members recipes

The combination of cinnamon and chocolate screams Christmas! These traditionally high-fat cookies are lower in fat and calories because I’ve used yogurt, and cocoa instead of chocolate. These are best eaten the day they are made; any leftover cookies are best eaten biscotti fashion, dipped in coffee.

Ingredients
Dough:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cold margarine or butter
1/3 cup 2% yogurt
3 to 4 tbsp water

Filling:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup raisins
2 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp cocoa
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Method
1. In bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in margarine until crumbly. Add yogurt and water, and mix until combined. Roll into a smooth ball, wrap and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

2. Put brown sugar, raisins, chocolate chips, cocoa and cinnamon in food processor; process until crumbly, approximately 20 seconds.

3. Divide dough in half. Roll one portion into a rectangle of 1/4-inch (5 mm) thickness on a well-floured surface. Sprinkle half of the filling on top of the dough rectangle. Roll up tightly, long end to long end, jelly-roll fashion; pinch ends together. Cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick pieces; some filling will fall out. Place on baking sheets cut side up. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

4. With the back of a spoon or your fingers, gently flatten each cookie. Bake for 25 minutes, turning the cookies over at the halfway mark (12 1/2 minutes).