Sorry, but cookie recipes vary greatly in the ratio of fat to sugar to flour. Saying cookies in general have less fat than other deserts is just not true. You will need to look for recipes that limit the amount of butter and/or other fats.

Shortening is a hydrogenated fat—a liquid fat made thicker and having a longer shelf life—that behaves like a saturated fat. Hydrogenated fats also contain trans-fatty acids that are worse than saturated fat. Margarine is also a hydrogenated fat. Use lard when you make a pie crust. Lard is saturated fat, but it's still better than shortening. However, know that all baked goods tend to raise one's cholesterol level.

Daily, moderate exercise is the best way to reduce high LDL levels. Talk a brisk walk. You can start out with just 10 minutes exercise done 5 days a week. But you should push yourself to do more each week. 30 minutes per day done 5 days each week is considered a good maintenance regimen.

I'm not trying to rain on your parade, but I've read (but don't know for sure) that sugar also has an implication in cholesterol numbers. Re butter, cookies are mostly very short--i.e., more butter per bite. I know about the baking bug. I sorely missed it and have recently become the sweet maker for birthdays just for an excuse to bake. I get it. But it might be interesting to research baked goods that are less likely to affect your cholesterol count than just deprive yourself willynilly. Some of it will come down to what you like, of course, but there are, for instance, oil cakes (oil as the shortening), and in many cases you can cut up to a quarter of the sugar, though you may need to adjust the hydration.

My pies aren't sweet or buttery, just from preference. I use a tablespoon or two of sugar, not a cup or more -- just more fruit -- no butter inside the filling, and I don't sweeten the crust. You can use the crust as a conveyance that isn't meant to be eaten and just eat the filling. Then it's just a nicer texture and presentation than compote, but is basically cooked fruit and fairly healthy to eat. And tons more fun to make. :)

Anyway, good luck with your numbers!

The rise in LDL happened over the last year so I am pretty sure there is a direct correlation because that's when I started baking. I already walk most days per week and I take yoga twice a week and my BMI is under 20. No weight gain...just LDL. I had been careful to cut back on sugar when baking - if the recipe called for 1 cup, I would use 3/4 cup because I read that cutting back does not cause a significant change in the structure of the baked item.

The reason I thought cookies is because if you use 6 TB of butter and you come out with 48 cookies and you eat only one cookie, the saturated fat is negligible.

pillog, I like your idea of baking for others but I must say I really looked forward to that little after dinner "dolce".

I found that dropping the sugar level rather than the fat levels (assuming I chose healthy fats) meant that my triglycerides, and HDL/LDL levels improved. In my case, I was able to avoid switching to fake sugars (primarily because I can't stand their aftertastes - and stevia tastes like old gym socks smell to me).

It was a slow process, and I didn't cut out things ENTIRELY - but it worked.

It's not the butter, it's the carbs. Remember that flour (any flour, but especially white flour) turns to sugar the minute it gets into your mouth. It's essentially a highly processed carb. It's as bad as sugar. If you're trying to control cholesterol/triglycerides , stop eating baked goods. And watch your bread intake as well.

Carbs would be the first thing you would think. But both my triglycerides and glucose levels are really good. In fact, lower than the previous year. The only thing different from the previous year is the butter (and desserts). I guess what I find shocking is how fast it can happen.

I would be the first to admit that I find that as I get older good nutrition becomes more mysterious.