Wellness Center's Blog

Low-Sugar Christmas Desserts

By: Stockbridge Wellness Center Staff

December 24, 2024, 10:00 am - Categories: Fitness

Christmas desserts are a beloved tradition, but indulging in sweet treats doesn’t have to sabotage your healthy habits. This holiday season, enjoy one of these delicious and festive low-sugar desserts that will satisfy your sweet tooth.

Gingerbread Tea Cake

Ingredients

• 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ cup canola oil
• ¼ cup granulated sugar or sugar substitute blend equivalent to 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 ¼ cups cold water
• ⅔ cup full-flavor molasses
• ½ cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
• Fresh raspberries for garnish

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly coat a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cloves; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together oil and sugar until combined. Add the cold water, molasses and eggs, whisk until combined. Add the reserved flour mixture all at once to the water mixture, whisking just until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the top and garnish with raspberries, if desired.

Recipe courtesy of EatingWell.

Fresh Apple Squares

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• ¼ cup apple juice concentrate, thawed
• 2 medium tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled and thinly sliced
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Work in oil and apple juice concentrate with your fingers until coarse crumbs form.
3. Firmly press 2 cups of the oat mixture into the prepared pan. Arrange apples over the crust in three rows. Mix walnuts into the remaining oat mixture. Sprinkle the walnut mixture evenly over the apples and pat firmly into an even layer.
4. Bake until the top is golden brown and the apples are tender when pierced with a sharp knife, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

REFERENCES:
EatingWell Test Kitchen. “Gingerbread Tea Cake.” EatingWell. August 6, 2024. https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/267681/gingerbread-tea-cake/.
EatingWell Test Kitchen. “Fresh Apple Squares.” EatingWell. April 22, 2024. https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/248536/fresh-apple-squares/.