Everyone likes a fresh baked batch of chocolate chip cookies, but if you’re one to bake in the kitchen often, you may want to consider some ways to make your baked goods better for your health. Baking frequently requires ingredients such as heavy cream, butter, and sugar, and if you’re looking after what you eat, these may not be the best choices for your diet.
Luckily, there are plenty of easy ways to lighten up your cookies and cupcakes without ruining their taste or quality.
1. Avocado For Butter
It may not be your first instinct, but avocado makes a great substitute for butter, as it is high in monounsaturated fats. This works best for recipes that are made with chocolate, such as brownies or cookies.
2. Greek Yogurt For Cream
Instead of using heavy cream, sour cream, or cream cheese, try using Greek yogurt instead. It’s lower in fat and higher in protein, but it still provides a smooth creaminess needed for recipes.
3. Almond Flour For Regular Flour
Almond flour, or almond meal, makes a great substitute for white flour, and instead of being filled with refined carbohydrates, it’s loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, and protein. Almond flour works well in many types of pastries and it can be mixed with regular flour or used alone.
4. Applesauce For Sugar
Since apples contain natural sugars, it maks a great sweetener for baked goods. It adds Vitamin C and fiber to recipes while cutting down on calories. Just replace the amount of sugar with applesauce, and decrease the amount of liquid in your recipe by 1/4 cup per cup of applesauce used.
5. Flax Seeds For Eggs
If you’re vegan, or are trying to cut down on the amount of eggs you’re eating, you can make an egg substitute using flax seeds. Just mix 1 tablespoon of flax seed with 2 1/2 tablespoons warm water to replace one egg.
6. Cacao Nibs For Chocolate Chips
Chocolate is a healthy ingredient, but many chocolate chips contain sweeteners or added dairy. Instead of using your run-of-the-mill chocolate chips, try using cacao nibs, which just contain pure cocoa. They contain a bit of a crunch, so they also work well as a substitute for nuts.
7. Banana For Oil
Use one cup of banana for one cup of oil in baking recipes, and you’ll cut down on calories and fat and add in potassium, folate, vitamin C, and vitamin A. This works best with lighter cakes and baked goods.
