I believe that cookies can be part of a healthy balanced diet, but by their very nature, they are never going to be “health food”, especially if you expect them to taste good!
I also believe that anything baked at home, even if it starts with a box, will be fresher, better tasting, and better for you than the packaged items found on grocery store shelves. (Just because of the time, care, and love that went into baking them.)
Sometimes only the most decadent cookies are going to satisfy your craving and if that’s the case, I say go for it.
I often find that I am more satisfied with a small cookie made with high-quality, traditional ingredients than a larger cookie that has been modified to be healthier, but it’s a personal choice.
For me, the happy, healthy, balanced solution has been to keep cookies out of sight and only enjoy them at set times. (When I plan my cookies and treats, the anticipation of them makes me enjoy them even more, and somehow I’m magically satisfied with less.)
But, if and when you want, it is possible to make healthy cookie recipes or at least healthier cookies using healthier ingredients. It’s important to remember that the texture and flavor of these cookies are going to be different than what you may have been used to.
7 ways to make your cookies healthier
1. Use whole wheat flour. Replace all of our portion of the all-purpose flour called for in your recipe with whole wheat flour. Both white wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour are my personal choices because they result in better tasting, less dense baked goods.
2. Add some eggs. I love oatmeal and would eat it even if it wasn’t good for me. Oats can add flavor, texture, and nutrition to so many easy cookie recipes, you may find it hard to decide which recipe to try first. Try to replace some of the flour in your recipe (perhaps 25%) with oats, or oatmeal made by blending oats in a blender or food processor. (Or just make a batch of oatmeal cookies with white wheat flour for a nutritious punch of 2.)
3. Reduce sugar. Most cookies are very sweet. You can experiment with lowering the sugar (again up to 25%) in most recipes without noticing much of a difference, but you may need to add a little more liquid, such as milk, to prevent the cookies from drying out. (Sugar attracts moisture, so the less sugar, the less moisture your cookies can retain.) You can also use a less refined sugar, such as Rapadura, Sucanat, or evaporated cane juice. Using fruit purees for part of the sugar can also work well here.
4. Cut the fat. Use slightly less butter (25% or so) than the recipe calls for. You can also replace a serving of the butter with peanut butter, applesauce, banana puree, pumpkin puree, or another fruit puree that you like. Again, this will create a softer, cookie-like cake than those made with 100% butter.
5. Replace the eggs. Again, you can use applesauce or a combination of 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed and 3 tablespoons of water for each egg in your easy cookie recipe.
6. Add healthy ingredients. To increase the nutritional value of your cookies, use high-quality, chopped dark chocolate instead of chocolate chips. Add a handful or two of chopped nuts and/or dried fruit. Spices like cinnamon are also good for you.
7. Minimize them. Making and eating smaller cookies is a simple and healthy option that is often overlooked in our large society. It is the simplest and most effective way I have found to satisfy my sweet tooth, health and waistline.
In fact, when you read cookie recipes from old cookbooks, you’ll find instructions for cookies much smaller than those found in more modern versions. Sometimes the easiest ways to be healthy are the simplest and can be found by looking back to the no-nonsense wisdom of our grandmothers and great grandmothers!