe can make an old standard your signature recipe.

If you want a lower-fat makeover of your recipe, mail recipes to Recipe Makeover, Features Department, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, HI 96802. Or email drdobbs@juno.com using Recipe Makeover as your subject title. Make sure to include your name and phone number or email address.

Health Events

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Barbara Burke is a Hawaii-Pacific University instructor who has been teaching
and writing about food and nutrition since 1975.

Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S., is a food and nutrition consultant
and owner of Exploring New Concepts, a nutritional consulting firm.
She is also responsible for the nutritional analyses
indicated by an asterisk in this section.

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