It's easy to see why cookies made with cake mix have been popular for decades: Cake mix cookies are simple to make and taste great, especially when freshly baked. Nearly all leading cake mixes, however, contain tiny amounts of trans fats, which now are known to be hazardous for heart health. Organic cake mixes make it easy to update the recipe, with no sacrifice in taste.
The Problem with Trans Fats
Trans fats, also known as hydrogenated fats. are considered harmful to health, even more so than saturated fats. According to the American Heart Association, trans fats raise levels of LDL cholesterol in the body and may also contribute to the development of diabetes. High levels of LDL increase the risk of heart disease. The heart association now recommends that consumers eat no more than two grams of trans fats a day. As some foods naturally contain trans fats, the heart association recommends that consumers completely avoid all products that include trans fats, or hydrogenated fats.
Labels on Mixes Don't Tell Whole Story
Consumers are advised to check nutritional labels, and avoid product that contain any trans fats. This is tricky, however, as a product can contain up to 0.5 grams of hydrogenated fats per serving while still being able to say "0 grams trans fats." Commercial cake mixes usually have hydrogenated fats listed in the ingredients. Health experts recommend that consumers have no more than two grams of trans fats a day, so why use a mix that has any?
Cake Mix Cookies With No Bad Fats
The following new and improved recipe for cake mix cookies results in delicious cookies, without unhealthy trans fats or hydrogenated fats. The key is to use one of the new organic cake mixes, which are found in the natural foods section of a supermarket.
One popular brand is Dr. Oetker’s, which comes in vanilla, chocolate, lemon and marble cake mixes. Arrowhead Mills also has recently started manufacturing cake mixes with no hydrogenated (trans) fats. Cake mix cookies call for the addition of oil, which is much healthier than butter or margarine; the best choice is canola oil.
The following recipe, tested in a regular home kitchen, produced an excellent cookie batch of cookies that soon disappeared from the kitchen counter.
Improved Cake Mix Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (dark chocolate is better for heart health)
- 1/4-1/3 cup canola oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 eggs
- 1 box cake mix
Directions
- Put baking rack in middle of oven; preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In large bowl, lightly beat eggs, then add oil, water, cake mix; stir to make dough
- Stir in chocolate chips
- Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper. Gently roll dough into 1 inch balls (size does not have to be exact.) Place in rows, about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
- Bake about 10-13 minutes, or until lightly brown around the edges
- Remove from oven, let cool 5 minutes; finish cooling on cooling rack
Like all cake mix cookies, these chocolate chip cookies will tend to be their chewy best the day they are made, but they are still delicious a day later, when they become crispier. To store, cover tightly in a container and keep at room temperature.
Variations
Part of the fun of cake mix cookies is the potential for the creative cooks to go a little wild with making combinations of cookies. Cake mix cookies can be tweaked with different mixes or ingredients.
- Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies: Substitute chocolate organic cake mix for vanilla
- Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies: Substitute orange juice for water, add 1 tsp. grated orange rind
- Chocolate Walnut Cookies: Add ½ cup chopped, toasted walnuts to recipe
- Almond-Cranberry cookies: Add 1/3 cup dried cranberries, 1/3 cup toasted almonds to vanilla cake mix
A traditional home-style cookie recipe, such as cake mix cookies, can be adapted to modern day healthy living, thanks to the development of organic cake mixes. Improved cake mix cookies marries the convenience of a mix with smart nutrition. Best of all, the cookies are delicious.
Another Dessert Idea
For another dessert with no trans fat, try Wacky Cake
Source The American Heart Association
Katherine Spitz - I'm a former newspaper reporter who focused on the "practical stuff" of life, as it relates to health/mental health, aging and food. ...
