Here’s a recipe for healthy gingerbread cookies from Laurel Hudson, culinary instructor at Wellspring Academies.

Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:

½ cup Fiber One original bran cereal

1 package whole wheat gingerbread cake or cookie mix

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp ginger

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

¼ tsp baking powder

¼ cup granulated Splenda

Pinch of salt

½ cup canned pure pumpkin

¼ cup warm water

3 tbsp molasses

1 tsp vanilla

6 packets of Truvia no calorie sweetener

Pam spray

Directions:

1.        Preheat oven to 350 F.

2.        Line a baking pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with Pam.

3.        In a food processor, grind the cereal until it looks like flour, then pour into a bowl.

4.        Add the gingerbread mix, all the spices, the baking powder, Splenda, and salt and mix well.

5.        In a small bowl, combine the pumpkin with the warm water, molasses, and vanilla and mix well.

6.        Add the pumpkin mixture to the other bowl and stir until blended.

7.        Knead the dough to combine.

8.        Roll the dough into 1/2” balls, making 36 cookies dough balls total, and place them on the cookie sheet.

9.        Flatten balls or scoops with the back of a spoon dipped in the Truvia, so the dough doesn’t stick to the spoon.

10.     Bake in the oven for 10-20 minutes, or until the edges are firm.

11.     Let cool for 5 minutes, then place in the refrigerator to cool completely.

12.     Remove from the pan and enjoy!

Yields 3 dozen cookies

Approximate Nutritional Information: 54 calories/0.1g per cookie