A No-Sugar Alternative for Valentine’s Day

Have you ever made jam-filled cookies? They are so delicious. Grandma MOE used to make them, then I learned how to make them, and my husband’s aunt makes them for every special event or birthday with letters and numbers cut out. One time she spelled out “Buon Compleanno” (which means happy birthday) and the numbers 1-50 in individual cookies, plus the birthday girl’s name…!! Oh, the patience!!

No one has a problem with sugar in our family, but I know many do, so I am happy to provide an alternative to this cookie, without losing its sweet taste.

You may have read my undying affection for the BBQ sauce created by Xyla. Well, Xyla (created from xylitol) can also be bought in its raw form to use for baking. It essentially looks like sugar, tastes like sugar, but is the natural alternative to sugar, perfect for those in need of a no-sugar diet.

I was invited to a press event where we tasted everything Xyla had to offer, and there was not one trace of an aftertaste, and everything was really good. I was so impressed!

So without further ado, here is your recipe for a no-sugar, sweet cookie for Valentine’s Day. Your loved ones will be surprised it is not regular sugar! This recipe makes 35 cookies.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup Xyla® xylitol
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • ¾ cup Xyla® Raspberry Jam

Instructions:

  • Stir flour with baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In another large bowl, beat butter with Xyla® on medium-high using an electric mixer, until fluffy (approx. 3 min). Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla.
  • Using a wooden spoon, gradually stir in flour mixture, just until evenly blended. Form into a ball. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a flat disc. Wrap separately with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 1 week.
  • Preheat oven to 375F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Dust a rolling pin with flour. Roll dough no thicker than 1/4 in. on a lightly floured surface. Cut out shapes with a 2- to 3-in. heart cookie cutter. Transfer to prepared baking sheets and place about 2 in. apart. Use a smaller cutter to cut out centres of half of the cookies on baking sheet.
  • Bake one sheet in centre of oven until cookies are pale golden, 7 to 8 min. Place cookie sheet on a rack for 5 min. Then remove cookies to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Gather dough scraps and form into a disc. Chill until firm enough to re-roll.
  • Assemble cookies by generously dusting cut-out cookies with icing sugar (see below). Spread about 1 tsp jam on each bottom half. Then set sugar-dusted cookies over jam-covered hearts.

These cookies can be stored in an airtight container (before adding jam) at room temperature up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.

An alternative to icing sugar:

Mix ¾ cup of Xyla® xylitol with 2 tablespoons of corn starch to get sugar-free icing sugar

Giveaway!

The folks at Xyla have offered one lucky reader the chance to win a Xyla package of goodies, including some Xyla xylitol natural sweetener (so you can get baking too!). The package is valued at $50 so there will be lots to taste!

To enter, fill in the Rafflecopter below and be sure to answer the question: If there is one sweet treat you could have every day without harming your teeth, body or gaining calories, what would it be? I know my answer – chocolate! 🙂

The giveaway is open to Canadian residents only and the deadline to enter is February 29th at 11:59pm.

Good luck to all!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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25 comments

Brenda Penton February 15, 2016 at 8:18 pm

I’d eat cheesecake everyday if I could.

Reply
Jeannie February 15, 2016 at 8:29 pm

Cookies! All sorts of cookies!

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Rosie February 15, 2016 at 9:26 pm

I’d eat ice cream every flavor!!!

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Maggie C February 15, 2016 at 9:55 pm

That would have to caramel popcorn!!

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Suzi February 15, 2016 at 10:10 pm

FUDGE!

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joy February 15, 2016 at 10:43 pm

Soft drinks!

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maria February 16, 2016 at 1:14 am

Chocolate!

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Florence C February 16, 2016 at 1:51 pm

I could eat Chocolate every day.

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David February 17, 2016 at 2:03 am

ice cream

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Jonnie February 19, 2016 at 6:04 pm

I would love to indulge in fudge every day!

Reply
Elena February 19, 2016 at 6:32 pm

Without a doubt it would be chocolate. I hate having to eat it in moderation!! lol

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Amy C February 19, 2016 at 8:24 pm

I would have fudge

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Wendy hutton February 20, 2016 at 3:33 am

nanimo bars

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heidi c. February 20, 2016 at 8:00 am

I would definitely go with chocolate!

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Amy Heffernan February 20, 2016 at 1:28 pm

Pizza

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Nate Fuller February 21, 2016 at 1:13 pm

Chocolate, I would eat it everyday all day if I could!

Reply
Ally G. February 23, 2016 at 5:15 pm

If there is one sweet treat I could have every day without harming my teeth, body or gaining calories, it would be chocolate cake, chocolate brownies, chocolate bars, anything chocolate!

Reply
Maria February 24, 2016 at 8:19 pm

Piece of chocolate and banana bread

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Sarah at Journeys of The Zoo February 26, 2016 at 6:41 pm

Is there sugar in Caviar? If not, chips! These spicy ones that I can only get in Mexico. Yum!

Thinking of you.

Besos, Sarah
Journeys of The Zoo

Reply
Eldon February 28, 2016 at 3:23 am

Milk chocolate!

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Silvia D February 28, 2016 at 3:41 am

would have to be caramel filled milk chocolates!

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Jennifer L. February 28, 2016 at 4:01 am

It would be chocolate bars.

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Yuen C February 28, 2016 at 5:00 am

It would be ice cream

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Juliee Fitze February 28, 2016 at 1:33 pm

I would eat a Mars bar everyday if I could.

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michelle tremblett February 28, 2016 at 2:09 pm

Chocolate ! everything chocolate lol. It is my weakness :/

Reply

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