Show Off Your Holiday Cookies with Dietitian Gone Wild's Simple Tips

‘Tis the season for baking!   And to try to avoid a growing waistline…

Every year the desire to bake around the holidays creeps up on me.  Thankfully, there are plenty of holiday parties to bring the cookies to so I’m not just sitting at home having cookies for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

The last couple of years, I’ve decided to take it a step further by making healthier cookies.  I know what you’re thinking… but they taste pretty darn good!  Like the real thing good.  And I’ll list the recipe below for y’all, but since they’re pretty classic chocolate chip cookies I needed to find creative ways to spice up the presentation to give them festive holiday vibes. 

Step 1: Choose a fun platter

Either get a pretty holiday platter (you can find fun ones for low cost at Goodwill) or do as I did and take any platter you have at home and place a decorative towel over it.  I then sprinkled the platter with coconut flakes for some snowy-vibes.   Like a flocked tree… I flocked the tray.

Step 2:  Add a couple not-so-healthy holiday cookies into the mix.

I used these adorable holiday cookie cutters that I DID find at the Goodwill to make Christmas tree and gingerbread man sugar cookies and played with all the colors and sprinkles.  I threw some bright candy canes in, too, for a pop of color.   After all, it’s the holidays… ya gotta indulge a little!

Step 3: Use simple holiday decorations on your tray

Just like you decorate your home, decorate your tray!  Add in a simple fake sprig of holly or a poinsettia. 

Step 4: Serve bevs in festive holiday mugs to accompany your cookies

I’ve got my holiday Naughty or Nice mug filled up with cashew milk (or is it eggnog?) all ready to go, just how Santa would want it.

Again, most of these kitchenware and decorations are super cheap to find at thrift stores like Goodwill, and you never know WHAT you’ll find.  They have so many cool things to help you get creative this holiday season!  And you’ll be supporting a good cause which is really what the season is all about. 😊

Paleo Cacao Chip Christmas Cookie Recipe

-1 cup Cassava flour

-1/4 cup coconut sugar

-1/2 tsp baking powder

-1/2 tsp baking soda

-1/4 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt

-1/2 cup ghee

-1/3 cup manuka honey

-1 egg

-1 cup cacao nibs

Best Part.  I made this in a Vitamix.  SO. EASY.  However, you can of course use a hand mixer, but I like to challenge myself to make basically everything with the Vitamix.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  First add the dry ingredients (cassava flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt) and blend on regular speed at 1.  Then add in the ghee and honey and blend on 2.  Add in the egg. Continue to blend until smooth consistency.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add in the cacao nibs.  Mix it up with a spoon and use a cookie scoop or just a regular spoon like I did to make medium sized dough balls.  Keep them about 2 inches apart on the pan as they will spread out.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Take the trays (I used 2) out of the oven and let them cool 10-20 mins.  Option to chill them in the fridge for an additional 10 minutes to really set the consistency.  If you try to eat these straight out of the oven, they will crumble for sure… the cassava flour doesn’t have the same hold as regular cookies.  Serve with cashew or almond milk (or some nog) and enjoy!

Stay Wild,

Danielle

MS, RDN, LDN