I tinkered with my old sugar cookie recipe and cut the sugar from 1 1/2 cups down to just 1/2 cup. I personally think it could be cut even more, but that’s because I am weird about sweetness levels now. I’m the one who thinks coffee is sweet when it has only cream stirred into it. It looks so creamy delicious, and I say things like “mmm it is so sweet and good” while I’m sipping it, so my people keep trying it thinking that maybe this time I really mean it. I mean, I do mean it – why would I lie? It’s sweet. But then they take a sip and they make faces and say, “Eww that is so not sweet, what are you even talking about?” This is how I never have to share my coffee.
Now sharing these cookies is a different story. Everyone loves these lightly sweetened jewels. The butter makes them flaky good. This will be my new go-to sugar cookie recipe at all holidays, special events, and uneventful Wednesdays when the mood strikes.
Note about the sugar: Most of the time I use sucanat because it is sugar with some nutrients left behind. For occasional recipes when I’d like to avoid the product turning out too dark brown, I pull out some organic raw sugar. It’s only barely better than white sugar, but we’re going light on the sugar here so I don’t throw a fit about this.
Sugar Cookies the Healthier Way
- 1 cup melted butter
- ½ cup sucanat or raw sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3½ cups of whole wheat flour (give or take)
- Stir together melted butter and sugar.
- Add eggs, vanilla, and baking powder.
- Stir in flour until a solid ball of dough forms.
- Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to chill for about an hour.
- Roll chilled dough on a well-floured surface and thin or thick as you like.
- Cut with cookie cutters and place them about a half inch apart on a baking sheet.
- Bake in a 350° oven for about 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.
- Makes 20-30 cookies depending on the thickness and size.
Notice the little round piece of squished circle dough, ready to be baked along with the pumpkin-shaped cookies. It is a part of the “No Cookie Left Behind” program. It’s what you do when your remaining dough isn’t big enough to shape.
Frost these cookies if you like, but then they fall out of the Low Sugar category. We find these to be perfect as they are, and some of us love to eat them with our coffee that is sweetened only with cream.
It’s almost cookie rolling, cutting, and baking season – so I can’t wait to hear what you think about these! (We’re on our third batch already. I may have failed to mention to my kids that I cut down the sugar in this recipe. Do not tell.)
So excited to see that they turned out. Sometimes cutting sugar in baked goods, drastically changes the consistency. I can’t wait to try this with my favorite coconut oil no-roll sugar cookie recipe.
Do you use hard white or soft white wheat for the whole wheat flour in this recipe?
I usually use soft white, but hard white works just fine too. :)
These look great but I wonder if they would work using coconut oil? I have a daughter that can’t have any dairy.
Yes, I haven’t tried it, but I do think they would work find with coconut oil. :)
Recipe has baking powder but the instructions has baking soda. Just wondering what to use. Thanks.
Oops! Baking powder. :)
Thanks. Made them today. With coconut oil and gluten free flour. Turned out great.
So how much coconut oil do u use?
Simply switch it out with the butter, so 1 cup. :)
When we make sugar cookies for Christmas, that last little ball of dough is called ‘The Christmas Blob’ and we fight over who gets it:-) Looking forward to trying these with less sugar. Thanks!
How many eggs? The ingredients list doesnt say
Hmm, not sure why it isn’t showing up for you in the recipe correctly. 2 eggs…enjoy!
These cookies turned out beautifully and taste delicious. Perfect for me and my diabetic husband!
These turned out great! The first time, I made them mostly as is, subbing brown sugar for white. I made them in my stand mixer. I felt they needed just a little something extra. The second time, I doubled the vanilla and added 1/2 tsp cinnamon. I just tried one, and they taste amazing! Thank you so much for this recipe. It can be so hard to find good low sugar/whole wheat baked goods recipes.