These Healthy Cookies are about to be your new favorite cookie recipe! They are made with 100% whole food ingredients: no flour, no added oil, and no added sugar. And oddly enough, they remind me of the popular “soft batch” cookies I used to eat when I was growing up.
Why You’ll Love Them
This recipe is what I consider the “healthiest cookies ever.” They are made with ingredients that you may already have in your pantry, and because they’re flourless, they’re naturally gluten-free, too.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Walnuts: Walnuts are a plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically the essential fat alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Research shows that eating ALA may help to lower your risk of heart disease. The polyphenols found in walnuts may also help to fight inflammation.
- Dates: Dates are loaded with fiber and may be beneficial for controlling your blood sugar. Dates are considered a low-glycemic food, and have a high antioxidant content that may help lower inflammation and reduce the risk of diabetes.
- Flax Seeds: Ground flax seeds may help to lower cholesterol and they may help to lower blood pressure, too. Eating ground flax seeds regularly may even help to expedite weight loss, as well!
- Baking Soda + Vinegar. This combination helps them rise, without using eggs.
- Vanilla + Salt. Contributes to the classic cookie flavor you love.
- Dark Chocolate Chips. Or, you can use cacao nibs, raisins, or extra nuts as a sugar-free mix-in.
I use the flax seeds as an egg substitute in this recipe, and I think it keeps them a nice and soft in the center– which I love. If you would rather use a real egg, you can replace the flax seeds and water with one for a little more protein in this recipe.
Substitution note: I’ll often use pecans when I don’t have walnuts on hand, and the results are just as delicious! I think that buttery nuts work best in this recipe, so macadamia nuts would probably work well, too.
How to Make Them
- Grind the nuts. Add the walnuts to a food processor, and process briefly until they have a coarse, crumbly texture.
- Make the cookie dough. Add in the dates, salt, baking soda, vanilla, flax seeds, water, and vinegar (which reacts with the baking soda to help the cookies rise) and process again, until a sticky cookie dough is formed. Add in the chocolate chips, and process again briefly to mix them in.
- Scoop. Use a tablespoon or 1-ounce cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough onto a lined baking sheet.
- Bake. The cookies will bake for 12 minutes or so, at 350ºF.
- Enjoy! Let the cookies cool completely on the pan. They are fragile when they are warm, but they firm up as they cool.
These healthy cookies have a soft and tender texture that reminds me of my childhood favorite “soft batch” cookies. If you prefer a firmer cookie, simply store them in the fridge or freezer, and serve them cold!
How to Store Them
These grain-free cookies will become softer if you store them in an airtight container at room temperature. I recommend storing them in the fridge or freezer and serving them cold after the first 24 hours.
(They usually sit out just fine at room temperature for the first day!)
More Healthy Cookie Recipes
If you have other ingredients on hand and are craving a cookie, you might also enjoy these healthy recipes:
- Date-Sweetened Peanut Butter Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Frosting (sweetened with dates!)
- Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Buckwheat Cookies
- Almond Butter Cookies
- Double Chocolate Cookies (also date-sweetened!)
- Coconut Flour Cookies
I hope you’ll enjoy these cookies whenever your sweet tooth strikes! Because they are made with nutrient-rich ingredients, I find that they leave me feeling satisfied much longer than a traditional cookie recipe.
Healthiest Cookies Ever
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups raw walnuts (165 grams)
- 1 tightly packed cup medjool dates , pitted (8 ounces)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (3 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (3 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (3 grams)
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (8 grams)
- 3 tablespoons water (42 grams)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (5 grams)
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional; 75 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large food processor fitted with an "S" blade, briefly process the walnuts into a crumbly texture.
- Add in the dates, salt, baking soda, vanilla, flax, water, and vinegar. Process again, until the batter looks relatively smooth and sticky.
- Add in the chocolate chips, or any other mix-ins you like, and process briefly to mix them in. Use a tablespoon or 1-ounce cookie scoop to scoop the dough.
- Drop the cookie dough onto the lined baking sheet, and use your fingers to flatten and shape the cookies. (They don't spread much on their own.) I usually get about 16 to 18 small cookies from this batch.
- Bake at 350ºF for 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. While the cookies are still warm, you can add a few more chocolate chips on top (if there are any spots that look bare). Let them cool completely on the pan, as they will be fragile while they are still warm. Store the cookies in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer, and serve cold for the most firm texture.
Video
Notes
- I love the buttery flavor of these cookies when made with walnuts, but I have a feeling that pecans or almonds would work well, too.
- If you don't have access to dates, raisins can be substituted in most cases, but the flavor will be slightly different.
- If you don't want to use a flax egg, one chicken egg can be used instead.
- Optional add-ins that are free of added sugar include: cacao nibs, raisins, shredded coconut, chopped nuts
Nutrition
If you try these healthy cookies, please leave a comment below letting me know how you like them!
—
Reader Feedback: What other date-sweetened desserts would you like to see in the future?
These look delicious! I’m always looking for a healthy cookie recipe, but most have coconut oil in them (which I’m allergic to), and I have yet to find a healthy alternative to. Can’t wait to try these!
these have to be the best cookies EVER. I’cant make them fast enough. Everyone that has tried just wants more.
We can’t stop eating them. BEST EVER is right
If I did want to make these into lactation cookies, how would you modify the recipe to add brewer’s yeast and/or oats? Thanks!
I’m not sure, but I do have a vegan lactation cookie recipe here: https://detoxinista.com/2014/08/vegan-lactation-cookies-gluten-free/
Can I just use a regular mixing bowl instead of a processor.
These look fabulous! Cant wait to try them!
These cookies are great! They have a great cookie taste, you can’t tell how good they are for you! They are also GAPS diet compliant if you use honey sweetened chocolate. I bought Camino 100% baking chocolate, melted it down and added honey to make GAPS chocolate chips. http://www.lasiembra.com/camino/en/cuisine-camino/unsweetened-baking-chocolate
These are now my go-to cookie for my cookie loving husband! He absolutely loves these cookies, and tonight his dad – who also loves cookies but does NOT like healthy food – tried one and he loved them. I couldn’t believe it! I don’t think he believed me when I told him what was in them 🙂 Thank you for so many absolutely delicious recipes!
Just tried making these and to be honest, I thought they tasted quite awful.
This looks very similar to a recipe from “Stir it Up.” This one may be a good alternative for folks who use eggs: https://cheffingit.wordpress.com/2013/07/16/date-sweetened-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Love these!! Usually I’m disappointed by ‘clean’ baking, but these are amazing and so easy! Thank you 🙂
I made these for the second time this morning and while delicious, both batches came out way too moist and sticky– almost like Larabars or something. I used pecans instead of walnuts, a small egg instead of flax, and added a tablespoon of maple syrup to offset my dry, less-sweet non-Medjool dates, but I wouldn’t think that any of these changes would have affected the outcome too much. They stayed in the oven for almost 25 minutes before I finally pulled them out, and they’re still wet. Suggestions? They ARE tasty though!
It was definitely because you use 1 Tbsp of maple syrup. I’ve never had a dry medjool date, personally. But, if you try these cookies again, and you feel the need to add maple syrup for moisture, try 1/2 to 1 tsp only.
Hi I have made these and they were a hit with my family. Just wondering, how would it taste with a packet of stevia thrown in for just a bit of extra sweetness?
I’ve made a handful of paleo and grain free chocolate chip cookies and this is my favorite recipe! I’ve tinkered with the recipe a bit and thought I’d share: I’ve substituted peanuts for the walnuts for a peanut butter cookie, and tonight I added three tablespoons of cocoa powder and used peanut butter chips instead of chocolate chips. Yummy!
These are my families favorite cookies 🙂 But, it keeps burning out my appliances. First, it burnt out my vitamix and then my brand new hamilton food processor. I love these cookies but I don’t know if I can keep making them. Please help!
You should win a noble peace prize for this recipe. Amazing! Thank you for being brillant and creating a clean cookie.
Megan – What would you substitute in for walnuts/nuts if you have a nut allergy? I’d love to try to make these but can’t do nuts! Thanks 🙂
How about seeds?
Hi everyone! Yesterday I was looking for a healthy alternative to cookies. I didn’t have any eggs so I was searching online for a yummy dessert. I found this site and zoomed in on this recipe. Omg! It turned out so good!!! Everyone loved it! I’ll definitely be making MORE this week! Thank you!!!
So yummy! I just went paleo/vegan for severe health reasons and these cookies saved me when my sweet tooth got the best of me. Does anyone know how many calories one cookie would be if you follow the recipe and leave out the chocolate?
These were AWESOME!! My only regret is that I’m making these for people at work..
Couple of modifications in my recipe – I used 1/2 cashews and 1/2 almonds. I also used 1/4 cup chunky natural peanut butter in the mix to give the cookies a nutty taste. Couldn’t be happier!
I’ll be making these again tomorrow for me… 🙂
I just made these with pecans. I didn’t have walnuts but wanted to make some healthy treats for the holidays. All I can say is WOW! They are amazing! Thank you! I’m not sure I want to share! ?
Love these cookies!!! I added a little cinnamon and kept out the chocolate chips – they are delicious – the entire family likes them – that’s a hit!!! Thank you!
Are these cookies meant to be crisp or soft? Mine were on the soft side. My texture also appeared to be coarser and dryer that shown in the photo, but followed the recipe, using a chicken egg. Any suggestions?
These cookies are amazing. I added in cacao baking powder instead of using chocolate chips. They came out tasting like incredible chocolate brownies. Next time I think i’ll use a type of blend instead of just walnuts since they require a lot of walnuts.
I used 1 cup macadamia nuts + 1/2 cup pecans which made the cookies nice and buttery. I also used a chicken egg because I did not have flax or chia seeds. And I threw in some chopped dark chocolate. The mixture wasn’t as smooth as I had hoped, so I think I’ll finely grind the nuts first then add the dates to the food processor. Overall, they came out amazing and smell/taste great!
These cookies are incredible. So easy to make and so healthy. My kids can’t get enough of them. I used applesauce when I didn’t have any eggs and they were even more incredible! Thank you!
Love these cookies paleo and vegan right up my alley! Honestly I like the cookie dough better than the cookies and the good thing about this so you can actually eat it without any problems.
These cookies are sooo tasty! I didn’t have walnuts so I used almond flour they are very tasty without the guilt!
Anyone know the nutritional information on these cookies? Calories, fats, carbs, protein?
I am definitely going to try these!
So good! I try a lot of healthy cookie recipes and this one is my favorite and it satisfies my craving for a good old fashioned chocolate chip cookie!
Love these!!! Making them for my fitness class participants tomorrow 😀
I absolutely love this recipe! Thank you so much for it! Not only do these cookies taste great but they feel great going down!
If i were to use date puree instead, how much in grams shud i use?
Awesome recipe. Used different type of dates but still came out delicious. Will definitely make again. My 2 yo also liked them.
For someone who does not cook not bake (still living with mom) your site has been a great help for me through my weightloss efforts. Your not to naughty snacks and very simple recipes are just what I needed. I did a little too much pulsing with the chocolate chips so this turned out as a chocolate cookie (no complaints). I love these the only challenge I had was I did not realize how spongy they would feel so I kept thinking they weren’t done (did I say I can’t cook or bake?) Anyways I love these even though they were a little hard for me to manage….can’t believe something so healthy tastes so good!
Walnuts are pretty high in omega 6 fatty acids. Hazelnuts or almond would be even healthier. Or coconut. 🙂 Still, sounds delish. Putting on my to-try list!
It was my 1st time baking cookies. I used 6 medjool dates. I didn’t have a food processor and used my blender but added too much water to thedate+walnut mixture in the blender. I thickened the batter out by adding way more flour. Totally didn’t expect to surprise myself at the outcome but I did! They tasted very healthy and not sweet, just the way I had wanted. I had 4 of them at one-go and batch-stored the rest for breakfast tomorrow and dessert the rest of the week. Thank you! Following on Facebook.
These are THE BEST grain free cookies I have ever tasted. I would choose these over some of the traditional cookies available to me before this strict diet began in our household.
All that said, I have to say THANK YOU! My daughter has been very ill for several years, and we have finally found a doctor who is pointing us in the right direction with a rather strict diet. It has seemed impossible to find something akin to a “treat” without altering even the supposedly best recipes a bit: no grain, no cane sugar, no eggs, no dairy…It was beginning to feel like we’d have to start imagining cookies and pretending to eat them UNTIL WE FOUND THIS RECIPE!
BLESS YOU, DEAR LADY!
These cookies are incredible! Instead of using all walnuts I did a combo of walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, oatmeal, and hemp hearts. I also just added whole chocolate chips to half the cookies once I flattened them out.
Love this recipe!!!
Love this recipe! Of course, it didn’t follow it, but that is my fault lol.
I made this twice now, once using almonds instead of walnuts, because that is what I had, and the second time I used ground hazelnuts, again, because I had it.
Eventually I will come around to actually making it with walnuts, but until then, 5 stars from me.
It was a great way to have something sweet without refined sugar or trying to use substitutes that always have some kind of either weird after taste or intestinal inpact….
I’m completely addicted to these. Theyre SOO SOO GOOD ! This recipe is honestly the best thing ive ever come across! Helpful hint: sometime when i’m out of walnuts, i use a mixture of cashews and almonds, they still come out just as good!
Tried this recipe with raw sunflower seeds and sesame seeds instead of the walnuts and soooooo buttery and good! Love love love this recipe!
I rarely make comments but I just had to thank you for these cookies!! I’m on a Whole30 right now and theses are awsome! They remind me of little toffee cakes! I used half cashews and half walnuts for the batter and studded them with pecans before baking.
When I’m off the “30” I will make a maple caramel sauce to put on top. Ooh, maybe I’ll make them as a skillet cookie and serve with coconut or banana ice cream!! Thanks again for this bit of simple perfection!
what is the calories per cookie?
My whole family loves these cookies so much! If I don’t add chocolate chips, I add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and it gives an oatmeal cookie taste. I made paleo marshmallow fluff once and put it between two cookies and was in heaven. My toddler loves these for quick on the go snacks too!
I wasn’t expecting these to be so delicious! They are very addicting but I don’t feel guilty eating them. Thanks for a great snack!!
Did you just add the ACV as an ingredient? I’ve made these a bunch of times bc they’re so amazing! I have a batch in the oven now- but I don’t remember ever adding ACV! Is it just me? 🙂
I make these cookies all the time. However in my food processor the dough ends up a ball and not as ground up as yours looks.What am I doing wrong?
Fran
I would really really appreciate an answer: Can you make a skillet cookie out of this? Or a cookie in a cup? I mean will it bake the same? And what about the ingredients? Thanks in advance!
I tried making a skillet cookie using this recipe once, and that did NOT work. The center never set. I think it would work with something smaller, like a mini muffin tin.
Hi Meagan,
I’m wondering if you can give me a suggestion:
I’m looking to start manufacturing and distributing a cookie that “does it all”. Tastes good, has a great nutritional value and is profitable and manufacturer friendly.
Any suggestions?
Colin
These are very good! Softer than I expected – completely melt in your mouth! Perfect for my 3-year old too, as they are soft yet don’t fall apart and crumble everywhere:) I used regular cooking dates as I did not have medjool and these worked perfectly. Thanks for such an easy, healthy recipe!
Look amazing! Do you think these would work as bars too?
I tried them as bars, and they didn’t turn out well. Way too gooey! I think you need all of those cookie edges to help them firm up.