Delicious Holiday Baking With Fewer Calories!

The holiday season is upon us and for those of us who love to bake that means our ovens are working overtime on pies, cookies, brownies and cakes! With all those tempting sweet treats, why not cut the calories by cutting the sugar? Truvia® Baking Blend, a blend of sugar and Truvia® natural sweetener, is sugar-like in taste and texture, and has twice the sweetness (so you need less!) and 75% fewer calories than sugar. I tried Truvia® Baking Blend in the shortbread cookie recipe I make each year and found they baked, browned and tasted as if they were made with 100% sugar! Instead of 1 cup sugar, I used only a 1/2 cup of Truvia® Baking Blend. Check out my delicious Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread recipe below.

Recipe Contest!
We'd love to hear what you think of Truvia® Baking Blend, too. Leave a comment below stating what holiday cookie/dessert you are most excited to try re-creating using Truvia® Baking Blend. One (1) winner will win a $25 gift card to the grocery store of their choice! The winner will be selected on 12/17/2012. See the official rules here.
 

Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread

3/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup Truvia® Baking Blend
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
3/4 cup pistachios, chopped
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and Truvia® Baking Blend until they are just combined. Add the vanilla extract, cranberries and pistachios and mix.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and roll the dough into two 2–inch thick logs. Wrap in plastic and freeze for 30 minutes.

Slice into 1/2-inch rounds and reshape if necessary. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet or Silpat. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges begin to lightly brown. Allow to cool to room temperature and serve.

Visit the Truvia® website for more tips and information on Truvia® Baking Blend.

Disclosure: This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Truvia® Natural Sweetener. All opinions are 100% mine.