Low-fat oatmeal cookies use substitutions like applesauce instead of sugar and margarine instead of butter to reduce calories and fat. Additional ingredients like raisins and nuts can be added for flavor, but store-bought cookies should be checked for nutritional information.
Low-fat oatmeal cookies are lower in calories and fat than a traditional oatmeal cookie recipe, making them ideal for low-fat or heart-healthy diets. The ingredients in these cookies are similar to those in traditional recipes and include dairy products, sugar, oats, flour, and occasionally fruit or nuts. Unlike a traditional recipe, low-fat cookies have a low amount of sugar or butter and can replace some high-calorie ingredients, like white sugar, with a healthier alternative like applesauce. As a result, low-fat oatmeal cookies may not be as sweet as those made to a traditional recipe.
The main ingredients in low-fat oatmeal cookies include oats, flour, eggs, white and brown sugar, and vanilla extract. In general, higher-calorie ingredients are reduced for low-fat recipes. For example, a low-fat oatmeal cookie recipe may call for less white and brown sugar. Adding less of a certain ingredient such as a sugar can alter the taste of the cookie but it also reduces the fat content.
Low-fat recipes often use substitutions instead of ingredients with a higher fat or calorie content. For example, a low-fat oatmeal cookie recipe might call for applesauce instead of white sugar. Applesauce is naturally sweet and is healthier than refined sugars. Many low-fat oatmeal cookie recipes use margarine instead of butter since margarine can be lower in calories.
A reduction or substitution can alter the cooking times. Low-fat oatmeal cookies may need to bake on a lower temperature for an extended period of time to ensure the cookies stay moist and soft. Overcooking low-fat oatmeal cookies can cause them to burn or fall apart.
Additional ingredients can be added to a recipe to change or improve the taste of low-fat oatmeal cookies. A popular addition is raisins, which taste naturally sweet and don’t add many calories or fat to the cookie. Nuts, such as pecans or walnuts, are another common addition to low-fat oatmeal cookies. While adding nuts give the cookies a more intense flavor, they also increase the calorie and fat content and should be done sparingly.
Some bakery manufacturers sell prebaked low-fat oatmeal cookies. Store-bought cookies are generally low in calories, but may contain more fat than homemade cookies. Consumers on a restricted diet should read the ingredient label on all store-bought cookies before consumption. This label includes the size of a serving, as well as the number of calories, amount of fat, and nutritional information for each serving.
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