Healthy Christmas cookie recipes galore! Add these cookies to your holiday baking list so you can indulge without an ounce of guilt this holiday season.
It’s that time of year again! I feel like sweets pop up in my home pretty much year round, but they’re extra prevalent during the holiday season. I’m all for treating myself and think that planning for healthy treats is actually a key part of staying on track.
With that in mind, I wanted to round up of my favoritehealthy Christmas cookierecipes so that you can treat yourself this holiday season with some festive cookies, made a tad healthier.
In addition to sharing a variety of lightened-up Christmas cookie ideas, I also thought it would be fun to share some tips for hosting a cookie exchange party and for packing and shipping Christmas cookies this holiday season. I don’t know about you, but homemade, edible gifts are always welcome among my friends and family and who doesn’t love cookies?
Healthy Christmas Cookie Recipes
So let’s hop right in. Here are some of my favorite recipes – ones I’ve shared and made over the years. Everything from gingersnaps to chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies… mmm! I love the holidays!
Peanut butter chocolate healthy no bake cookies made with half the amount of sugar in traditional no bake cookies and coconut oil instead of butter. Dairy-free, vegan and refined sugar free.
These healthy sugar cookies are made with whole wheat flour and are naturally sweetened with maple syrup. They have a delicious, buttery flavor and the perfect texture for making cut-out cookies!
These vegan chocolate peppermint cookies are soft, chewy and topped with crushed candy canes for the perfect holiday treat. They're flourless, naturally sweetened and come together quickly in just one bowl!
With only six ingredients and about 15 minutes to whip up, these heathy peanut butter blossoms are an easy addition to your holiday cookie tray! Vegan and gluten-free.
These gluten-free snickerdoodles are made with a combo of almond and oat flour. They’re full of cinnamon flavor with the perfect chewy, but fluffy texture.
These grain-free, gluten-free sugar cookies are made with coconut flour. They have a delicious, buttery flavor and the perfect texture for making cut-out cookies!
These almond butter espresso cookies are the perfect combination of crunchy and chewy. They're super easy to whip up and require only six ingredients and one bowl. Plus, they're flourless, vegan and gluten-free!
Make healthier peanut butter balls with only 5 simple ingredients: peanut butter, oats, dates, chocolate and coconut oil! No powdered sugar or butter needed. These peanut butter balls are dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan!
Putting a healthier spin on a not-so-healthy classic! This healthier Christmas crack recipe is made with almond flour crackers, coconut sugar and dark chocolate. It's also gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free if needed!
These dark chocolate avocado truffles are made with avocado instead of heavy cream. They're rich, creamy and absolutely delicious. Made with just 4 simple ingredients they come together quickly! Gluten-free + vegan.
These healthy oatmeal cookies are made with fiber-rich oats, coconut sugar and coconut oil and applesauce instead of butter. They are easy to whip up and are naturally gluten and dairy-free and paleo-friendly.
These tasty no bake almond cookies are packed with almonds, dates and cacao nibs. They’re sweet and delicious as is, but insanely good dipped in chocolate as well.
Peanut butter oatmeal cookies made with just 10 ingredients and one bowl. These cookies are healthier than most — gluten-free, made without butter or oil and only about 100 calories per cookie!
Now that you have all these recipes, wouldn’t it be fun to host a healthy Christmas cookie exchange party? Here are some of my top tips for a successful exchange!
Invite friends! I’ve read that anywhere between 8-10 friends is a perfect amount. Just make sure everyone you invite loves to bake!
Figure out how many cookies to make for everyone. Some websites recommend a dozen for each person, but in my opinion that’s wayyyy too many! I typically like taking home 2-3 of each cookie. So do the math: # of cookies per guest x # of guests = how many cookies each person needs to make. Also, remember some of the cookies will get eaten at the party.
If possible, have some sort of sign up sheet so people can see what everyone’s bringing! It’s definitely more fun when you have a variety of treats.
Containers! Either have each guest bring their own storage containers or purchase containers so that everyone has something to take their cookies home in.
Make snacks (besides the cookies)! I like making a party of the cookie exchange so I’ll typically make some appetizers and have a holiday themed drink so we can all hang out and celebrate the holidays before we exchange cookies! This is also helpful so that attendees have something to snack on rather than just sweets.
How to Store Cookies
Whether you participated in a cookie exchange or just made a bunch for yourself, storing cookies properly is key! Some cookies will have specific instructions on storing (if they need to be refrigerated or frozen) but in general, there are two simple steps to take when storing your cookies.
Make sure they have cooled completely.
Store them in an airtight container!
That’s it!
How to Pack and Ship Cookies for the Holidays
Cookies (and other homemade gifts) are such a thoughtful idea for friends and family during the holidays. Instead of stressing about buying gifts for everyone, why not gift/ship a variety of Christmas cookies? Who doesn’t love mail and who doesn’t love cookies? NO ONE.
If you’re hand-delivering the cookies, you can go light on the packing and just put them in cute containers or tin, but if you’re shipping the cookies through the mail, be sure to use a good amount of protective padding so that the cookies don’t arrive broken. Here are some additional tips:
Let your cookies cool completely. Please don’t pack up warm cookies! Even if they are just sliiiightly warm, they will create condensation in your package and create soggy cookies.
Pack in an airtight container! You can use a simple disposable container (brands usually release cute themed containers around the holidays), but there are cute reusable airtight containers that you can package the cookies in and gift. Not only will the recipient get cookies, but they’ll also get a cool reusable container. I love stainless steel and glass containers, but these are probably only practical if you’re delivering the cookies in-person rather than shipping.
Wrap it up. Don’t worry, you can still make the package cute, but make sure you use lots of padding! Bubble wrap, tissue paper, crinkle strips, etc. will all help pad your container and make sure the cookies make it to their final destination in one piece.
Healthy Snowball Cookies (+ More Healthy Christmas Cookies)
4 from 21 votes
Make these snowball cookies are made with just 6 ingredients and get other ideas for more healthy Christmas cookies to make this year!
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a non-stick baking sheet.
Mix almond flour, softened butter, 3 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and salt in a small bowl until a cohesive dough forms. It will seem a little dry at first, but just keep mixing. Once combined, mix in chopped pecans. You can use your hands to help mix the pecans in if needed.
Roll tablespoons of the dough into a ball and place on baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake the cookies for 20 minutes or until they start to turn light golden brown on the bottom.
Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan for about 5 minutes. Transfer them to a rack to cool 10 minutes more. Place 2-3 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl and roll each cookie until coated. Let cookies cool completely and enjoy.
Store any leftover cookies in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to a month. I’ve found storing in the fridge helps the cookies keep a crisp texture and ensures that the powdered sugar doesn’t soak into the cookies.
Notes
Using powdered erythritol (such as Swerve) instead of confectioners’ sugar makes these cookies even lower in sugar.
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This looks delicious! I will try to make a fig salad and will tell you how my friends found it. Thank you for sharing such a nice salad recipe!
These all look so good! I serisouly love all the sweets this time of year!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
All of these look so amazing! Never too many cookies.
Thanks sweetie for highlighting our sugar cookies on your list 🙂 xoxo
Of course!
THANK YOU. This list is amazing, and this is the perfect time for healthy cookie recipes!!! Can’t wait to try some!
xoxo
Lisa @ The Skinny on Health