Low Fat Gingerbread Recipes

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar and applesauce until smooth.
• Add the egg and molasses, mix well.
• In another large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and spices.
• Add to sugar and molasses mixture, stirring well.
• Divide the dough into two flat balls; cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Generously dust the surface of your working area with flour before rolling out the dough.
• Work with one ball of dough at a time, keep the other refrigerated while you do so.
• Roll the dough out to 1/4 or 1/8-inch thickness, sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough if it's a little sticky.
• Cut the gingerbread with a cookie cutter shape of your choice.
• Place cookies 1 or 2 inches apart on a silpat-lined baking sheet.
• Bake 10-12 minutes.
• Mix the egg whites with lemon juice.
• Combine with powdered sugar, mixing well. If the icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar, if it's too thick add a drop of lemon juice.
• Add to a piping bag to decorate cookies when cookies are cooled.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES LOW-FAT

Steps:

• In a big bowl. beat butter, brown sugar, egg.
• Fill a one cup measuring cup with 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses. Then continue to fill the measuring cup to the 2/3 cup mark, with honey. Add to butter, sugar and egg. Mix well.
• Grate chunk of ginger -about 2 tbsp-, then add to bowl and mix.
• Sift dry ingredients into the big bowl and mix well.
• Chill dough for 2 hours.
• Roll out 1/4-inch thick and cut into shapes. Bake 8-10 minutes.

LOW FAT GINGERBREAD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Lightly oil a 1/2 gallon (7 X 11 inch) baking pan. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (apple butter, buttermilk, molasses, oil, egg and vanilla).
• In another bowl, stir together dry ingredients (flour, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt), breaking up any lumps of brown sugar with your fingertips.
• Stir dry ingredients into apple butter mixture until well combined.
• Scrape batter into prepared baking dish and smoothing top.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or inserted knife comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

LIGHTER GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Put the dates in a small bowl and pour over 125ml of boiling water. Leave to cool for 30 mins. Lightly oil a 28 x 19 x 3cm traybake tin, then line the base with baking parchment.
• Meanwhile, put the oil, black treacle, maple syrup and freshly grated ginger in a bowl and beat together with a fork to mix well. Set aside. Beat the egg in a small bowl and stir in the buttermilk. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, cinnamon and sugar - rub the mixture between your fingers to break down any lumpy bits of sugar. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
• Blend the dates and their liquid to a thick purée in a small food processor. Pour the egg, the dates and the treacle mixture into the bowl with the flour. Stir together briefly with a wooden spoon just until well mixed - the mixture will be soft like a thick batter. Pour it into the lined tin, gently level the mixture and bake for 40-45 mins. To test if it's done, insert a skewer in the centre - if the skewer comes out clean with no uncooked mixture on it, and the cake feels firm but springy to the touch, it should be done.
• Leave in the tin for a few mins before removing to a wire rack, peeling off the parchment and leaving to cool completely. If you can wait, wrap it well in parchment, then foil. Leave for a day before cutting, as it will become stickier - it will keep moist for 3-4 days.