Healthy Cookie Recipes You'll Actually Want to Make on Repeat

By Katlyn Moncada
November 19, 2020
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Kritsada Panichgul

Everyone deserves to enjoy a delicious homemade cookie every once in a while. But if you've got dietary restrictions or are cutting back on sugar, you're probably looking for some healthy cookies that actually taste good. Whether it's a chewy chocolate chip cookie or a crunchy ginger cookie, here are some of our best healthy cookie recipes (or healthier versions) to whip up next time your sweet tooth strikes.

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Easy Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Credit: Carson Downing
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These healthy peanut butter cookies are some of the best you'll ever taste. There are only 3 ingredients (peanut butter, sugar, and egg) involved in this delicious cookie recipe that just so happens to be gluten-free if anyone in the family has allergies.

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Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul
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The main benefit of baking with whole grains is the fact there's less processing involved, leaving more nutrients in the seeds. Here we've created delicious healthy chocolate chip cookies by utilizing whole grains such as oat bran, wheat bran, and barley flour. If you're concerned about the sugar content, try using no-sugar-added chocolate chips. 

Buy It: Lily's Dark Chocolate Baking Chips ($6, Target)

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Carrot Raisin Cookies

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul
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Fans of carrot cake will swoon over these healthy cookies. There may not be any cream cheese frosting here, but it's packed with carrots, raisins, and the same cinnamon-sugar notes as your favorite cake. This healthy cookie recipe uses whole wheat flour and includes applesauce to add natural sweetness and moisture. 

Buy It: King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour ($4, Target)

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Banana-Oat Breakfast Cookies

Credit: Jason Donnelly
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That's right, these healthy banana cookies are so good for you, you can enjoy them for breakfast or dessert! The good news about these healthy cookies is they're naturally sweetened with honey and there's no oil or butter involved either.

Related: 10 Breakfast Cookies So You Can Start Your Day with Dessert

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Cranberry Drop Cookies

Credit: Andy Lyons
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Add some antioxidants to your healthy cookies with the help of cranberries and walnuts. You can opt for using a partial or full amount of whole wheat flour here instead of all-purpose flour to boost the nutritional value. Don't skip the step on toasting the walnuts. It deepens the flavor and gives them a crisper texture.

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No-Bake Peanut Butter Oat Bites

Credit: Andy Lyons
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Your search for healthy no-bake cookies is over. These bite-size treats require pulsing just seven ingredients in the food processor. Opt for dairy-free chocolate pieces and swap agave syrup for the honey to make these healthy cookies vegan.

Buy It: Cuisinart Elemental Collection 8-Cup Food Processor ($110, Kohl's)

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Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies

Credit: Blaine Moats
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If ginger cookies are on top of your holiday baking list every year, this is the healthy cookie recipe for you. There's less than half the amount of sugar (about 1 cup versus 2 cups) in a typical ginger cookie recipe. Bonus: molasses is linked to promoting bone health and heart health.

Buy It: Hamilton Beach 6-Speed Hand Mixer ($18, Target)

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Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

Credit: Jason Donnelly
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Protein-rich almond flour not only makes healthy chocolate chip cookies taste amazing, but it keeps them gluten-free! For a different gluten-free take, try making these healthy cookies with coconut flour.

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Cornmeal Sandies

Credit: Alison Miksch
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With only ¼ cup sugar in the whole batch, these delicious cookies come in at just 3 grams of sugar per cookie. Shredded lemon and orange peel add a nice bright flavor to these healthy cookies. Cornmeal adds an irresistible texture as well as a bit of fiber and protein.

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Star Mint Meringues

Credit: Blaine Moats
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The best thing about meringue cookies is the fact you can enjoy the delicate sweet treat without packing in a bunch of calories. Made simply from whipped egg whites, a bit of sugar, and peppermint flavor, these healthy cookies are only 27 calories. Oh, and they're fat-free, too!

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Oat, Fruit, and Nut Cookies

Credit: Andy Lyons
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Oatmeal is well-known as a heart-healthy and antioxidant-rich food. It's also known to help keep blood glucose levels down and even promote weight loss. These healthy oatmeal cookies get chunks of delicious flavor with your choice of dried mixed fruits and nuts. 

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Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Credit: Joyce Pool
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How do you make healthy chocolate chip cookies? Add tofu! Before you go running away, the plant-based protein has a neutral flavor so you won't taste anything funky. The tofu only adds its nutritional benefits (plus a bit of moisture) to these healthy cookies.

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Sour Cream Pumpkin Bars

Credit: Blaine Moats
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Bar cookies can be healthy, too. Not only is pumpkin the star flavor of fall, but it's actually packed with vitamins that may boost immunity. This healthy pumpkin cookie also features whole wheat flour. 

Buy It: OXO Good Grips Nonstick 10x15-Inch Jelly Roll Pan ($16, Bed Bath & Beyond)

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Puffed Grain and Miso Cookies

Credit: Andy Lyons
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Wait, doesn't miso belong in soup and not cookies?! Not this time. That gut-healthy fermented soy bean paste is a surprisingly delicious addition to these healthy cookies. There's only a bit of brown rice syrup and dried fruit for the sweet factor, so this is a perfect treat for anyone that enjoys salty-sweet treats.

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Apple-Walnut Crunch Cookies

Credit: Blaine Moats
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Here's another healthy cookie that could be enjoyed as a quick breakfast, but sweet enough for dessert. The cookies have a chewy-sweet bite from dried apples and applesauce. For the crunch, it's packed with fiber-rich bran cereal.

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Mocha Meringue Kisses

Credit: Jay Wilde
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Coffee lovers, this one's for you. It's a good thing these healthy cookies only set you back 32 calories per cookie. You'll definitely have a hard time stopping at just one of the delightfully crisp meringues.

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Oatmeal-Applesauce Cookies

Credit: Amy Nesbitt
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A full two cups of oats goes into these healthy cookies. For extra flavor, try adding some raisins, nuts, or chocolate chips. Keep your cookies moist by storing them in an airtight container with a slice of bread. 

Buy It: Wilton Cookie Sheets, Set of 3 ($10, Bed Bath & Beyond)

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