Cranberry-Orange- Nut Cookies - 15g Carbs, 1g Fiber

Low Calorie | Low Carb | Low Sodium | Low Cholesterol | Low Sat Fat | Heart Healthy | Diabetes Appropriate | Healthy Weight

Crisp, moist and chewy, this cookie created by Georgene Egri of Walnut
Creek, California, has the essential ingredients for the holidays: citrus, nuts and cranberries. These cookies travel well for gift-giving and lunchboxes.
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
1 cup PLUS 3 Tbsp sugar, divided
1/2 cup smooth, unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tbsp freshly grated orange zest
3 Tbsp orange juice

1. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir in walnuts and dried cranberries.
2. Whisk 1 cup sugar, applesauce, oil, orange zest and juice in a medium bowl until smooth. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
4. Put the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar into a small flat-bottomed dish or pan. Roll the dough with floured hands (it will be very moist) into 1 1/2-inch balls, then roll in sugar to coat. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake the cookies until barely golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on the pan for 1 minute; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies
Nutrition per Cookie: 102 Calories, 5g Fat, 0g Sat, 1g Mono, 0mg Cholesterol, 1g Protein, 15g Carbs, 1g Fiber, 94mg Sodium, 24mg Potassium
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 other carbohydrate, 1 fat
MAKE AHEAD TIP:
Prepare the dough through Step 2, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
USER COMMENTS - -
These were tasty and tender. I substituted Splenda for half the sugar, both in the recipe and in the sugar-rolling preparation for baking. I made these last night and they are wonderful. I didn't have orange zest so I tried lemon zest as a substitute and I am pleased with the taste.