Chocolate Buttons

Yummy low-sugar chocolate cookies.

• Makes 72 cookies.
• Each cookie contains: 25 calories, 1g total fat, 5g carbohydrate, <1g fiber, 1g protein * Recipe from Diabetic Cooking, November/December 2004

10 dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup soft baking butter with canola oil
1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place dates and water in small covered saucepan over high heat; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until dates soften, about one minute. Place dates and cooking liquid in blender or bowl of food processor. Pulse on high until mixture turns pasty.
3. Melt butter and chocolate in small pan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
4. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt with whisk; set aside.
5. In bowl of electric mixer beat date paste, melted chocolate mixture, sugar and sour cream on medium speed until blended, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed to mix wet and dry ingredients, scraping sides of bowl to mix evenly.
6. Drop dough by level teaspoonfuls onto nonstick baking sheets. Sprinkle cocoa powder lightly over top of each cookie using small mesh sieve or tea strainer. Bake cookies six minutes until just set; do not over-bake. Let rest on baking sheet two minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.