10 Healthy Cookie Recipes

Hey everyone! How's it going? With Fall officially here and Winter right around the corner, I thought I'd do a recipe post. I know with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all the other holidays that are near, there will be lots of cooking going on, and while healthy eating is a must, I'm a big believer that healthy food can be tasty food, too! Just because you're eating healthy doesn't mean that all you're allowed are fruits & vegetables. Almost any dish can be turned into a healthier dish if the right adjustments are made. Desserts are allowed, too! And what are everyone's favorite, go-to desserts? COOKIES!!! So I give you...

10 Healthy Cookie Recipes
 for the Fall & Winter Seasons

Well-known cookies get a nutritious makeover with delicious results!

1. Molasses Cookies

Give molasses cookies a wholesome upgrade with this recipe. A combo of whole-wheat flour, spices and blackstrap molasses, a natural sweetener rich in iron, produces a soft, chewy cookie laced with ginger and cinnamon. 
Ingredients:

2 tbsp. ground flax
1 egg white
1 banana
1 c. whole-wheat flour
1 c. oats (not instant)
1/2 c. blackstrap molasses
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking soda 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flax and egg white in a bowl. Set aside. Using a fork, mash banana in a bowl. Add flour and oats. Mix well. Add flax mixture and molasses, mixing until everything is combined. Add the rest of the ingredients, stirring well. Scoop out rounded spoonfuls of batter onto a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes.

Makes 20 cookies

2. 20-Minute Applesauce Cookies

These satisfying sugar-free treats are so packed with dried cherries and rolled oats that they taste more like delicious granola bars. As an added bonus, you can whip them up in less than half an hour. 
Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas
2 c. rolled oats
1/3 c. applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. ground flax
1/2 c. dried cherries 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a fork, mash the bananas in a bowl. Stir in oats, applesauce, dried cherries, flax and vanilla extract. Mix batter well. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto a lined cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

Makes 36 cookies

3. Peanut Butter Quinoa Cookies

Greasy peanut butter cookies get a healthful twist! Commonly used in salads or entrées, nutrient-dense quinoa grains take center stage in this simple recipe. Quinoa gives the cookies a full nutty flavor, while natural peanut butter, raw honey and cocoa nibs promise a dessert that's still sweet. 
Ingredients:

2 c. quinoa, cooked and cooled
1/2 c. natural salted peanut butter
1/3 c. raw honey
1 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. dried, unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 c. raw cocoa nibs 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Flatten tablespoons of the mixture onto parchment paper and bake for approximately one hour.

Makes 24 cookies

4. Carrot Cake Cookies

You can skip the cream cheese glaze when it comes to these chunky carrot cake cookies. They’re tasty enough with a sweet, moist texture from crushed pineapple and juicy raisins. Plus, a cup of freshly grated carrots means these cookies are loaded with fiber. 
Ingredients:

1 c. white whole-wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. rolled oats
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 egg whites
3/4 c. dark brown sugar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. pineapple, drained and crushed
1/2 c. fat-free milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. raisins
1 c. carrots, grated
1 tbsp. orange zest
1/2 c. walnuts, toasted and chopped 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients, like flour, baking soda, oats, brown sugar, orange zest, cinnamon and nutmeg, in one bowl. Add the wet ingredients, like egg whites, oil, pineapple, milk and vanilla, to the dry, stirring together. Stir in raisins, carrots and walnuts. Drop by tablespoonful onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes.

Makes 30 cookies

5. No-Bake Cocoa Cookies

No baking required for these delectable bite-sized morsels! This bare-bones recipe calls for commonplace ingredients like instant oats and milk, which, when combined, create a healthy low-fat cookie. 
Ingredients:

1 banana, mashed
4 tbsp. butter
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c. nonfat milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 c. instant oats
1/2 c. peanut butter 
Directions:
Combine all the ingredients except vanilla and oats in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Let the mixture cool. Add vanilla and oats and continue to stir. Drop by teaspoonful onto waxed paper and allow to cool.

Makes 30 cookies

6. Pumpkin Protein Cookies

Fall just wouldn't be the same without an abundance of pumpkin-flavored treats, and this recipe allows you to indulge in them without feeling guilty. Made with vanilla protein powder, these spicy pumpkin cookies are perfect for a quick breakfast or afternoon snack. 
Ingredients:

1 c. pumpkin puree
1/4 c. applesauce
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 c. vanilla protein powder
1 tbsp. agave nectar
1 tbsp. molasses
1 tbsp. cinnamon
2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. raisins 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine ingredients in a bowl, stirring until well combined. Drop cookies onto baking sheet and press down. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Makes 12 cookies

7. Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Both vegans and non-vegans can help themselves to these chocolate chip cookies. Whole-wheat pastry flour, which still retains much of its natural vitamins & minerals, gives this classic recipe a nutritious—and yummy—spin.

Ingredients:
7 tbsp. Earth Balance, plus 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. cane sugar
1 flax egg (1 tbsp. ground flax mixed with 3 tbsp. water)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 c. whole-wheat pastry flour
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. molasses (optional)
1/2 c. dark chocolate chips 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix together the flax egg and set aside. With an electric mixer, beat the Earth Balance until fluffy. Add the brown sugar and cane sugar and beat for 1-2 minutes until creamy. Beat in the flax egg. Beat in the remaining ingredients and fold in the chocolate chips. Shape balls of dough and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack for another 10 minutes.

Makes 12-14 large cookies

8. Vegan Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies

Rich in beta-carotene, sweet potatoes reach their peak during the fall and winter seasons. Take advantage of this orange-fleshed root vegetable by baking it into a scrumptious cookie full of healthy whole grains.

Ingredients:
2/3 c. sweet potato puree
2 tbsp. ground flax seed
1/4 c. almond milk
1/3 c. canola oil
1/2 c. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. spelt flour
1 c. whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. rolled oats
3/4 c. toasted pecans, chopped
1 c. dried cranberries 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix together sweet potato puree, ground flax seed and almond milk. Add the remaining wet ingredients (oil, syrup and vanilla) and mix well. Sift in spelt flour, whole-wheat pastry flour, spices, soda and salt and stir until full incorporated. Fold in the oats, pecans and dried cranberries. Using a 1/4 c. measuring cup, scoop cookie dough and drop on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave 2" of space between each cookie. Press down the scoops to form a flat patty. Bake for 15 minutes or until cookies are a light golden brown.

Makes 20 cookies

9. Pumpkin-Stuffed Chocolate Cookies

Bite into this cookie to find a creamy pumpkin surprise nestled in the middle! This vegan-friendly confection serves up an explosion of chocolate and pumpkin flavors and costs you only 75 calories per cookie.  

Ingredients:
3/4 c. white whole-wheat flour
6 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. cocoa powder
Scant 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. maple syrup or agave
2 tbsp. nondairy milk
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. oil
3 tbsp. pureed pumpkin
3 tbsp. nut butter of choice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 packet stevia (or 1/2 tbsp. sugar)
1/8 tsp. pure vanilla extract 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 330 degrees. Combine the first 5 ingredients and mix very well. Add ingredients 6-9 and mix again to form dough. In a separate bowl, combine all other ingredients to make the filling. Using about a heaping tablespoon of dough, roll into a ball and then flatten. Place a little scoop of the filling in the center and fold up the sides of the dough. Form into a ball. Bake for about 10 minutes. Cookies should be a little undercooked when you take them out. Let stand 10 minutes.

Makes 18-20 big cookies

10. Banana-Oatmeal Power Cookies

These fiber-rich banana-oatmeal cookies give you the energy to power through your day. With ingredients like raisins, dried cranberries, walnuts and flax seeds, this cookie is equal parts healthful and delicious, so dig in!  
Ingredients:
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. flaked coconut
1/2 c. rolled oats
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 very ripe banana, mashed
1 egg, at room temperature
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped
2 tbsp. flax seeds
2 tbsp. sunflower seeds 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease one or two baking sheets. In a bowl, stir together the flour, coconut, oats, baking soda, flax seeds, salt and cinnamon. In a large bowl, cream the brown sugar and butter with a wooden spoon until fluffy. Add the banana and egg and beat with a fork until blended. Stir in the flour mixture, about 1/2 c. at a time, then stir in the raisins, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and walnuts. Spoon the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet(s), spacing the cookies about 2” apart. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes, switching pan positions halfway through baking if two pans were used. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet(s) on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to the rack and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Makes about 12 cookies

So what do you think? These recipes look pretty good to me! I know I plan on trying a few! Let me know if and what you decide to try and how it turns out! Enjoy!

source: http://www.shape.com