18 Christmas Cookie Recipes That Are Surprisingly Healthy

The holiday season is a time for enjoying festive treats with friends and family. However, with so many decadent desserts everywhere you turn, it can be challenging to make healthier choices.

The good news is, you don’t have to sacrifice taste or tradition to serve nutritious holiday cookies. There are many recipes that use wholesome ingredients like oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit to make delicious alternatives to classic sugar-laden Christmas cookies.

Benefits of Healthy Holiday Cookies

Choosing recipes made with whole grains, healthy fats, and natural sweeteners over refined flour, butter, and sugar has many advantages:

Higher fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals
Less processed ingredients
Lower glycemic index
Reduce risk of overindulging

Ingredients for Healthier Cookies

Some nutritious ingredients that can be used to lighten up holiday cookies include:

Whole wheat or oat flour
Oats and oatmeal
Nuts like almonds, walnuts and pecans
Seeds such as chia, flax and hemp
Dried fruit like cranberries, cherries or raisins
Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger
Pure maple syrup, honey or blackstrap molasses instead of refined sugar
Avocado or coconut oil for healthy fats

18 Healthier Christmas Cookie Recipes

1. Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

Chewy oatmeal cookies studded with tart dried cranberries and creamy white chocolate chips.

2. Whole Wheat Chai Spice Cookies

Fragrant whole wheat cookies featuring warming chai spices and mix of nuts and seeds.

3. Gluten-Free Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

Classic holiday gingerbread made without eggs, dairy or wheat – but still perfectly spiced and chewy.

4. Healthy Fruit and Nut Thumbprints

Bite-size almond flour shortbread cookies filled with antioxidant-rich fruit jams.

5. Paleo Eggnog Cookies

Grain-free, dairy-free cookies evoking the flavors of creamy eggnog with nutmeg and rum extract.

FAQ

What makes holiday cookies unhealthy?

Traditional Christmas cookie recipes often contain large amounts of butter, sugar and refined flour – ingredients with low nutritional value that promote overeating.

What are good substitutes for regular flour in cookies?

Some healthier flour options include whole wheat flour, almond flour, oat flour or coconut flour. Each lends its own unique flavor and texture.

How do you reduce the sugar in cookie recipes?

Cutting back on regular granulated sugar and using alternative sweeteners like pure maple syrup, coconut sugar or stevia in moderation can help lower the sugar content.

What are some ideas for healthy cookie add-ins?

Mix-ins like rolled oats, nuts, seeds, shredded coconut, dried fruit, cinnamon and ginger add nutrition while also creating delicious texture and flavor contrast in cookies.

Are there good oil substitutes for baking cookies?

Unsweetened applesauce is an easy 1:1 substitute for oil in baking cookies. Other options include mashed avocado, pumpkin puree or nut butters. You can also use oils like coconut or olive oil.