Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are gluten-free, dairy-free, naturally sweetened, and made in one bowl with simple pantry ingredients.
author’s Note
The Oatmeal Cookie Glow-Up!
I have a major sweet tooth, and I don’t know many days that go by without a treat. But the older I get, the less sugar seems to like me haha.
Oatmeal cookies are my all-time favorite (am I boring?), so I wanted a version that felt a little better for me. Something naturally sweetened with good fats and a bit of protein, but still simple and easy to make with ingredients I always have on hand.
That said, it’s not worth it to me if they aren’t still delicious. And wow, these cookies are good. SO, so good. They’re not your classic bakery-style oatmeal cookies. There’s no loads of butter or sugar here, so the texture and flavor are different, but for a better-for-you cookie, these really deliver.
They come together in one bowl with pantry staples and are naturally sweetened (fully naturally sweet depending on the chocolate chips you use).
I always finish them with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. It’s truly the perfect finishing touch!
Ingredients In Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
| Ingredient | Let’s Chat About It |
|---|---|
| Coconut oil & peanut butter | Make sure oil is melted and slightly cooled. Use smooth, well-stirred peanut butter for best texture. |
| Maple syrup & egg | Use pure maple syrup for the best flavor. Let the egg come to room temperature so everything mixes smoothly. |
| Oats (quick & old-fashioned) | Use both types. Quick oats help bind, old-fashioned oats add texture. |
| Baking soda, baking powder, salt & cinnamon | Don’t skip the salt. It balances the sweetness and boosts flavor. Cinnamon adds a subtle warmth, but it’s totally optional in these Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. |
| Chocolate chips | Use dark, milk, or semi-sweet. For completely naturally sweetened cookies, use coconut sugar-sweetened chocolate chips like Pascha or Hu Chocolate. |
How To Make Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prep: Preheat oven and line pan.
- Mix wet: Melt oil, measure ingredients, and mix everything together.
- Add chocolate: Stir in chocolate chips with a spatula.
- Shape: Scoop, pack, and roll into balls; place on pan spaced apart.
- Bake & finish: Bake until just set, tap pan, add remaining chips, and cool.
Featured Comment
“Wow these cookies were amazing and this recipe is outstanding I have been looking for a healthy option to sub out flour butter and white sugar. All of my expectations were met plus more definitely my new go to cookie recipe”
– Dani
Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Tips
- Measure carefully: Level off measuring cups so you don’t pack in too much.
- Follow the recipe: Best as written. Swaps can change the end result.
- Use room-temp ingredients: Make sure the egg and coconut oil are the same temp.
- Keep cookies the same size: Use a 1-1/2 tablespoon scoop, pack it full, and level off the top.
- Line the pan: A silicone liner helps them bake evenly and makes cleanup easy.
storage]
Storage: These Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are best the same day, still warm from the oven! Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp for 3 to 4 days.
Freeze dough balls: Freeze on a lined sheet until solid, then transfer to a bag or container. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
[/storage]
More Healthy Treat Ideas:
Desserts
Healthy Cookie Dough Cups
Muffins And Quick Breads
Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins
Desserts
Date Brownies
Snacks
Banana Bites (2 Ways!)
Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixers
- Large sheet pan plus silicone liners or parchment paper
- Cookie scoop 1-1/2 tablespoon size
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter make sure it's smooth/not separated
- 2/3 cup pure maple syrup see note 1
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- 1-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats see note 2
- 1-1/4 cups quick oats
- 1-1/2 cups dark chocolate chips divided (or use milk or semi-sweet)
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt optional, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone liner. Melt coconut oil, then measure 1/4 cup and let it cool to room temperature before using.
- Add all ingredients except the chocolate chips to a large bowl or stand mixer. Using hand mixers or the whisk attachment, mix until fully combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Switch to a spatula and mix in 1 cup dark chocolate chips and all the mini chocolate chips.
- Use a 1-1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop to pack dough into tight balls, pressing firmly so they hold together. Place on the prepared sheet pan, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until tops are set (they don't look gooey) but still slightly soft. Do not over-bake; these are best slightly under-baked and they firm up more as they cool.
- Remove from oven and gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to flatten cookies slightly. Press remaining chocolate chips into the tops.
- Let cookies cool on the pan. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired. Best enjoyed warm while soft and chewy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just made them! they are delish!!! 🙂 Loving every minute of them.
So happy to hear that! Thank you Emily!
These are great, they turned out perfect when we made them. Thanks for posting.
Simon
So happy to hear you enjoyed these! Thanks Simon!
My batch didn’t turn out as expected but I admit there were a few errors on my part:
II am guessing my baking soda was expired,
I think I used regular oats rather than the old fashioned,
my cookie scoop broke so I tried an ice cream scoop but didn’t get them packed firmly enough in there
soooo…because of all those errors my cookies turned out super flat & crumbly BUT they still tasted OH SO GOOD!!!
I must fix my errors and try again!
Thank you for this great recipe
Thank you so much Shan for your comment! I am glad you loved the taste! 🙂
this looks wonderful. I am waiting for my dough to chill and was wondering if you have ever made them as a pan cookie to cut into bars?
I haven’t! Sorry Maria, wish I could be of more help!
Chelsea,
This recipe is great. Actually. I was very skeptical but the first batch I made turned out so well. Obviously not exactly like a traditional cookie ( a little grainier) but still delicious. I ended up subbing 1 cup of ground flax for 1 cup of the oats (I did 1 cup ground flax,1 cup ground oats and a handful of oats as well as a mix of a little agave and molasses instead of brown sugar) and the cookies still turned out amazing.
Hey Ari! I’m thrilled that you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂 And the flax sounds delicious!
I just made these. They were really flavorful. Good cinnamon flavor and very chocolatey. They definitely ratify a sweet tooth, and that’s coming from a hardcore sweets person. I used Dr. Bronner’s extra virgin coconut oil and 1 whole Chocolove Strong Dark 70% chocolate bar. I just chopped the bar. It gave the 1/2 cup called for in the recipe. The chocolate came out gooey even after cooling. I blended the oats and then measured the oat flour accordingly. I also melted the coconut oil and then measured. I baked for 9 minutes, let them sit for 2 minutes on parchment. But they were crumbly. So I picked up the whole parchment sheet and laid it on the cooling rack. Even after sitting for a while they never really got crispy. They also didn’t expand very much. Like they stayed the same size as the cookie scooper. Maybe I need to blend the oats a little more? I don’t have a food processor. Or bake them longer? All my ingredients are fresh. Any suggestions you have would be nice. This is a really lovely and healthier alternative to the 2 cups of sugar recipes for cookies. I’ve been working on cutting down on sugar as much as I can. And you can’t beat the fiber from the oats. I am very happy with the cookies overall. I’m looking forward to making them for others.
I’m happy you liked the cookies overall Luna! 🙂 I would try grinding your oats more so they are the consistency of flour. Also what type of coconut oil are you using?
These are definitely the best cookies I’ve ever had in my life! I discoved this recipe last week and I just made my 8th batch tonight. The only thing I did different is take out one scoop of oat flour and replaced it with unflavoured protein powder. The first time I made them I’m not gonna lie I ate 10 of them! I will know this recipe by heart by next week lol. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Wow!! That is such an amazing thing to hear! Thank you so much Novelia, I am thrilled you’ve been loving this recipe. Thanks again for the wonderful compliment 🙂
I used steel cut oats to make flour with some old fashioned oats. I divided the cookies and put caocoa nibs in it. They came out great.
So happy to hear these were enjoyed!! Thank you Sandra! 🙂
Flatter than a pancake indeed. I did put them in the refrigerator for over thirty minutes but as I was making the cookie balls, I placed the container on top of the oven and by the time I put them in, they were already a little melty. Plus, I added butter because my husband said that he wanted more fat in them. I made the first batch with raisins and the walnuts and they came out good, just not gooey at all and they came out exactly in the same shape that I put them is, as balls.
Yes, if they get melty before baking they will go flat! 🙂 If you are wanting thicker cookies, bake them right out of the fridge. Thanks for the comment Perla!
Love it so much. Thank you!
So glad to hear that! Thank you for the comment Veronica 🙂