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.
These were delicious! I was snowed in yesterday and happened to have everything on hand. I did use ghee instead of coconut oil but they still turned out great. Definitely will be making these again. Thanks so much!
So happy they turned out well! Thanks for the comment Lauren 🙂
I have made these SO many times now! But i had to substitute oliveoil with the coconut and wholeweatflour with the oatflower. But they are soo good! Thank you!
So happy to hear that! I’m thrilled these have been enjoyed! And your changes sound delicious too!
Is anyone knows how many calories per cookies? Just tried making this and it’s the best, mine turned out crunchy but i like it though. Thank you 🙂
So happy you liked these! Thank you for the comment 🙂
These look fantastic. I would like to replace some of the oats with protein powder and replace the egg with banana, do you think it will work well? I want to make an egg free cookie for clients with additional protein. I hope it works. If I try them before I hear back, I’ll let you know how it works.
Thanks in advance. And thanks for sharing the recipe
I’m not sure about either substitution, but I do know both will greatly change the flavor (and texture) of these cookies. Good luck! I’d love to hear your results.
THANK YOU so very much for this recipe!! I was recently diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and have struggled to find sweets I can eat that actually taste good. These are amazing!!!
I am so thrilled to hear you enjoyed these; thanks so much for the comment Leigh! 🙂
Can you sub butter for coconut oil? If so equal parts? We can’t use coconut oil.
I haven’t tried it, but I believe a few other readers have and have done so successfully in equal parts. Enjoy!
These are fantastic! We have been trying to find healthy snacks for my 12-year old hockey player, and he read an article that said healthy oatmeal cookies can be a great snack choice. So I searched all over….and found yours! Really happy with them! He’s also allergic to peanuts and all tree nuts (not coconut, which isn’t a tree nut anyway), so finding “healthy” cookies that don’t include nuts or peanut butter is challenging. Anyway, thanks and I’m excited for him to have these as a safe, healthy pre-and post-workout snack!
I am so thrilled to hear these have been enjoyed and work as a great snack for your active boy! 🙂 Thanks for the comment Jenny!
loved the cookies! except I ran out of dark chocolate chips so I used part dark chocolate chips and cacao nibs and gave them a nice a little crunch to them. will be making them again real soon!
Thrilled to hear you enjoyed these Teresa! And the cacao nib addition sounds delicious 🙂
And so it shows up anyway! Oh well, I guess the Internet really offers no level of privacy! All of this over a cookie recipe. If you require first and last name to submit a comment why do other posts use first name only? Please explain the correct process for the future, very confused! Apparently also I am internet dumb! Sorry.
You can use whatever name you’d like in the top bar — a nickname, your full-name, your first name, whatever you feel comfortable with 🙂
Don’t what “awaiting moderation” means. I just didn’t want my whole name used and I saw other posts with first name only and thought is was ok to submit. Very sorry.
“Awaiting Moderation” just means I need to approve your comment to go live on my site. You don’t have to use your entire name and your email doesn’t show to anyone but allows an alert to be sent your email that I’ve replied. Hope that helps!