Sugar-free and reduced-sugar dessert recipes

By Susan McClanahan

I really like it when I have mail from readers of this column. The recipes you, as readers, send in are always good because we know they are tried and true and much enjoyed by your family and friends. I encourage you to send in your favorite recipes.

Today's reader mail includes sugar-free and reduced-sugar recipes sent in by Cindy Gaines and Janet Herron. Both Cindy and Janet are volunteers at the senior center and give so generously of their time and talents, which is so very much appreciated. Whether you watch your sugar intake or not, these recipes are so tasty you won't even miss the sugar.

Banana/Chocolate Chip Muffins

• 1/4 cup sour cream and 1 teaspoon baking soda -- stir together and set aside
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Truvia sweetener
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1 cup sugar-free chocolate chips

Cream butter and Truvia sweetener. Add egg and mix well. Stir in sour cream mixture. Add remaining ingredients. Stir slightly. Bake in cupcake paper-lined muffin pan at 350 degrees for 18 minutes.

Pumpkin Muffins

• Sugar-free yellow cake mix
• 1 can pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Stir together and spoon into cupcake paper-lined muffin pan.

Topping:

• 1/2 stick butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 cup Truvia brown sugar blend
• 1 cup pecans

Put all into bowl and cut with pastry blender until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of muffins. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Chocolate Chewy Bars

• 1 box sugar-free cake mix
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/4 cup Truvia brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 cup sugar-free chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Mix first five ingredients in mixer bowl. Add remaining ingredients; batter will be stiff. Spread into greased 9x13-inch pan. Place into 325-degree oven for 25 minutes.

Oatmeal Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup Truvia brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cups oats
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter and Truvia brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Mix baking soda, cinnamon and flour in small bowl. Add flour mixture slowly to first mixture. Stir in oats, raisins and pecans. Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet and press down with back of spoon. Bake at 325 degrees for 7 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup Truvia
• 3/4 cup Truvia brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and the two Truvia blends. Add eggs and vanilla. Put flour, baking soda and salt into small bowl and mix well. Pour slowly into first mixture and blend well. Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 8 minutes.

Ginger Cookies

• 1/2 cup Truvia brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger

In a large bowl, mix together the Truvia brown sugar, oil, molasses and egg. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon and ginger and stir into the molasses mixture. Roll dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Roll each ball into mixture of Truvia blend and cinnamon (1/4 cup Truvia blend and 1 teaspoon cinnamon). Bake on parchment-lined baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Sugar-Free Chocolate Cake

• 1 sugar-free cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 1 can sugar-free cherry pie filling
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup sugar-free chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips and pour into a 9x13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Top with sugar-free chocolate chips while cake is still hot. As chips melt, spread with knife for icing.

Sugar-Free Cookies

• 1 cup instant oats
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup sugar-free chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 eggs

Mix all ingredients together and roll in quarter-sized balls. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until set and lightly brown.

Fudgy Cream Cheese Brownies

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons reduced-calorie stick margarine, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• Cooking spray
• 1 block (8 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup "measures-like-sugar" calorie-free sweetener
• 3 tablespoons 1 percent low-fat milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat sugar and margarine with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, egg white and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour and cocoa, beating well. Pour into an 8-inch square pan coated with cooking spray. Beat cream cheese and sweetener with a mixer at high speed until smooth. Add milk; beat well. Pour cream cheese mixture over chocolate mixture; swirl together using the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into squares.

Tip: Don't use reduced-calorie or fat-free tub margarine in this recipe because those products contain water, which will make the brownies gummy.

Cookies 'n Cream Crunch

• 1 package (6 1/2 ounces) sugar-free chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 3 tablespoons reduced-calorie margarine, melted
• 1 quart vanilla no-sugar-added, fat-free ice cream, softened

Combine first three ingredients; reserve 1 cup mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture firmly in bottom of a 9-inch square pan. Freeze 10 minutes. Spread ice cream over crumb mixture in pan. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over ice cream; gently press mixture into ice cream. Cover and freeze at least 8 hours. To serve, let stand at room temperature 5 minutes; cut into 9 squares.

Raspberry Mocha Cake

• 2 packages (8 ounces each) chocolate sugar-free, low-fat cake mix (such as Sweet 'N Low)
• 1 1/2 cups strongly brewed chocolate-almond flavored coffee
• 1/4 cup regular or sugar-free raspberry spreadable fruit, melted
• 2 packages (0.53 ounces each) sugar-free instant cocoa mix
• 1 envelope (1.3 ounces) sugar-free, reduced-calorie whipped topping mix (such as Dream Whip)
• 1/2 cup fat-free cold milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, substituting coffee for water. Pour batter into two 8-inch round cake pans. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove cakes from pans. Poke several holes in each cake layer with a wooden pick. Brush warm cake layers with melted raspberry spread. Let cool completely on wire racks. Combine cocoa mix and whipped topping mix in a large bowl. Add milk and vanilla; beat with a mixer at low speed until blended. Beat at high speed for 4 minutes, or until soft peaks form. Place one cake layer on a serving plate; top with half of frosting. Top first layer with second cake layer; spread remaining frosting on sides and top of cake. Chill frosted cake until ready to serve.

Have a great week and, until next time, happy cooking.