Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft, chewy and tasty, these are the best Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies ever. You only need a bunch of wholesome ingredients, such as oat flour and applesauce, and less than 30 minutes to whip up a guilt-free treat that anyone’ll love.

Okay my friend, today’s a great day. After months of testing, I am finally sharing with you my favorite cookie recipe EVER: Chocolate Chip Cookies. Healthy. Yes, healthy. And don’t worry, because these are not the typical clean eating biscuits that turn out dry, tasteless and flat. Have a bite and you won’t be able to tell them apart from the original.

Chocolate chip cookies: The best cookies in the world

Hands up if you also agree that chocolate chip cookies are the most delicious cookies in human history!

I’ll go first and raise my hand. Both hands, even my legs and feet. Ever since I was a kid, they have been my favorite dessert. If in general I prefer savory dishes, buttery cookies with all those good chocolate chips are my weakness. I simply can’t resist them. I’ve never been able to and I will probably never be. Back to middle school, I remember coming home, having lunch and wolfing down an entire box of cookies while watching The Simpsons. Ahhh, nothing more American than this. New Yorker cookies plus Homer Simpson on TV. So much needed after a huge Italian feast at Nonna Angela’s Restaurant (aka my grandma’s house – I’m Italian).

A decade and thousands of life changes later, from time to time I still indulge in my weakness. But when it comes to baking, I like making my own desserts in a more nourishing way. So, craving some good cookies and in the mood for baking, I went to the kitchen and whipped up a batch of these Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies. So delicious, but unbelievably good for you!

Why are these cookies healthy?

• Whole grain ingredients. For this recipe you’ll only need wholesome ingredients, no refined flour and no refined sugar. Instead, we will use oat flour, whole wheat flour and coconut sugar.
• High in fibers and nutrients. Replacing white flour with whole grain alternatives will enrich your cookies with dietary fibers and plenty of nutrients from the oats.
• Lower in fats. I a secret hack on how to get all the taste and chewiness without stuffing the dough with fats. Applesauce! The applesauce will add moisture and texture in a all-natural way, with fewer calories and fats!
• Less sugar. Another huge benefit of applesauce is reducing the amount of sugar in the dessert. Tip: use unsweetened applesauce if you can!
• Dairy-free and allergy friendly. There’s no need for butter or milk for these low fat chocolate chip cookies, which makes them completely dairy-free! Furthermore, they are nut-free and can easily be made vegan or high protein.

Healthy ingredients you’ll need

• Egg. Choose a large fresh egg for the best taste and texture.
• Applesauce. Use unsweetened applesauce for low-sugar chocolate chip oat cookies that taste as good as the original. In case you can’t find it, regular applesauce will also work.
• Oat flour. This will replace white refined flour and pack your oat chocolate chip cookies with fibers and nutrients. You can make it at home by blending the oats to flour or purchase it from the store. Choose gluten-free oat flour if it is necessary.
• Whole-wheat flour. I like using whole wheat flour because it’s very similar to all-purpose flour but with the benefit of being less processed and more nutritious. 
• Coconut sugar. More nutritious and less processed than confectionary sugar, this is my preferred choice for healthy baking. Keep in mind that this recipe requires a granulated sweetener, you cannot use maple syrup or honey.
• Coconut oil. The oil helps make the cookies soft and chewy without the need for butter. I really like coconut oil, but any other vegetable oil works as well.
• Baking soda. The baking soda will help your healthy chocolate chip cookies rise and get the best texture ever. That’s why I recommend it over baking powder (but also baking powder can be used).
• Salt and vanilla extract. While salt enhances flavors and balances sweetness level, vanilla extract will make your cookies irresistibly delicious.
• Dark chocolate chips. Prefer extra dark chocolate chips for less sugar and more health benefits. My recommendation is to aim for a cocoa percentage of 70% or higher (I used mini 90% dark chocolate chips, the best).

Replacements and adaptations

• If you follow a vegan diet, make eggless chocolate chip cookies with a flaxseed egg or chia egg. Any other plant based egg replacement will also work.
• A great alternative to applesauce is mashed ripe banana. It also provides plenty of moisture and natural sweetness, but it comes with a stronger taste that many people may find overpowering.
• Oat flour can easily be replaced with more whole-wheat flour or almond flour. Using almond flour instead of starchy alternatives will also lower the amount of carbohydrates that each cookie contains.
• If whole-wheat flour is out of reach, prepare your oat flour cookies with any other flour. Great options are spelt flour and all purpose flour, I don’t recommend more oat flour.
• Coconut sugar may be a hard-to-find ingredient for many. If this is also your case, sweeten chocolate chip oat cookies with brown sugar, cane sugar or confectionary sugar. Do not use maple syrup or honey, liquid sweeteners will change the dough.
• Although I recommend it (for personal taste preferences), the oil does not need to be coconut oil. You can use any other vegetable oil such as canola oil, seed oil and even melted butter.
• You can substitute baking soda with around 1 teaspoon of baking powder, the result will be pretty much the same.

Vegan cookies with chocolate chips

If you follow a vegan diet, make eggless chocolate chip cookies by replacing the animal product with a plant based alternatives of your choice. Two great options are flaxseed egg and chia egg, they are an all-natural solution to eggless baking. As an alternative you can also use vegan egg replacements that are specifically made for baking.

How to make healthy chocolate chip cookies

• Combine all dry ingredients. Start by adding wholewheat flour, oat flour, coconut sugar, baking soda and salt to a large mixing bowl. Then, stir to combine the dry ingredients together and set aside.
• Whisk all wet ingredients. In a second bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients – egg, applesauce, coconut oil and vanilla extract – until you get a smooth mixture.
• Make the cookie dough. Combine dry and wet ingredients together by gradually pouring in the wet mixture over the flour mix. Stir well, until combined, but do not overmix batter. Fold in your favorite dark chocolate chips.
• Bake the cookies. Scoop out the dough and shape your healthy chocolate chip cookies. Finally, transfer to a parchment paper covered baking sheet, spacing them apart. Bake in hot oven for 10 to 12 minutes and let cool over a baking rack before serving.

Storage information

After baking, place your healthy chocolate chip cookies over a baking rack – or let in the tray – and allow to cool completely at room temperature. Once cool, transfer to an airtight food container and seal with the lid so that no humidity gets inside.

• At room temperature, they will last for up to 3 days. In the fridge, for about 5 days.
• For a longer storage, you can freeze oat flour cookies in a zipping bag for up to 3 months. Before serving, pop in hot oven and reheat for a couple of minutes until soft and warm once again.

Tips for the making the best healthy cookies with chocolate chips

• Use a combination of wholewheat flour and oat flour. I strongly encourage you to follow the ratio whole-wheat flour to oat flour that this recipe reports. Resist your temptation to use oat flour only, as the texture of your cookies won’t be the same.
• Choose high quality chocolate chips. The quality of ingredients matters, especially when it comes to chocolate chips. Using premium dark chocolate chips will load your cookies with all that taste and gooeyness we want.
• Do not overmix dough. The more you mix, the harder and dryer your cookies will be. Give it a stir just until all ingredients are combined.
• Do not overbake. Make sure you take the cookies out of the oven after about 10 to 12 minutes; do not overbake. No worry if they still feel a bit soft to the touch, they will get firmer once cooled.
• Let cool before eating. As almost every dessert, homemade cookies get more taste as they cool. So, try to resist your cravings and wait at least 30 minutes to one hour before serving.

FAQ – Frequently asked questions

More healthy cookie recipes

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• Healthy cookie dough bites with oats
• Oatmeal protein cookies
• 3 ingredient breakfast cookies
• Healthy oatmeal cookies
• 2 ingredient banana oatmeal cookies
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• Pumpkin oat cookies
• Banana bread cookies
• No bake chocolate cookies