Today is my amazing friend Emily’s birthday! Aside from being a wonderful friend, Emily also happens to be my boss at one of my many jobs. She is pretty much the best person to work for on the face of the planet. Brilliant, talented, kind, supportive, helpful, you name it. So today I wanted to do something special for her. I was originally going to make cupcakes, but I’m on kind of a cookie kick, so I created a brand new recipe that ended up being a success.
This is not necessarily the healthiest recipe I’ve ever created, but it still has a touch of me and my avoidance-except-in-small-doses of my ex lover: butter. Seriously butter, I still love you, but it’s a toxic relationship.
Vanilla Bean Chocolate Chip Candy Cane Cookies
yield 16 medium sized cookies
- 1 cup + 2 tbs flour (I used plain ole white this time, but white whole wheat, or whole wheat pastry would also be good)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup light whipped butter, softened
- 1.5 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 oz fat free plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tbs Splenda
- 1 1/4 tbs fat free half and half
- 3 tbs egg substitute (an egg white would work too)
- 1/2 vanilla bean
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 candy cane, crushed
Directions:
- Whisk flour and baking soda together, set aside.
- Beat cream cheese, butter and yogurt until fluffy. Beat in brown sugar and Splenda, followed by egg substitute, half and half, and vanilla.
- Slice vanilla bean down the center and scrape seeds into sugar mixture.
- Beat in flour mixture.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Cover and refrigerate for one hour.
- Preheat oven to 325 and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray with nonstick spray.
- Roll cookies into small-medium balls and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Place onto cookie sheet.
- Top each cookie with a little crushed candy cane.
- Bake for 14-18 minutes.
- Let stand on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
