37 Healthy Cookie Recipes That Will Actually Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
We have no problem eating healthy—until dessert rolls around. Sometimes, berries and fat-free whipped cream just won’t cut it when we’re hungry for something sweet. Luckily, we found 37 healthy cookie recipes to turn to when a craving comes knocking. (And yeah, we get it: "Healthy cookies" are a bit of an oxymoron, but we're big believers in enjoying things in moderation, so no treat should be totally off-limits.) Our picks contain a modest amount of calories and sugar, and some even contain fiber and protein. There are also a handful of gluten-free and vegan options on the list, so you can get your nosh on no matter your diet. You can thank us later.
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Psst: Want to Make These Even Healthier?
Try swapping all-purpose flour for whole wheat, or using applesauce instead of butter, suggests instructors at Michigan State University. Or give yourself a boost of fiber by adding half a cup of chopped nuts to the batter, like nutritionist Toby Amidor does.
1. 4-Ingredient Lemon Cookies
If you really want to skip the decorative confectioner’s sugar, go right ahead. But these lemon cookies only contain 1 gram of sugar, 3 grams of fat and 101 calories each.
2. Easy Fortune Cookies
As long as you don’t eat the whole dozen in one sitting, these cuties can be diet-friendly.
3. Pistachio Cookies
Chopped, toasted nuts are a tasty twist on sugar cookie dough. (Oh, and each cookie has only 94 calories.)
4. No-Bake, Gluten-Free Breakfast Cookie
It’s massive, so split it two or three ways to start the day with lots of energy and protein.
5. Gingerbread Lattice Cookies
Call it holiday magic, but these pie crust-inspired gems only contain 102 calories per cookie.
6. Lemon Icebox Cookies
They’re bright, citrusy and only 88 calories each—no frills, no special ingredients.
7. Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
They’re vegan, gluten-free and only take 20 minutes to whip up from start to finish.
8. Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
It’s like cookies and pumpkin pie had a soft, cinnamon-laced baby. The pumpkin purée keeps this treat super moist.
9. Healthy No-Bake Cookies
The hardest step of this recipe is waiting 20 minutes for the cookies to set in the fridge. We won’t tell if you don’t make it past 15.
10. No-Bake Cranberry Orange Breakfast Cookies
Sure, these breakfast bars are prime for first thing in the morning or after a workout. But they’re honestly tasty, easy and festive enough to make on Christmas day.
11. Skinny Mint Cookies
The Girl Scouts have nothing on these 74-calorie treats made with peppermint extract, maple syrup and dark chocolate.
12. One-Bowl Berry Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
These 30-minute morning glories have a secret. (It’s gluten-free pancake mix.)
13. Keto Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Low-calorie enough that you can snack on a handful, pretty enough to include in your holiday dessert spread.
14. Low-Carb Almond Flour Biscotti
This six-ingredient wonder is paleo and sugar-free. Bonus: It’s an afternoon baking project that’s satisfying but won’t take over your whole day.
16. Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Raw almond butter, coconut sugar and chia seeds make these 20-minute beauties possible. Might we suggest making an ice cream sandwich with them on cheat day?
17. Healthy Sugar Cookies
A blend of raw cane sugar and baking stevia give the recipe the sweetness it needs, minus some of the calories.
18. Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Honey, creamy peanut butter and semisweet chocolate chips make these sweets taste more decadent than they are.
19. 35-Calorie Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies
Yeah, you read that right. We’ll take a dozen to go, please.
20. Apple Oatmeal Cookies
Quick oats, ground cinnamon, honey and chopped apple? We’d better fish a cardigan out of our closet.
21. Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
Fetch yourself a glass of milk: These babies will be ready in 25 minutes.
22. 2-Ingredient Healthy Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies
Play with all the add-ins your heart desires, like dried cranberries, chopped nuts, coconut flakes or peanut butter chips.
23. Funfetti Protein Cookies
TBH, if we’d known our post-workout snack could be covered in sprinkles, we’d have actually exercised weeks ago.
24. Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
These almond-coconut cookies are healthier plain. But one decorated with fresh vanilla buttercream and sprinkles only clocks in at 163 calories. So yeah, we’ll take the frosting.
25. Orange-Almond Biscotti
Sunday brunch just got a lot more sophisticated. The biscotti will keep for four days…if you manage not to eat them all in one shot, of course.
26. Vegan Double Chocolate Cookies
Pecans, chia seeds and Medjool dates give the cookies body and natural sweetness.
27. Clean-Eating Thumbprint Cookies
The recipe calls for strawberry jam, but we’re betting blackberry, blueberry or apricot would also taste divine.
28. One-Bowl Snickerdoodle Cookies
Vegan, gluten-free, naturally sweetened and oh so fluffy. Feel free to substitute aquafaba for canned pumpkin purée.
29. 5-Ingredient Vegan, Gluten-Free Cookies
Each cookie only contains 75 calories, plus a little protein, fiber and carbs to boot. Have a few for breakfast and they’re sure to hold you over until lunch.
30. Healthier Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
There’s no need to add butter or oil to this dough—creamy peanut butter has it covered.
31. Snickerdoodle Snack Bites
Like Larabars? Meet their from-scratch, eerily similar cousin.
32. Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Because no allergy or diet should keep you from the most beloved cookie of all time.
33. Birthday Cake Energy Bites
Cashew butter? Check. Flaxseed meal? Check. All the rainbow sprinkles? Check, check and check.
34. Keto Brookies
We’re as surprised as you are to see this iconic mashup on the list. But each low-carb brownie-cookie hybrid only contains 181 calories, plus 5 grams of protein to boot.
35. Breakfast Cookies
Start your day with whole grains, warm spices, fresh fruit and decadent apple butter instead of refined sugar, oil and butter (looking at you, pancakes).
36. Coconut Flour Cookies with Peanut Butter and Chocolate
This gluten-free pick boasts minimal carbs, no refined sugar and 4 grams of protein per cookie. So go ahead, have three.
37. Mint Matcha Cookies
These vibrant handhelds are Paleo and vegan, since the dough is made with almond flour and coconut oil and sweetened with maple syrup.
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