Healthy Cookies (Nut-Free)
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Feb. 16, 2023
These Healthy Cookies are a powerhouse of nutrition. Great for pre/post workouts, afternoon pick-me-ups, or even an easy breakfast-on-the-go!
In This Article
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Healthy Cookies
Cookies aren’t usually synonymous with healthy. That said, when you include ingredients such as whole oats, whole grains, flax, and even carrots into a cookie, healthy cookies happily emerge as a delicious reality.
The obvious must be stated: no matter how healthy the cookies are, if nobody eats them, it’s pointless. Thankfully, that’s not going to happen here. These healthy cookies are as every bit as delicious as they are nutritious.
Good, Simple Ingredients
These healthy cookies are teeming with simple ingredients you’ll feel fantastic about:
- Flaxseed
- Ripe bananas
- Fresh carrots
- Whole oats
- Whole wheat
- Sunflower seeds
- Chocolate chips for good measure
We left them nut-free so those with nut allergies can joyfully partake. However, if you’re so inclined, feel free to add your favorite chopped nuts.
Soft, Chewy, and Just Sweet Enough
I first tasted these healthy cookies at a big health fair, where some precious lady stayed up all night baking an endless basket of good-for-you cookies. These healthy cookies are:
- Soft
- Super flavorful
- Chewy good
- Not too sweet but sweet enough
Of course I fell for it at first bite, but the true test? Whether all my eaters agreed. No point in making healthy cookies my guys won’t eat. Everyone gobbled these healthy cookies up in seconds and tried to grab more from the basket. Note taken.
Make Ahead and Storange
These healthy cookies keep superbly well:
- Make dough ahead of time and chill airtight until ready to use.
- Baked cookies can be wrapped airtight and kept at moderate room temperature for several days.
- Baked cookies can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to a couple of months.
Healthy Cookies
Common Questions
Both milled or ground flaxseed and flaxmeal refer to the same thing. You can use either one interchangeably.
Yes, you can use an electric mixer. Just be sure to cream the butter, bananas, and sugar well.
Yes, the baked cookies can be wrapped airtight and frozen for 1-2 months.
If you’d like to add nuts, we recommend roasted and chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds.
More to Bake and Eat
- How to Make No-Bake Energy Bites
- Thick, Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Steel Cut Oatmeal (Instant Pot and Slow Cooker Recipe)
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Protein Granola bars
Also Try This Baked Oatmeal
Did you make this?
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Oatmeal Energy Cookies (nut-free)
Ingredients
- 1 TB ground flaxseed, + 3 TB water
- ½ cup salted butter, softened just to moderate room temp, not melty
- ½ cup mashed ripe bananas
- ⅔ cups granulated sugar
- ⅔ cups packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup carrots, finely shredded
- 2 cups whole oats, old fashioned
- 1 ⅓ cups whole wheat flour
- ⅔ cups all purpose flour
- 1 TB cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp table salt
- ½ cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cups roasted sunflower seeds
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine ground flax with water and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment on medium speed, cream together the butter, banana, and both sugars until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, flax mixture, and vanilla until combined. Add carrots and mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the oats, both flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, whisking to combine well. Gently combine dry mixture to the butter mixture and mix on medium low speed just until incorporated. Hand-stir in the mini chocolate chips and sunflower seeds. Form dough into a ball, cover tightly, and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone bake mats.
- Form dough into rounded tablespoons and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Press down to form a thick disk, as they won’t spread much. Bake 8 minutes or until lightly golden. Will seem underbaked, but they’ll set upon cooling. Cool a few minutes on sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool fully.