Many classic cookie recipes get weighed down by sticks of butter, but there's a trick that can help lighten them up.
When Devan Redington sent me her family recipe for drizzled oatmeal cookies, I put that trick to the test.
"My family absolutely loves these oatmeal cookies, but they seem pretty unhealthy," Redington wrote. "Do you have any suggestions on how to make them healthier?"
I started by substituting a little Splenda brown sugar blend for part of the brown sugar, saving some calories. Then I used white whole wheat flour in place of half of the recipe's all-purpose flour to add more fiber and nutrients.
The biggest challenge was finding a way to cut down on the cup of butter these cookies called for.
A cup of butter contains 1,628 calories and 184 fat grams. To put that amount of fat into perspective, if you skipped those two sticks of butter, you could eat six large orders of McDonald's french fries and still have 4 fat grams left over.
I knew I needed to trim that fat, but it's not easy to find an alternative to butter that doesn't significantly change the taste and texture of baked goods like cookies.
Light butter has half the calories and about half the fat of the regular version, but in most cases, it doesn't work well for baking.
Lots of diets recommend replacing all of the butter with applesauce anytime you bake, but if you use applesauce straight out of the jar, it will give many baked goods a gummy texture that just isn't appetizing.
I wanted to find a happy medium, so I decided to try a method I've read about in Cooking Light magazine that drains moisture from applesauce. I found that it works better to drain the applesauce about twice as long as Cooking Light recommends.
Drained applesauce has a thicker texture, which makes it a smart substitute for part of the butter in some recipes.
I tried replacing all of the butter in these cookies with drained applesauce, but that was too drastic. Using a couple of tablespoons of butter along with a little less applesauce worked much better.
My version of oatmeal drizzle cookies cuts the calories by 38 percent and slashes the fat by 77 percent. You can have two of my cookies for 148 calories and 2.6 fat grams.
If you skip the chocolate drizzle, you'll save 15 more calories per cookie.


Kathy's oatmeal drizzle cookies
Makes 3 dozen cookies

 For cookies:  
1   cup no-sugar-added applesauce, or more if needed  
1/4   cup packed Splenda brown sugar blend  
1/2   cup packed brown sugar  
2   tablespoons butter, softened  
1/4   cup water  
2 1/2   cups uncooked quick-cooking oats  
1/2   cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour  
1/2   cup plus 2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour (King Arthur is one brand)  
1   teaspoon cinnamon  
1/2   teaspoon baking soda  
1/4   teaspoon salt  

 For drizzle:  
1   cup confectioners sugar  
3   tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder  
1   teaspoon butter, softened  
2   to 3 tablespoons fat-free milk  

Put a fine sieve into a bowl large enough so the sieve doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl, then spoon 1 cup applesauce into the sieve.
Let applesauce stand about 30 minutes, then scoop 3/4 cup drained applesauce from the sieve. (If there isn't enough, drain some additional applesauce.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine brown sugars, butter and drained applesauce in a large bowl. Use a mixer
Advertisement to beat at medium speed until mixture is creamy. Add water and continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low and add oats, flours, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Beat until well mixed.
Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets, then flatten each cookie to about a 2-inch diameter. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let stand for 1 minute, then remove from baking sheets and cool completely on wire racks.
Combine all drizzle ingredients except milk in small bowl. Beat at low speed, gradually adding enough milk for desired consistency. Drizzle each cooled cookie with about 1 teaspoon of drizzle.