Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth with Low Calorie Cookies

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth with Low Calorie Cookies

Cookies are a beloved sweet treat, but often packed with butter, sugar, and calories that contribute to weight gain. However, there are many delicious ways to bake delectable cookies that are low in calories yet high in nutrition.

Choosing Nutrient Dense Ingredients

Creating low calorie cookies starts with choosing better-for-you ingredients. Whole grain flours, rolled oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits pack vitamins, minerals and fiber. Ripe bananas, applesauce, pumpkin, or yogurt make excellent binders to reduce the need for excess sugar or oil.

Swapping in Sweet Vegetable Purees

An easy trick to keep cookie calories in check is to substitute some or all of the butter, oil or sugar called for in a recipe with vegetable purees. Sweet potatoes, carrots, zucchini or pumpkin add moisture, texture, and natural sweetness when pureed.

The Best Low Cal Ingredients for Healthy Cookies

Certain ingredients shine when it comes to adding nutritional value without piling on the calories. Discover which foods can elevate your cookies into a nourishing, guilt-free treat.

Oats

Rolled or old-fashioned oats contain 4 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein per half-cup serving. Oats add undertones of nuttiness without any sugar.

Almond Flour

With 90% of its calories coming from healthy fats, nutrient-dense almond flour can substitute for up to half of all-purpose flour called for in most cookie recipes.

Chia and Flax Seeds

These tiny superfood seeds pack protein, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. Just a tablespoon lends a boost of nutrients and texture to low calorie cookies.

Incredible Low Calorie Cookie Recipes to Try

Put these slimmed-down ingredients to work with these recipes for irresistibly healthy cookies under 100 calories each.

Two-Ingredient Banana Oat Cookies

These two-ingredient cookies skips the added sugars and butter. Mashed ripe banana binds the oats together for a wholesome cookie packing 3 grams of fiber and under 100 calories.

Skinny Chocolate Chip Cookies

This lightened-up version cuts over half the calories by using banana, Greek yogurt and plenty of oats. A small handful of chocolate chips gives you permission to enjoy cookie heaven.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Pumpkin puree gives these breakfast cookies sweetness and moisture for a calorie count of just 76 per cookie. Cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins make this a nutritious morning treat.

Tips for Reducing Calories in Any Cookie Recipe

With a few easy swaps to your usual cookies, you can save calories without losing an ounce of flavor or texture.

Use 3/4 of the Sugar Called For

Baking experts agree most cookie recipes can tolerate a 25% reduction in sugar content without sacrificing quality. For an even lighter recipe, experiment with cutting the sugar by half.

Replace Half the Butter with Applesauce

Substitute half the butter for equal parts unsweetened applesauce to maintain moisture while removing significant calories and fat. It works beautifully in most cookie recipes.

Opt for Less Sweet Mix-ins

Choose dark chocolate chips, dried cranberries, raisins, or toasted nuts instead of candy pieces to trim excess sugars found in most cookie mix-in options. The nuttiness and tart flavors offset the reduced sugar.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.