Final answer:
To decrease the spread of cookies without reducing their sweetness, use chilled dough, replace butter with shortening, and experiment with reducing sugar and adding spices. Fresh fruit purees can also provide natural sweetness.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you want to decrease the spread of your cookies without reducing their sweetness, consider altering the fats and refrigeration. Using chilled dough before baking helps cookies keep their shape. Replacing butter with shortening also decreases spread, due to its higher melting point. To maintain sweetness while exploring healthier options, you might want to experiment with reducing the amount of sugar and adding spices like cinnamon or nutmeg to enhance flavor. Additionally, try replacing some of the sugar with alternatives like fresh fruit purees, which provide natural sweetness along with additional nutritional benefits.