Unilever Soft Spreads are Good to Know! {Baking Set Gift Card Giveaway}

Although my husband grew up putting butter on just about everything (and still does), I always immediately only think of bread as the perfect pairing.

However, thanks to being introduced to Country Crock many years ago, around here we're all happy. If you open our refrigerator at any point, there is a large tub of it sitting front and center because it is just the thing for cooking, toasting, making vegetables even more delicious, and more.

But, let's face it, there are many questions and misconceptions floating around about soft spreads (how do they actually taste? Are they really good for you?) so, as a part of their Good to Know initiative, Unilever has set out to dispel the myths and share the facts.

As Unilever contains a wide variety of soft spreads – including Country Crock, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!, Promise, Brummel & Brown, and Imperial – they surely have a spread that's just right for you. And, best of all, they are proud to say that ALL of their spreads are Good to Know because they:

• Have 0g trans fat per serving

• Contain no partially hydrogenated oils

• Have no cholesterol

• Are 70% less fat than butter per serving

• Have 30% fewer calories than butter per serving

Pretty great, right? But knowing that Unilever's spreads are a better nutrition option than butter is one thing... we all know that the taste is what truly counts. No matter if using a spread is a more nutritious option, it's not going to happen if the result is a holiday recipe that just doesn't taste delicious!

As we have long had that container of Country Crock in our refrigerator, I had to admit that I hadn't ever really considered baking with it, so I was looking forward to putting one of Unilever's cookie recipes (which call for soft spread instead of butter) to the test and seeing what my family thought of the results.

Although there were a great deal of tasty recipes that caught my eye on the Good to Know site (main dishes, sides, desserts and more! Mmmm!) I eventually decided that the Fudgy Crinkle Cookies would be the perfect mix of chocolatey deliciousness that would be great for the holidays.

Fudgy Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:

2¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ cup (1 stick) I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! All Purpose Sticks
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
⅓ cup milk
½ cup confectioners sugar

Directions:

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in medium bowl; set aside.

Beat I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs. Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk until combined. Chill dough 1 hour or until firm.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Grease baking sheets; set aside.

Scoop dough into balls using small ice cream scoop or measuring spoon, then roll in confectioners sugar. Arrange cookies on prepared sheets, 2 inches apart.

Bake 12 minutes or until edges are firm and tops are cracked. Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Remove cookies to wire racks and cool completely. Yields approximately 3 dozen cookies.

Unilever was definitely right, we weren't disappointed in the taste of these amazing cookies in the least and it was hard for everyone to stop coming back for seconds... and thirds...

If you haven't tried replacing butter in your recipes with one of Unilever's great spreads, I highly recommend doing so – and don't forget that they have a long list of recipes (as well as tips and ideas) to help get you started right on ItIsGoodtoKnow.com.

As well as loving the options that you'll find from Good to Know, Unilever wants to make your holiday a little sweeter with their annual Confection Perfection Sweepstakes!

Running through December 31, 2012, simply enter your email address on the Confection Perfection Sweepstakes page and you'll not only receive delectable holiday cookie dessert recipes delivered right to your inbox, but you'll be entered to win a KitchenAid stand mixer DAILY!

Thanks to the generosity of Unilever and in the spirit of giving, one person will win a basket of baking goodies to help them prepare any number of yummy cookies and treats soon as well, because...

One lucky person will win a Good to Know Baking Set* from Unilever!

*Baking Set includes: (1) Silpat baking sheet liner, (1) Steel Cooling Rack, (1) Nonstick cookie sheet, (1) Stainless steel cookie scoop, and (1) $10 gift card to the winner's choice of Target or Walmart to purchase their Unilever spread of choice and baking ingredients

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A big thank you to Unilever for providing a Good to Know Baking Set for me as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.