Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.Sinking your teeth into one of these healthy chocolate chip cookies is both satisfying and delicious. They taste so amazing, you won’t believe how healthy they actually are! With only 100 calories per cookie, they are sweet, chewy, and the perfect dessert for all occasions!
To me, there is nothing more amazing than biting into a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie. Pure food heaven every time!
It doesn’t matter if you’re making these cookies to keep all for yourself, or if you want a tasty treat to take for your friends and family members at your next big gathering. Everyone is going to enjoy the flavor and texture of these super healthy chocolate chip cookies.
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This entire batch makes around five dozen healthy cookies! So these are perfect for feeding a large hungry crowd, or for making and storing for later.
You will never guess that these chocolate chip cookies are healthy thanks to one simple ingredient and a few easy swaps! This healthy cookie recipe is prepared with lentil flour, whole wheat flour, lots of chocolate chips, and your favorite chopped nuts. It’s also easily customizable based on your preferences, so you can make tons of variations of this cookie with less guilt! What could be better than that?
Why This Recipe Works
- A healthy way to satisfy your cookie craving
- No refined sugars
- Great for kids
- Super easy to make
- A total crowd-pleaser!
How to Make The Best Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
Flour: I used a combination of regular whole wheat flour and lentil flour (instead of white flour or all purpose flour) to increase the fiber, protein and whole grains in this recipe! You could also use almond flour instead of the lentil flour.
Butter: I used 1 cup of butter in this recipe, which might sound like a lot, but this recipe makes 60 cookies! Which means, that there is only 15 calories of butter in each cookie.
Sugar: Coconut sugar + brown sugar give these cookies a nice sweetness
Eggs: You can also use flax eggs if you want to make these an egg free cookie.
Chocolate Chips: I used dark chocolate chips, but you can use milk chocolate, a combination of milk + dark, or even butterscotch or peanut butter chips to change things up!
Sea Salt: To bring out the sweetness of these healthy chocolate chip cookies!
Baking Soda: To help the cookies rise
Vanilla Extract: You just need 1 tsp vanilla extract to help add some natural sweetness.
Agave: You only need a little bit to round out the sweetness of these cookies. Can also use maple syrup or honey here!
Chopped Nuts: Choose your favorite! I used walnuts + almonds.
Instructions
Combine Dry Ingredients: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flours, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl.
Combine Wet Ingredients: Beat butter, sugars, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until creamy. Add eggs and syrup, beating well.
Mix Wet + Dry: Gradually beat in flour mixture.
Add Mix-Ins: Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop onto prepared baking sheet: Drop by rounded tablespoons or a cookie scoop in a single layer on un-greased baking sheets.
Bake! Bake in small batches (since you won’t be able to fit all 60 cookies onto a couple of baking sheets!) for 9 – 11 minutes or until golden brown. Let them cool on a wire rack before serving. They are perfectly baked if they have a crispy edge, with a chewy center.
What Makes These Chocolate Chip Cookies Healthy?
Cookies and sweets, in general, aren’t overly healthy if you eat them constantly. These cookies should be eaten in moderation, just like any other dessert. Here are two reasons why this recipe makes a healthier cookie than your traditional chocolate chip cookie recipe:
- Low Calorie: Each cookie only has 106 calories! Enjoy one without any added guilt.
- Less Sugar: These cookies only have 10.5 grams of sugar per cookie. Many other recipes will have over 20 grams of sugar! You can also reduce the sugar to just 5 grams per cookie by using only 1/2 cup coconut sugar + 1/2 cup brown sugar — the cookies will still be sweet with even less added sugar per cookie.
Recipe FAQs
Will Kids Enjoy These Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies?
This is the perfect chocolate chip cookie for kids. This chocolate chip cookie recipe is ooey, gooey, chocolatey and super kid-friendly. The best part is, they won’t even realize they’re much healthier for them than other cookie recipes. They’ll be more than happy to eat as many as you’ll let them!
What’s The Best Way To Soften Butter?
There are a few methods for softening butter that all work well.
On Your Countertop: The easiest method is to place the butter on your countertop and let it sit until it reaches room temperature. Typically, it only takes around 30 minutes for the butter to soften.
In The Microwave: Another option would be to place the butter in a microwave safe dish. You can soften it in your microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. You’ll need to check it and make sure that it is soft but not melted.
In a Bowl with Warm Water: Take a bowl and fill it up with warm water. Then put the butter inside of another bowl that smaller than the original bowl and place it in the warm water. It’s and important to not let the water touch the butter. It usually takes around 5 to 15 minutes for the butter to soften. It will vary depending on the temperature of your water.
What Kind Of Nuts Should I Use?
You can truly use any kind of nuts that you like for these cookies. We love eating walnuts and almonds at our house so that’s what I used. You could also chop up some pecans, use hazelnuts, or even peanuts if they fit into your diet.
Recipe Variations
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies: Making this recipe vegan friendly is super easy! You just have to make these swaps: (1) Use Vegan Butter, Avocado Oil, or Melted Coconut Oil instead of the regular butter. (2) Use flax eggs instead of regular eggs. (3) Make sure you use dairy free chocolate chips like the Enjoy Life Brand
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies: You can make this healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe gluten free by replacing just one ingredient: switch the whole wheat flour for your favorite gluten-free flour, oat flour, or Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour.
Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies: Replace half of the lentil flour with oat flour and replace the other half of the lentil flour with rolled oats or old-fashioned oats!
Peanut Butter Cookies: Add 1 tbsp peanut butter into the batter with the rest of the wet ingredients!
Expert Tips
- Never overmix the batter. If you do overmix the batter your cookies will be dense and won’t taste near as good. Plus, when you overmix cookie dough it causes air bubbles to form – so when the cookies are baked the air bubbles pop and it leads to flat, super crispy (not soft/chewy) cookies.
- Don’t grease your baking sheet or the cookies will not turn out well. Because of the butter in the cookies they will already have enough oil.
- The lentil flour mixes best at room temperature, not cold
- Make sure to use softened butter, not melted butter in this recipe as it will change the texture of the cookies.
- When scooping the cookies, be sure to pack them tightly in the cookie scoop/spoon so that they don’t fall apart in the oven
- Make sure your baking soda is fresh (not expired!) so that your cookies rise properly and aren’t too flat.
- To reduce the sugar even more, use 1/2 cup coconut sugar + 1/2 cup brown sugar in this healthy cookie recipe
- When measuring the flour, be sure to spoon and level it into your measuring cup (vs. scooping the flour out with your measuring cup). That will ensure you end up with light cookies that aren’t too dense.
- Let the cookies cool completely before serving.
More Delicious and Healthy Dessert Recipes!
- Banana Oatmeal Cookies with Peanut Butter
- Cheesecake Bites
- Cookie Monster Cookies
- Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
- Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
- Flourless Brownies
- Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Protein Powder Mug Cake
- The Chocolate Ganache Tart Everyone Will Love
- Homemade Lara Bar
- Healthy Low Sugar Dessert Recipes
If you have tried this Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family friendly food!
🎥 Watch How to Make It
Secretly Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sinking your teeth into one of these healthy chocolate chip cookies is so satisfying and delicious. With only 100 calories per cookie, they are sweet, chewy, and the perfect dessert for all occasions!
Servings: 60 cookies (5 dozen)
Calories: 106kcal
Ingredients
- 1½ cups whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
- ¾ cup lentil flour mixes best at room temperature, not cold
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup butter softened (note – the 1 cup of butter is a lot, but among the serving size – 60 cookies, it amounts to only about 15 calories of butter per cookie)
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp agave nectar
- 1¾ cups chocolate chips you can change this up and add peanut butter or butterscotch chips if you like!
- ½ cup chopped nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine flours, salt and baking soda in a small bowl.
- Beat butter, sugars and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until creamy.
- Add eggs and syrup, beating well.
- Gradually beat in flour mixture.
- Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
- Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake 9 – 11 minutes or until brown.
Notes
Top Tips For Making The Best Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Never overmix the batter. If you do overmix the batter your cookies will be dense and won’t taste near as good. Plus, when you overmix cookie dough it causes air bubbles to form – so when the cookies are baked the air bubbles pop and it leads to flat, super crispy (not soft/chewy) cookies.
- Don’t grease your baking sheet or the cookies will not turn out well. Because of the butter in the cookies they will already have enough oil.
- The lentil flour mixes best at room temperature, not cold
- Make sure to use softened butter, not melted butter in this recipe as it will change the texture of the cookies.
- When scooping the cookies, be sure to pack them tightly in the cookie scoop/spoon so that they don’t fall apart in the oven
- Make sure your baking soda is fresh (not expired!) so that your cookies rise properly and aren’t too flat.
- When measuring the flour, be sure to spoon and level it into your measuring cup (vs. scooping the flour out with your measuring cup). That will ensure you end up with light cookies that aren’t too dense.
- To reduce the sugar even more, use 1/2 cup coconut sugar + 1/2 cup brown sugar in this healthy cookie recipe
- Let the cookies cool completely before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1.2g | Fat: 5.9g | Sodium: 42.9mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 10.5g
We love chocolate chip cookies but always avoid it cos of the number of calories and refined sugar it has. You make these healthy versions look so yummy.. Gotta definitely try these out.
Totally!! These are much healthier than the traditional version so you can enjoy them guilt free!
I have made these twice already and healthy was what caught my attention, we love these and wont make any other recipes this is perfect!
Yay!! So happy to hear that Claudia!
These sound so tasty and I love that they are so low in calories and healthy too! A delicious snack the whole family can enjoy.
Thanks so much Bintu! I can’t wait for you to try these!
I love your healthy twists in this recipe. The kids gobbled them up and didn’t realize that they were getting extra fiber and goodness from those flours!
I’m so happy to hear that Jenn! Thanks so much for letting me know!
WOW, and these are low-calorie cookies! I am making a list of “healthy” cookies to make during the holiday season. And then I make edible gift boxes.
Yes!! These would be perfect for your batch of holiday cookies!
I love that these are better for you than traditional cookies. Perfect for the whole family.
Totally!! Enjoy Andrea!
Mmmm, yes. Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies are indeed heaven. I love your healthier spin! One note: if you heat up the butter in the microwave, be sure to cover it. My son spray-painted our microwave with butter during his virtual home economics class yesterday because he didn’t know that little detail. 😉
Omg great point about the butter Michelle!! Thanks!!
I have been following and using your recipes for a couple of years now. I use the low-fat breakfast muffins recipe often. In this recipe could I use ground oatmeal or a combo of ground oatmeal and spelt flour? Can’t get out for lentil flour due to virus. I like the idea of substituting yoghurt for some of the butter. Could I use coconut oil for the remaining butter portion?
Hi Marsha! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying my recipes! For this – yes you can absolutely use ground oatmeal or ground oatmeal + spelt flour. You should also be able to use coconut oil for the remainder of the butter – the cookies might just have a slightly different consistency but should still be really good!
Hi Anjali, I found your recipe whilst looking for cookies using lentil flour! It sounds good 🙂 Have you tried substituting the butter with any oils? I might try a small batch with sunflower oil or colza and also with butter to see the difference. Would like to know your opinion..
Hi Avril! I haven’t tried substituting any oils for the butter, but I have made these cookies using half the amount of butter, and then 1/4 cup full fat plain Greek yogurt, and that turns out great! Hope that helps, and I hope you love these cookies!
These look delicious! Where do I get lentil flour? I looked for it in the bulk bins at whole foods but was unable to find it. Thanks!
You can get it at any Indian store – it’s usually called something like “urad dal flour” – or you can buy it online like on this website – but I’m sure there are plenty of other online options too! Hope that helps!
Healthy and still delicious looking? Sounds good to me. I have a sweet treat linky party going on at my blog till Monday night and I’d love it if you’d stop by and link your cookies up. https://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2011/12/sweets-for-saturday-50.html
Thanks! Just stopped by your blog and joined the link party 🙂 Thanks for including me!
Your cookies look so lovely, yummy. I also very much like your beautiful photos.
Thank you so much!
These look fabulous! Wish I could stop over for some! We should be out to Cali in April so I would love to get together then! Happy New Year!
Oh yay!! Let’s definitely get together when you’re here in April – can’t wait to see you, happy new year! 🙂
Lentil flour huh? I am intrigued!
I know! I was surprised it worked so well too. Hope you enjoy it!
I’ve got some lentil flour in my pantry, but hadn’t thought about using it in cookies. Such an interesting idea – will have to try it next time I make cookies.
Yeah I thought it was a really cool use for lentil flour too! Let me know how you like it!
Thanks I’m definitely gonna be trying this for New Years 🙂
Awesome! Hope you enjoy them! 🙂