7 Surprisingly Yummy Healthy Cookies Your Kids will Love

Cookies are a lovely way to introduce of baked goods to your kids, but here’s the catch: it better be packed in nutrients, lower in sugar with traces of heart-healthy nuts and fibre rich oats than the average cookie. It can be a struggle to ensure your kids are armed with healthy yet delicious cookies and snacks to sustain their energy between meals. But just remember: the key is always to make sure there are a right amount and balance of healthy fats and proteins.

Too much sugar equals a sugar rush resulting in crazy kids running around and bouncing off the walls, which we would like to prevent at all costs. We’ve scoured the net and found some recipes which we have modified to suite children better. Check out these children-friendly relatively healthy cookie recipes for all little cookie monsters out there.

 

1. Peanut Butter and Banana Cookies

The classic pairing of peanut butter and banana is making its way into a tray of a fresh batch of healthy cookies! With the addition of wholesome oats and dark chocolate, you can also call it guilt-free cookies.

But the best thing about these cookies is that the kids don’t need to wait too long to eat them. Which is a good thing because we all know how much they hate waiting, especially when they can already smell the good aroma from meters away.

 

Recipe

Adapted and modified from here.

 

Ingredients

• 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup natural peanut butter
• 2 ½ cups instant oats
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 ½ tbsp honey
• 1 ½ tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks

 

Methods

1. Preheat oven to 175 °C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix the bananas and peanut butter until well combined.
3. Add in the maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, salt and cinnamon and mix well.
4. Fold in the oats and dark chocolate chunks until evenly combined.
5. Shape 2 tablespoon portion of the dough into your preferred cookie shapes onto the prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until it is golden brown.
7. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Serve!

 

2. Sweet Potato and Coconut Cookies

These could very well be the new favourite cookies for your kids! I could go on and on about how healthy and nutritious they are, but I don’t want to keep you from baking these cookies much longer.

The sweet potatoes add a natural sweetness, colour, and texture to the cookies, which means far less oil and fat than most other cookies! Don’t get me started with the coconut: my favourite part of the recipe!

 

Recipe

Adapted and modified from here.

 

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ¾ cup sweet potato, mashed
• ½ cup coconut milk, reduced fat
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup coconut flour
• 1 ¼ cup rolled oat
• 2/3 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• ½ cup pecans chopped

 

Methods

1. Preheat oven to 175 °C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, sweet potato, coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract and olive oil until well combined.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients together.
4. Pour the dry mixture in with the wet ingredients and mix until well combined
5. Add in the maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, salt and cinnamon and mix well.
6. Fold in the oats and dark chocolate chunks until evenly combined
7. Shape 2 tablespoon portion of the dough into your preferred cookie shapes onto the prepared baking sheets.
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until it is slightly browned and firm.
9. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Serve!

 

3. Pumpkin Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

I know the fall season has passed already but living in Malaysia, we have pumpkin all year long! Yay! That being said, pumpkin oatmeal cranberry cookies anyone? It’s soft, chewy, deliciously comforting for an afternoon snack in school. The cranberries give a hint of tanginess that balances the sweetness of the pumpkin while improving your kid’s immune function!

 

Recipe

Adapted and modified from here.

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups oat flour
• 1 cup whole rolled oats
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¾ cup canned pumpkin puree
• ¾ cup cane sugar
• ½ cup coconut oil, melted and warm
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup dried cranberries

 

Methods

1. Preheat oven to 190 °C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oat flour, whole rolled oats, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the pumpkin, sugar, coconut oil and vanilla.
4. Pour the pumpkin mixture in with the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
5. Fold in the dried cranberries until evenly combined.
6. Scoop 1 dollop of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets.
7. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until the tops have browned.
8. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Serve!

 

4. Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

It’s nothing new or fancy, just classic homemade goodness that you crave now and then. It’s an old standby that everyone loves, and can rarely go wrong. Same goes for this recipe, only that it is much healthier! Soft, chewy and packed with raisins, the kids will never realise that it is a healthier version.

If you’re planning to pack the cookies for tomorrow’s lunch, make sure to pack it in advance before everyone in the house munches them down in an hour or two!

 

Recipe

Adapted and modified from here.

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup instant oats
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 1 ¾ tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup raisins

 

Methods

1. In a large bowl, mix the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until just combined.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the unsalted butter, egg, vanilla and brown sugar.
3. Pour the dry mixture in with the wet mixture and mix until just incorporated.
4. Fold in the raisins until evenly combined.
5. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 165 °C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Scoop 1 dollop of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets.
8. Flatten the dough slightly.
9. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
10. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Serve!

 

5. Banana Blueberry Breakfast Cookies

The recipes are super easy to make but even easier to devour with the amount of juicy blueberries in each bite! Chewy and irresistible with just the right amount of nutrition for an afternoon snack. Definitely children approved (and adults too!)

 

Recipe

Adapted and modified from here.

 

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 ½ cup rolled oats
• 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts

 

Methods

1. Preheat oven to 175 °C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix the bananas, vanilla and cinnamon until just combined.
3. Add the rolled oats and oil until well combined.
4. Gently fold in the fresh blueberries and walnuts until evenly combined.
5. Fold in the oats and dark chocolate chunks until evenly combined.
6. Shape 1 tablespoon portion of the dough into your preferred cookie shapes onto the prepared baking sheets.
7. Flatten it slightly.
8. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Serve!

 

6. Lemon Poppy Seed Bites

Lemon enthusiast, rejoice! These oh-so-healthy cookies which definitely didn’t look or taste like one, are so soft, chewy and bursting with the tart citrus flavour from the juice and zest! As intense as it is, these cookies are sweet enough to keep kids coming for more and more. Needless to say, the plate will be empty before you know it.

 

Recipe

Adapted and modified from here.

 

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp cream of tartar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 ½ tbsp poppy seeds
• ¾ cup sugar
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1 ½ tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp grated lemon zest
• 3 ½ tsp fresh lemon juice

 

Methods

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, salt and poppy seeds.
2. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium high until light, pale and fluffy.
3. Add the egg, honey, lemon zest and lemon juice until just combined.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
5. Cover the dough with plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 200 °C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Shape 2 tablespoon portion of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets.
8. Allow some gaps in between each dough for it to spread.
9. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until the top of the cookies begins to crack.
10. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Serve!

 

7. Carrot and Apple Breakfast Oat Cookies

We all know that vegetables can be the biggest enemy to some children, but in this case, it’s probably their bestest friend! These breakfast cookies are packed with whole wheat and oats which will help kids feel full for an extended period of time! Bananas in this recipe help to naturally sweeten the cookies and sneak in those vegetables for picky eaters out there. Yummy!

 

Recipe

Adapted and modified from here.

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 egg
• ¹/₃ cup coconut oil, melted
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup carrot, grated
• 1 cup apple, grated
• 1 banana, mashed

 

Methods

1. Preheat oven to 175 °C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix the whole-wheat flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
3. In another bowl, beat the egg and add the coconut oil, honey and vanilla extract. Mix until just combined.
4. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
5. Fold in the grated carrot, apple, and banana until evenly combined.
6. Shape 1 tablespoon portion of the dough into balls onto the prepared baking sheets.
7. Flatten it lightly and leave a gap in between each cookie.
8. Bake for 13 – 15 minutes or until the top of the cookies begins to crack.
9. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Serve!

 

 

We bet that healthy has never tasted this good. Your children don’t have to know how healthy these cookies are – let it be a secret between us! Have fun baking them (and of course, eating them as well). Comment down below your favourite healthy cookies for the children!