Gingerbread cookies are a holiday staple in many households. But the calories in gingerbread men can cause problems if you're on a diet. But did you know that you can reduce calories in gingerbread cookies? It's easy with low-calorie cookie recipesand baking tips.
Calories in Gingerbread Cookies
If you buy your gingerbread man at a local shop, you'll probably consume well over 100 calories in each cookie. Gingerbread cookies at Dunkin Donuts contain 140 calories. That's less than the number of calories in a donut, but it's still a relatively high number of calories.
But calorie counts can vary significantly. For example, if you buy a Ginger Molasses Cookie from Starbucks you'll consume a whopping 360 calories per serving. If you add that number to thecalories in a typical Starbucks drink, you can easily consume an entire meal's worth of calories when you enjoy your treat.
Make Diet-Friendly Gingerbread Cookies at Home
If you make gingerbread cookies at home you may be able to limit the calories by changing the size of the cookie.Most gingerbread recipes are similar, so the nutrition facts are often the same from recipe to recipe. Big Soft Gingerbread Cookies at Allrecipes.com contain 143 calories per cookie. Smaller 3-inch cookies at Epicurious.com contain 87 calories per cookie.
Looking for a lower fat gingerbread recipe? Try Low Fat Gingerbread Men. These hearty soft cookies contain 97 calories per cookie and contain less fat because the recipe swaps applesauce for half of the butter. You can also try this Healthy Gingerbread Cake recipe to satisfy your sweet tooth around the holidays.