When my kids were small, Cookie Monster was my favorite Sesame Street character. Like this lovable, furry monster, I absolutely crave cookies. Chocolate chip, shortbread, peanut butter—I love them all. But after my husband’s heart attack I needed to get creative so we could still enjoy these treats without the customary high proportion of butter or shortening.

This weekend I made Cooking Light’s Chocolate-Cherry Biscotti, which use oil rather than butter and are studded with two of my favorite ingredients—dried fruit and semi-sweet chocolate. However, I opted for dried cranberries rather than cherries. Biscotti—twice-baked crunchy cookies—are often a lower-fat choice when you yearn for something sweet, especially if you like to dunk your cookies in coffee.

I’m also planning to make Heart-Healthy Living’s Double Thumbprint Cookies, which incorporate a combination of butter and canola oil to reduce the amount of saturated fat. These festive heart-shaped cookies filled with cherry jam will brighten my Christmas cookie tray.

Happy Holidays!