“I see you!” I said to my son. He was 3 years old at the time.

His little hand was reaching over the edge of the countertop to a cooling rack. He was sneakily grabbing another cookie.

He grinned as he took a bite of the warm, soft cookie. “Molasses crinkles” are still his favorite treat decades later, and they’re on my list to make this year.

As holiday gatherings continue into January, treats beckon us. Sometimes managing our appetite can be a challenge.

If you avoid eating any goodies, your hosts might be a little offended. How do you tame your appetite for the variety of treats?

As a host, you can help your guests with the arrangement of your food on a buffet and a few behind-the-scenes kitchen swaps:

• Place the vegetables and fruits at the front of the buffet line and desserts at the end. Many people load their plates in order. We are advised to fill our plates with half fruits and vegetables. Most of us do not meet the 4 ½-cup daily recommendation for fruits and vegetables.
• Offer whole-grain options, such as whole-grain crackers or snack mix.
• Use smaller plates to encourage smaller portions. Avoid stacking your plate.
• Place small serving utensils, such as spoons, in the serving containers.
• Offer low- or no-calorie beverage choices, such as fruit-infused ice water. Drop in cranberries and float orange slices and a sprig of rosemary to give the beverages a festive touch.
• Back in the kitchen, trim calories by swapping low-fat or fat-free sour cream or Greek yogurt for full-fat sour cream in dips.
• If brownies are on the menu, find a recipe with oil instead of solid fat. In many cases, you can swap applesauce for at least half of the solid fat.
• Consider the salt content of your foods and substitute lower-sodium versions. Low-salt or no-salt broths are available. When making bean dip, be sure to drain and rinse canned beans to reduce the sodium by about 40%.
• Try different cooking methods, such as air frying, roasting or steaming instead of frying or deep frying. You can trim calories and fat.
• Find many more swaps in North Dakota State University Extension’s “Now You’re Cookin’: Recipe Makeovers” by visiting ag.ndsu.edu/food and perusing the “Preparation” section.

As a party guest, a few strategies can help you stay comfortable in your current wardrobe.

• Don’t skip meals before a party. Arriving overly hungry usually leads to overeating.
• Decide ahead of time the number of treats you’ll enjoy. If a particular type of cookie is your favorite, have one and savor it slowly.
• Have a bowl of broth-based vegetable soup before going to the party.
• Keep your distance from the buffet to avoid constant nibbling.
• Spend most of your time socializing. Remember the old rule: don’t talk with your mouth full.

Here’s my son’s favorite cookie recipe. These days, my son is far too tall to sneak a cookie unnoticed. I follow the ingredient list exactly from an old Betty Crocker cookbook, and I thank them for perfecting the recipe.

Old-Fashioned Molasses Crinkles

¾ cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup molasses
1 egg
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar (for dipping)

Mix shortening, sugar, molasses and egg thoroughly in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients (not sugar) and stir into the wet mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Heat oven to 375 F. Grease cookie sheet (or use parchment paper). Shape dough into 1¼-inch balls. Dip the tops in granulated sugar. Place the balls 3 inches apart. Sprinkle each ball with 2 to 3 drops of water. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until just set. Remove from tray.

Makes 48 cookies. Each cookie has 100 calories, 5 grams (g) fat, 1 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber and 90 milligrams sodium.

(Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension food and nutrition specialist and professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.)

NDSU Agriculture Communication – Dec. 18, 2025

Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, 701-231-7187, julie.garden-robinson@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-5546, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu