Are you looking for a healthier Halloween treat to serve your friends and family?
If so you are reading the perfect blog post for you! This simple recipe is not only delicious, but also lower in calories compared to most traditional cookie recipes. Lesser sugar amounts combined with lower fat ingredients produce a healthier halloween treat. Two chocolate cookies are filled with a sweetened peanut butter icing. Pretzel sticks and cereal is added to form the spider features.
What Halloween recipes do you remember enjoying as a child? One of my favorite recipes was something known as “Dirt Pudding”. The recipe includes vanilla pudding, cream cheese, and Oreo cookies all mixed together and served to represent dirt. Google it – you will be addicted! Unfortunately “Dirt Pudding” is loaded with calories and sugar, and therefore is limited to special occasions in my household.
Enjoy!
Your family’s dietitian,
Kristen Smith
Cookie:
- 3 tablespoons butter (unsalted), softened
- 2 tablespoons light buttery spread (ie. Smart Balance or Brummel and Brown spread)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cup white (or wheat) flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling:
- 1 1/2 cup confectioner sugar
- 1-2 teaspoon butter, melted
- 1.5-2 tablespoons low fat milk
- 1.5 tablespoon peanut butter powder (ie. PB2)
Spider Parts:
- 108 mini pretzel sticks
Optional icing (for less sugar):
- Plain non-fat Greek yogurt
- Confectioners sugar
- Peanut butter powder
- optional: Cheerio cereal
Nutrition: