1. Limit portion size.

   Less is more when it comes to the holiday’s heaviest hitters. Smaller versions taste just as good and feel even better.

   • Shrink your holiday desserts. Serve mini cupcakes instead of normal sizes.
   • Cut brownies and sheet cakes into smaller, two-inch squares.
   • When following cookie recipes, portion the dough using a one-tablespoon scoop or melon baller.
   
   
2. Use quality ingredients.

   Imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery in the kitchen. And that goes for imitation ingredients—like imitation vanilla extract. High-quality products, such as vanilla beans or pure vanilla extract, produce more satisfying results—even in smaller portions. Before making your favorite Christmas cookies, check the dates on your spices. For best quality, store spices at room temperature for two to four years of freshness, and give ground spices two to three years.¹ If they’ve been on the rack too long, buy new ones for maximum flavor. Check out our wide assortment of spices for your holiday baking needs.

3. Add more nutrient-rich foods.

   Instead of focusing on what to cut out, think about quality ingredients that can be added to your recipe. Here are some smart substitutes:

   • Fruits or vegetables. Adding shredded or pureed apples, carrots, bananas, or pumpkin can boost nutrients, flavor, and moisture in most recipes. Use them to replace some of the butter or oil. Our Double Chocolate Banana Cookies use mashed banana to replace the butter.
   
   
   • Whole grains. White whole wheat flour can substitute in equal amounts for all-purpose flour in most recipes. You can also replace about half the all-purpose flour in a recipe with whole grain flour without making any major adjustments. Try our Apple Spice Mug Muffins—they’re made with whole wheat flour.
   
   
   • Alternative flours. Coconut flour and almond flour contain more fiber than regular flours and make delicious muffins like our Blueberry and Coconut Flour Muffins. Here are some more ways to use alternative flours in place of wheat flour.
   
   
   • Low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Try our Maple Apple-Almond Bread Pudding, made with nonfat Greek yogurt, apples, maple syrup, and sliced almonds—a sweet treat to follow your holiday meal.


4. Reduce fat in recipes.
   • When modifying a recipe, you can trade some of the butter for an oil with healthy fats (mono- and polyunsaturated), such as canola oil. The amount of oil that can be substituted depends on the recipe, so there may be some trial and error. Don't replace all the butter with oil or you'll sacrifice texture. For baked goods, such as quick bread and muffins, substituting oil is a good idea and will produce very similar results to the original recipe.
   
   
   • Start with a lighter crust. Piecrust gets its delicious flavor from butter, and unfortunately, if you substitute oil, it won’t result in the flaky crust we all know and love. Cut saturated fat by using a crust made from graham crackers or gingersnaps. Our Apple-Pecan Tart is sure to become a favorite Thanksgiving dessert, with its crunchy crust made from graham crackers, pecans, and a touch of maple syrup.
   
   
   • Go with a lighter dessert option. After a huge holiday meal, you may not have room for decorated cake but still want something sweet. Try our Chocolate Meringue Cookies and Fruity Meringue Cookies, each made with egg whites for less total fat and saturated fat. They’re airy, light, and sure to satisfy.
   
   
5. Cut added sugars.
   • You can reduce sugar in most recipes by about 25% without a noticeable difference. If a recipe calls for four tablespoons of sugar, reduce to three. When reducing, you may need to increase the liquid. When reducing the sugar in Christmas cookies, flatten the cookie dough rounds slightly before baking—the lower sugar content may prevent the dough from spreading and from baking evenly.
   
   
   • Experiment with an array of sugar substitutes, such as stevia and sucralose, found in the baking aisle. They’re typically substituted in equal amounts to sugar. Follow package instructions for best results.
   
   
   • Use fruit. It’s naturally sweet, so you won’t need to add as much sugar.²
   
   

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Sources.

¹ Manning, Joy. How to Store Spices so They Stay Fresh Longer. Edited by Jessica Ball. EatingWell. August 17, 2026.

² Ball, Serena. How to Sweeten Desserts with Fruit Instead of Sugar. Food Network. April 10, 2024.