Gluten-Free, Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies with No Added Sugar

The only thing that can beat cookies fresh from the oven is healthy oven-fresh cookies! These soft and chewy cookies have the best of oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies with semisweet or dark chocolate chips, vanilla, and a light cinnamon flavor, but they’re more nutritious than traditional cookies. 

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Avoid added sugars in this recipe by using pureed banana instead of white sugar to sweeten the cookies. They’re low in saturated fat due to peanut butter instead of butter, and they use whole-grain oats and gluten-free almond flour instead of refined white flour. They’re a healthier dessert or sweet snack alternative, and you can even have them for breakfast instead of a pastry.

Variations and Serving Suggestions

• Make them as cookies, or form them balls, pour them in a pan to make bars, or add them to a muffin tin to make mini muffins.
• For best flavor and texture, heat up the cookies in the oven for 5-10 minutes at 350° if they are not already warm.
• Try swapping peanut butter for almond or cashew butter, or keep them nut-free with sunflower seed butter.
• For an extra crunch, use chunky peanut butter or add 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts or flaxseed.
• For a sweeter cookie, add 2-4 tablespoons of sugar, brown sugar, or honey. This will add 2-4 tablespoons of sugar to each cookie.
• To add sweetness without added sugars, add ½ teaspoon of liquid stevia.
• Try swapping raisins for chocolate chips.
• Enjoy your cookie for a snack or dessert with a glass of almond milk or soymilk.
• Try these as a quick breakfast-on-the-go. Make them ahead of time and pair them with some fruit and a source of lean protein like a hard-boiled egg or low-fat cottage cheese.
• Crumble over plain Greek yogurt for a protein-packed snack.

Recipe for Low-Sugar Guilt-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 12 servings (serving size: 1 cookie)

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe (or about 1 cup) bananas
• 1 cup of rolled oats (regular or quick-cooking)
• ½ cup of almond flour
• ¼ cup of creamy unsweetened peanut butter
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• ¼ cup of dairy-free semisweet or dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas until smooth, or use a blender to puree them with 1 tablespoon of water.
3. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla, and cinnamon and mix well.
4. Add oats and almond flour and stir until combined.
5. Fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave the dough as is, or flatten for a crispier cookie.
7. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned and set. Edges should be golden.
8. Let cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack. Enjoy warm. You can refrigerate the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.

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Nutrition information per serving: 110 calories; 6 grams of fat; 1.5 grams of saturated fat; 0 mg of cholesterol; 2 mg of sodium; 10 grams of carbohydrates; 3 grams of sugar; 2 grams of fiber; 3 grams of protein

Reviewed by Natalie Stein, MS, MPH, CDCES