These delicious and Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies are the perfect cookies that you AND your kids will love! Our kids won’t even notice all the hidden veggies in this easy cookie recipe!
Best Ever Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
I came up with this chocolate chip cookie recipe several years ago, after my oldest was born, because I wanted a way to sneak some more veggies into her diet and wanted to be able to give her something sweet for dessert once in a while, that didn’t have a million weird ingredients in it. I wanted a “healthy” cookie for her – this is what I came up with! Nut butter, applesauce, banana and whole wheat flour are the main ingredients with spinach, carrots and zucchini – I swear that you really can’t taste the fresh veggies. Oh, and of course there are chocolate chips because, hello, these are still cookies!
Looking for More Cookies with a Healthy Spin?
If you love them as much as we do, you definitely need to try our Healthy Monster Cookies!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Ingredients: The ingredients really are just simple, clean and even include some fresh vegetables.
- Veggies: Like I said, I even threw some veggies in there…. because why not!
- Still a Cookie: But even with all those healthier ingredients, these are still cookies and that’s what they taste like – promise!
What You Will Need
- whole wheat flour – perfect for a simple flour base, but you could also use your favorite gluten-free 1-to-1 flour or almond flour.
- baking soda & kosher salt – baking essentials for a little rising and structure!
- banana & unsweetened applesauce – great for adding some natural sweetness to these delicious cookies.
- egg – another baking ingredient that helps with the structure.
- vanilla extract – just a little bit for some added flavor!
- almond butter – any nut butter works, just make sure they have a creamy texture.
- coconut sugar – a natural sweetener that adds a bit more sweetness, it is a cookie after all!
- carrot, spinach, & zucchini – the perfect combination of veggies that pack a nutritional punch but you would never know they are in there!
- dairy-free semi sweet chocolate chips – always a must when making cookies.
- sea salt – optional to sprinkle a bit on top after baking!
How To Make Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
The first steps to making this easy cookie recipe is to mix the dry ingredients (minus the sugar) in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl. Fold the veggies into the wet ingredients. Then add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix again. Finally, add the chocolate chips, stir to combine, and then place 1-2 tablespoons of the dough at a time on a prepared baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.
Made this recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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Other Healthier Dessert Recipes You Might Like
Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Approx. 16-20 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
The perfect Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that you AND your kids will love! Made with real, simple ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 very ripe banana, mashed
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup creamy almond butter, (peanut butter works too)
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup carrots, use vegetable peeler to peel thin strips and then roughly chop
- 1/3 cup spinach, roughly chopped
- 2–3 tablespoons of zucchini, peel off the outer skin of the zucchini & roughly chop
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips
- optional topping: sea salt
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat the bottom of a sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Dry Ingredients: Combine 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl.
- Wet Ingredients: In separate mixing bowl, combine 1 mashed banana, 1 beaten egg, 1/4 cup applesauce, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup almond butter and 2 teaspoons coconut sugar; Mix well.
- Veggies: Add carrots, spinach and zucchini to wet ingredients and fold together.
- Combine: Pour dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mix to combine, and then add chocolate chips. Mix again.
- Bake: Take 1-2 tablespoons of cookie dough and place on prepared baking sheet (Note: cookies will not raise much or spread out). Sprinkle with sea salt (optional). Bake in preheated oven, middle rack, for approx. 8-10 minutes or until the bottoms start to brown.
- Cool + Serve: Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and then enjoy!
Notes
- Number of Cookies: this depends on the size of the cookies. If you are making them 1-2 tablespoons big, you will yield approximately 16-20 cookies.
- Almond Butter: Feel free to use creamy peanut butter or other nut butter if you prefer – just make sure the consistency is creamy.
- Flour Substitutions: this recipe has been tested with 1-to-1 gluten-free flour and almond flour with success! Feel free to sub with either option. If using almond flour, we suggest baking them for 10 minutes (instead of 8).
- Coconut Sugar: you can substitute brown sugar here, if you want.
- Let them cool: for best results, let them cool fully before eating!
- Storage: Since these don’t have any preservatives in them, they shouldn’t be left out on the countertop for more than a day or so. After that keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 105
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 68.9 mg
- Fat: 5.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 12.6 g
- Protein: 3.2 g
- Cholesterol: 9.3 mg
Danielle says
Hello. I’m excited to be making these for my 15month old. I had a few questions regarding the ingredients. I know these vegetables get very soft in baking and are barely noticeable, have you tried shredding them? Has it changed the batter consistency? Have you tried using vegetable pure instead of chopped? I know it would add more liquid so would need to substitute something which was thinking maybe mixing it with the apple sauce? Not really sure. Thanks for the help.
Erin says
Hi Danielle! I think shredded them would probably be fine, but maybe squeeze out any excess liquid before using. I don’t think I would recommend a puree as that would change the recipe too much. Hope that helps!
Eleina says
How do you make them into perfect cookie shape. Mine still look deformed and dough like. They have the texture of a muffin. Moist. Still good but I can’t get the dough to form into a cookie shape.
Jenny says
Love these!! Do you have nutrition facts for this recipe? Thanks!
Erin says
Hi Jenny! So glad you enjoyed them! I don’t currently have nutrition facts, but should in the future at some point. For now, feel free to use any trusted nutritional calculator out there!
Tanya Ragsdale says
Yes!! I would also love the nutritional facts of these yummy cookies. Made them tonight, and even my picky eater liked them. I substituted kale for spinach cause its what I had and they turned out great. Thank you.
Suzanne says
These are delicious! Both of my kids loved them. I accidentally misread the recipe and added double the zucchini and no spinach and they turned out great!
Erin says
yay! So, so happy to hear that, Suzanne! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review + comment – I really appreciate it!
Francesca Tiongson says
Can I use gluten free flour with this?
Erin says
Hi Francesca! I have not tried this recipe with gluten-free flour personally, but I am not sure why it wouldn’t work! Definitely report back if you try it!! 🙂
Tracey Purcell says
Delicious! A healthy recipe that really is good. I used almond flour and grated the carrots and zucchini. Also used frozen kale as that is what I had on hand. Used 2 teas of xyla and it was perfect. Quick tip, don’t taste these as soon as they come out of the oven. The choc and veggies are all meshed together… let them cool and…then try them. You will be pleasantly surprised. Love recipes like this!
Erin says
Thank you so much, Tracey! So glad you liked them and SO excited to hear you tried almond flour with them! Yay!! Thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback! Much appreciated!
rachel says
I plan to try these! I am more of a cook than a baker… any time I try to make cookies, they always come out hard and my husband does not like crispy cookies. He likes them soft and of course for my 1.5 yo daughter, I would like for them to be soft too. So, what is the consistency? How can I guarantee they come out soft?
Erin says
Hi, rachel – so I have made these SO many times and they honestly always come out soft and that is what I hear from everyone else too; they aren’t crunchy at all. I would give them a try as the recipe is written – if you are really, really concerned maybe add just an extra Tablespoon or so of applesauce! Enjoy!
Jessica says
Any recommendations on a flour substitute?
Btw….i love love love your site and recipies! I have yet to make one that wasn’t a hit! Thank you for taking the time to share. 🙂
Erin says
Thank you so much, Jessica!! Re-testing these with some Bob’s Red Mill paleo flour is on my list of things to do – I THINK it would work (they would probably be a little more dense), I just haven’t gotten around to doing it! I will definitely update the post as soon as I do though!
Sonya B says
I would also like to know the answer to Taryn’s question! I don’t have apple sauce (or apples to make it) and the school is a nut-free zone.
Erin says
Hi, Sonya! I haven’t tried any substitutions on these guys yet, so I con’t give too many great tips. I use applesauce a lot as a replacement for oil, but I can’t predict if it would work to replace it with the exact amount. The same would go for peanut butter – you could potentially sub regular butter, but since it has somewhat of a different texture I also don’t know if you could sub it for the same amount! And I don’t want you to waste ingredients! I will try and make a batch at some point with some substitutions and report back, but for now I can’t say for sure what would work -sorry!! Let me know if you try something and it works for you though 🙂
Taryn says
I just love the look & idea of these! What do you recommend instead of peanut butter (butter? School doesn’t allow nuts) and apple sauce? ❤️
Marilyn says
Hey Taryn! I haven’t had a chance to make these yet but wanted to let you know about sunflower seed butter! I’ve had sunbutter brand before and it’s a super yummy alternative to nut butter that can be used the same way!
Erin says
Thanks, Marilyn!
Cara says
This was FANTASTIC!
Erin says
Yay!! So glad you liked them!! The photos could definitely use an update, but I love this recipe! Thanks!
Brie says
Just made these! They are indeed delicious! How should I store? Fridge or counter to eat for 2-3 days
Erin says
I am so happy you liked them!! They will be the in an airtight container on the countertop for 2-3 days! Enjoy! ?
claire wheeler says
could i use a cookie cutter for these? the look delicous
Erin says
That is honestly a really good question, Claire! I have never tried using a cookie cutter with them, but if you rolled them out you very well might be able to do it. Remember, the dough doesn’t really rise at all, it essentially holds its form as it is on the cookie sheet. It might be a little sticky when you try to roll it out, but if you just tossed a little flour on top, that might do the trick. I am seriously interested in whether you give it a try or not and if it works out. Actually, I am so intrigued I might have to give this a try myself! The kiddos would like them even more! 🙂
Claire Wheeler says
It worked!! I used a bit less liquid and froze the dough for 30 minutes before shaping then used extra flour to roll them out!
Erin says
Oh my gosh – look at you! That is so awesome!! Well, there you go everyone – you CAN roll these out and use a cookie cutter on them!!! Thanks, Claire!!
Becky @ My Utensil Crock says
So interesting, can’t wait to try these!
Erin says
Thanks, Becky!! They really are awesome! Thanks for stopping by! ?