I wasn’t looking for healthier cookies – a bag found me.
Recently I went shopping at my local Home Goods, a popular chain retailer that carries everything from furniture to kitchen items. In the fancy food aisle, I saw a bag of what looked like biscotti with the words “Blueberry Lemon,” and “30 calories a cookie.”
Sold.
I had never heard of the brand, Cooper Street. It is a family business based in Birmingham, Mich. According to the company website, the cookies are based on “a 100-year-old family recipe” for mandel bread.
Biscotti vs. Mandel Bread
Mandel bread is sometimes called “Jewish biscotti” – the two cookies are similar. Biscotti originated in Italy, while mandel bread was a specialty of German Jews. While modern biscotti often contains butter, mandel bread is always dairy free, a nod to Jewish dietary laws.
Both biscotti and mandel bread are made the same way: First, cookie dough is shaped into a long flat loaf, then baked. Then the baked dough is removed from the oven, quickly cut into thin slices, then rebaked.
The result is an airy, light cookie that is perfect for dipping into tea or coffee.
Nutrition Details
Cooper Street twice baked cookies are moderately sweet and nut free. The fruit flavors I tested – lemon blueberry and cherry chip – were chewy. Others I tried – brownie and cinnamon chocolate chip – had a crunchy texture. A company spokesman said the texture difference is intentional. I like both types; the fruity cookies are my favorite.
Cooper Street cookies are small and the suggested serving size is 3.5 cookies. A serving of cookies has 17 carbs, 8 grams of sugar and, depending on the flavor, no more than 0.5 grams saturated fat. At around 100 calories a serving, the cookies make a nice light treat instead of a major splurge.
Good for Low Sodium Diets
A special note for those who need to watch salt as well as carbs: Cooper Street twice baked cookies contain only 0-5 mg of sodium per serving. To put that into perspective, a serving of regular Oreos has 135 mg per serving.
While no prediabetes expert is going to be a cheerleader for cookie consumption, there are ways to eat sweets that will have less impact on blood sugar. The two biggies: pairing carbs with protein and/or fat and controlling portions.
How to Order
Cooper Street twice baked cookies are easy to find and order; check Amazon, the company’s website, Wal Mart, Costco and QVC. Cookies come in the following flavors: lemon blueberry, brownie, cinnamon-chocolate chip, chunk cherry, and cranberry orange. Sampler packs are also available. A 5 oz. bag costs $6.64 on Amazon, prices vary depending on size and sale site. The twice baked cookies are kosher.
Enjoy!