Is it possible to enjoy healthy chocolate chip cookies from time to time that taste good? Yes, and I’ve rounded up a dozen healthier chocolate chip cookie recipes to prove it.
Many “healthy cookies” don’t taste very good and are not worth the calories in my opinion.
After a lifetime of weight struggles, I’ve learned that I’d rather eat a tasty little cookie now and then than a bunch of bland substitutes, even if they’re supposed to be healthy. I’m a survivor of the “Snackwells” era, where I was somehow convinced I could eat boxes of these flavorless wonders without feeling guilty. I only managed to gain weight without getting any satisfaction!
Now, I’m older and a bit wise. I know what works for me: real food in a healthy balance. And when it comes to indulgences, I look for treats that can satisfy my taste buds and my desire for wholesome goodness.
It’s important to remember that a chocolate chip cookie is a treat to be enjoyed in moderation. It will never be a truly healthy food, and can only be made so healthy, before it starts to lose its deliciousness.
How to make chocolate chip cookies healthier?
There are many things you can do to lighten up your cookies and improve your nutrition. Here are some of my favourites:
- Use less fat or a healthier fat
- Substitute some of the fat for applesauce or yogurt
- Replace all or part of the flour with whole wheat or another whole grain flour
- Add some oats, nuts, seeds, and/or dried fruit
- Add some ground flaxseed
- Use dark chocolate chips
- Replace all or part of the sugar with a natural sweetener such as honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, or sucanat (dried cane juice).
- Add a healthy fruit or vegetable, such as grated zucchini, mashed bananas, or pumpkin puree.
Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Makes about 24 cookies.
These cookies have a lot going for them: they are low sugar, dairy free, gluten free, easy, and delicious. With just 6 ingredients, they mix up quickly so you can enjoy healthier, delicious chocolate chip cookies hot out of the oven in 30 minutes or less. They ask for Sucanat, dehydrated cane juice, but you can use brown sugar instead.
1 cup almond butter
3/4 cup sucanat
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 ounces dark chocolate (at least 70%), broken into small pieces
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond butter, Sucanat, egg, baking soda, and salt until blended. Stir in the chocolate pieces until they are incorporated into the entire mixture.
Drop rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to cooling racks for an additional 15 minutes.