Indulge Guilt-Free: The Ultimate Low-Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Sticks Recipe
Warning: These are highly addictive cookies, and we mean it! You’d never guess they’re low in fat because they taste incredibly rich and satisfying. These Low Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Sticks offer the perfect blend of chewiness with just a hint of crunch. They’re so utterly delicious, it’s genuinely hard to believe they come with reduced fat. And with the festive season just around the corner, they make the perfect homemade gift or a delightful personal treat you can enjoy without a single ounce of guilt!
The Genius of Cookie Sticks: Effortless Indulgence
Because all we truly want for Christmas (and every other day!) are cookies, especially when they come in a form that makes life infinitely easier. Enter the genius of cookie sticks! Their elongated shape isn’t just a quirky design choice; it’s a game-changer for easier dunking into your favorite tall mugs of milk, tea, or coffee. No more awkwardly trying to fit round cookies into narrow openings or risking a crumbly mess. Life should be simple, and enjoying your favorite chocolate chip cookie shouldn’t involve a complex engineering feat just to get it into your drink.
This innovative shape also makes them ideal for sharing. Whether laid out beautifully on a platter for guests or packed in charming bags as thoughtful gifts, these cookie sticks are as practical as they are delicious. They’re designed for convenience, ensuring every bite (or dunk!) is pure, unadulterated joy.
My Journey to the Perfect Low-Fat Cookie Dream
For the longest time, I believed it was nearly impossible to create a low-fat cookie recipe that could satisfy my intense cookie cravings and, more importantly, fool my entire family into thinking they were indulging in a full-fat, greasy treat. The challenge was immense: how to maintain that beloved chewy texture and the addictive flavor profile I cherished from my local Muffin Break coffee shop, all while significantly reducing the fat content?
Muffin Break’s chocolate chip cookies have always been my benchmark. They possess the perfect balance of sweetness, just the right amount of salt, and an ideal chocolate chip ratio. Their texture is truly mind-blowing, a sensory experience that comes close to culinary nirvana. Replicating that magic, particularly the rich mouthfeel that usually comes from generous amounts of butter and oil, seemed like a monumental task.
I experimented endlessly, trying to eliminate butter and oil completely from various recipes. But time and again, the results fell short. The cookies would be dry, crumbly, or simply lack that quintessential buttery essence that makes a cookie truly irresistible. Who am I kidding? A cookie without that beautiful buttery flavor just isn’t a cookie. It became clear that a tiny bit of fat was essential for the desired taste and texture, but the key was finding the perfect minimal amount and the right supporting ingredients to compensate.
Balancing Flavor and Health: Our Secret Ingredients
My breakthrough came with a careful selection of ingredients designed to maximize flavor and texture while keeping the fat content impressively low. This recipe proves that you don’t need to sacrifice taste for health.
The Power Duo: Light Butter & Applesauce
In these incredible cookie sticks, I’ve managed to keep the butter content to an absolute minimum – just a tiny amount, primarily for that unmistakable, beloved buttery flavor. The real magic, however, comes from the addition of apple sauce. This natural ingredient acts as a fantastic fat substitute, providing essential moisture and a subtle sweetness without adding significant calories or unhealthy fats. Together, the small amount of light butter and the applesauce create a rich, tender, and chewy texture that beautifully mimics a full-fat cookie, making them unbelievably perfect. They vanished from the cooling rack almost as soon as they emerged from the oven, a testament to their irresistible appeal.
Spelt Flour: A Healthier Foundation
To further enhance the health profile of these cookies, this recipe calls for light spelt flour. Spelt is an ancient grain known for its nutty flavor and lighter texture compared to whole wheat. It’s also often easier to digest for some people. While spelt flour adds a healthy touch, you can certainly use regular plain (all-purpose) flour if you prefer, achieving a similarly delicious result. The choice of flour contributes to the cookie’s structure and the nuanced flavor that sets these sticks apart.
The Perfect Sweet and Salty Harmony
Beyond the fat substitutes, the careful balance of other ingredients is crucial. We use light brown sugar for that deep, caramelized sweetness and a soft, chewy texture. Vanilla extract is indispensable, lending its warm, aromatic notes that elevate the chocolate chips. And, perhaps most importantly, the precise amount of salt. Salt doesn’t just add its own flavor; it enhances the sweetness of the sugar and deepens the chocolate notes, creating that coveted sweet-and-salty dynamic that makes a chocolate chip cookie truly exceptional. This harmonious blend ensures every bite is bursting with flavor, leaving your mouth watering and yearning for more, all without the guilt!
Baking Your Own Batch of Bliss: Tips for Success
Creating these delightful low-fat chocolate chip cookie sticks is a straightforward process, but a few tips can ensure your batch turns out perfectly every time.
Getting Started: Prep is Key
Before you even think about mixing, preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Proper oven temperature is vital for even baking and achieving that ideal chewy-crisp texture. Also, make sure to line your baking tray – specifically a 10-inch by 15-inch tray is recommended – with baking or parchment paper. This prevents sticking and makes for easy cleanup, ensuring your cookie sticks slide right off once cooled.
Mixing for Perfection
When combining your wet ingredients (butter, applesauce, sugar, vanilla, and egg), whisk them until they are light and creamy. This aerates the mixture, contributing to the cookies’ final texture. For the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and salt), mix them separately first to ensure they are evenly distributed. Then, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Avoid overmixing once the flour is added; mix just until combined. Overmixing can develop the gluten too much, leading to tougher cookies.
Shaping and Baking Your Sticks
The unique stick shape is part of the charm! Evenly spoon your batter onto the prepared baking sheet, shaping it into a rectangle, leaving about 1 inch from the edges of the pan. This allows for even baking and gives you a good base for slicing. Sprinkle your chocolate chips generously over the top, gently pressing them into the dough to ensure they adhere. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the top is a beautiful golden color and the edges turn a nice brown. Don’t worry if they seem soft when you pull them out; they will firm up as they cool, developing that perfect chewy consistency.
Enjoying Your Guilt-Free Treats
Once your cookie rectangle has cooled for about 10-20 minutes on the tray, it’s time for the final step: slicing them into delightful 1/2-inch strips. Gently remove them with a spatula and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This cooling process is crucial for achieving that perfect firmness and preventing them from becoming too soft. My family is notorious for making these disappear in minutes, so be prepared to bake another batch soon! Oh, what a delicious problem to have.
These cookie sticks are incredibly versatile. Pack them in lunchboxes, serve them at parties, or simply enjoy them as a comforting snack with your evening tea. They also make fantastic edible gifts for friends and family during the holidays or any special occasion. Who wouldn’t appreciate a homemade treat that’s both delicious and surprisingly light?
The Recipe: Low-Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Sticks
Ready to bake your own batch of these irresistible, guilt-free treats? Here’s the full recipe with all the details you need to get started.
Pin
Low Fat Choc Chip Cookie Sticks
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup light butter or margarine of choice softened
- 2 tablespoons apple sauce
- 1 cup light brown sugar or brown sugar substitute packed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temp
- 1 1/2 cups spelt flour or plain/all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 190C | 375F. Line a 10-inch x 15-inch baking/cookie tray with baking/parchment paper and set aside.
-
In a large bowl, combine the butter, apple sauce, sugar and vanilla, and whisk until light and creamy. Add the egg and whisk again until combined.
-
In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir into the batter and mix until combined well. Evenly spoon batter onto the prepared baking sheet, shaping into a rectangle 1-inch from the edges of the pan, and sprinkle with chocolate chips; pressing them lightly into the cookie dough.
-
Bake for 10 – 15 minutes, or until a nice golden colour on the top and the edges are a nice brown colour. (They will be soft when taken out, but will firm up as they cool). Cool for about 10-20 minutes. Once cooled, slice cookies into 1/2-inch strips; gently remove them with a spatula, and place them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.