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 29^th at 11:59pm.

Good luck to all!
a Rafflecopter giveaway