This Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe couldn’t be easier. Just one bowl, simple pantry staples, and no gluten or dairy. No added sugar, just extra delicious.

Try Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Healthy Chocolate Cookies, or Healthy Pumpkin Cookies next time!

Healthy Chocolate Chip cookies stacked on a plate
chelsea

author’s note

You’d Never Guess These Cookies Are “Healthy”!

These one-bowl Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies are my answer to a weeknight cookie craving: no gluten, no dairy, and nothing you can’t pronounce.

They’re ready in about 30 minutes from pantry to plate and taste like a cross between an oat-packed granola bar and a classic chocolate chip cookie (with far less sugar).

Why You’ll Love Them

  • Simple staples. Everything comes straight from the pantry, so no specialty flours or hard-to-find sweeteners.
  • Naturally gluten-free & dairy-free. Oat flour keeps the texture light while coconut oil stands in for butter.
  • Quick cleanup. One mixing bowl plus one sheet pan equals easy dishes.
  • Custom-friendly. Easy swaps let you adjust sweetness, chocolate type, and mix-ins without losing texture.
signature
Process shots-- images of the oat flour being made
IngredientWhat It DoesSwap Idea
Old-fashioned oats (blended to flour)Gives structure and nutty flavorCertified GF oats for strict gluten-free
Coconut oil, melted & cooledReplaces butter and keeps cookies crisp outside and tender insideOlive oil will work with a slightly different flavor
EggBinds and lifts1 flax “egg” (1 Tbsp flax meal + 3 Tbsp water) for egg-free; cookies will be a bit softer
Coconut sugarLight sweetness and caramel flavorPacked light brown sugar for deeper molasses notes
Vanilla, cinnamon, sea saltLayers warm bakery flavorSkip cinnamon for a purely classic profile
Baking sodaHelps spread and riseKeep fresh as expired soda means flat cookies
Dark chocolate chipsRich pockets of chocolate with lower sugar than milk chocolateAny chip you love; mini chips give more even bites

Quick Tip

Make sure to measure the oats once they’ve been blended into a powder and not before. Gently pack the oats into the measuring cup and level the top off. It’s important to measure the oat flour correctly for the recipe to work properly.

Process shots-- images of the wet and dry ingredients being prepped for these Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

How To Make Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

  1. Blend Oats: Add oats to a blender and blitz to a fine powder.n measure 1 ½ cups packed oat flour.
  2. Whisk Wet: In a large bowl whisk cooled melted coconut oil, coconut sugar, egg, and vanilla until glossy.
  3. Add Dry: Sprinkle oat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and sea salt over the wet mix. Stir with a wooden spoon just until no flour streaks remain, then fold in chocolate chips.
  4. Shape: Scoop 1-tbsp mounds, roll, and press each ball to about ½-inch thick because oat cookies don’t spread much.
  5. Bake: Arrange 2 inches apart and bake.
Process shots-- images of the chocolate chips being added to the dough

Chelsea’s Kitchen Notes

I worked through a half-dozen test batches of this healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe to find the sweet spot between “tastes healthy” and “tastes like dessert.”

Swapping oat flour for regular flour gave the hearty flavor I wanted, but the first batch was crumbly. A short chill fixed that without adding extra steps.

My six-year-old declared the final batch “milk-dunking perfect,” and that’s all the approval I need.

Process shots-- images of the cookie dough on a tray and then cookies fresh out of the oven

Storage

Leftovers?

  • Counter: Airtight container for up to 3 days to keep edges crispy.
  • Fridge: Keeps this healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe chewy for 5 days.
  • Freeze: Freeze dough balls, then store for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 325°F for 11-12 minutes.

More Delicious Treats To Try:

4.71 from 118 votes
Whip up these Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies—gluten- and dairy-free with minimal sugar. Quick, one-bowl, and made with pantry staples you already have!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 18 cookies

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 tablespoons (up to 6) dark brown sugar see note 1
  • 1/2 cup melted coconut oil see note 2
  • 1-1/2 cups oat flour regular oats blended in a blender—see note 3
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips plus additional dark chocolate chips for topping cookies if desired, see note 4
  • Flaky sea salt optional

Instructions 

  • Melt the coconut oil in the microwave until it is liquid. Measure after melting. Set aside to cool back to room temperature—it should not be hot when adding.
  • Add old-fashioned oats to a blender or food processor. Blend or process until the oats are fine and resemble flour, stirring and re-blending if needed so all the oats are a fine powder. Measure the oat flour after blending to get level and gently packed oat flour. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, combine melted and cooled coconut oil, vanilla extract, large egg, and brown sugar in a bowl. Briskly whisk together until completely smooth.
  • Add the oat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix with a wooden spoon and stir until just combined, then stir in the dark chocolate chips.
  • Cover the dough tightly and chill for 20–30 minutes. (Don’t skip chilling but don’t chill longer than 30 minutes or the dough is almost impossible to shape!) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove dough and use a 1-tablespoon measuring spoon to portion out dough balls. Tightly roll the balls, then slightly flatten. You should get 22–24 cookies. Place rolled-out balls on a parchment-paper-lined plate. Once rolled, chill all the dough balls for another 10 minutes.
  • Once chilled, transfer dough balls to a lined sheet pan, spacing them out 2 inches apart. Bake for 7–9 minutes (I think they’re perfect at 8 minutes) or until no longer gooey on top. Slightly underbaking is best for flavor and texture. Carefully remove the tray from the oven. If desired, press a few more chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies. It makes them look pretty and ensures chocolate in every bite! Once those chips have melted a bit, add a sprinkle of sea salt on the melted chocolate, if desired. Let the cookies stand on the sheet pan 5 minutes. Then, very carefully, use a spatula to remove them to a cooling rack. Handle delicately—these cookies are crumbly.
  • Enjoy hot, warm, or at room temperature (I like them best right out of the oven!). Cookies are best the same day—they get harder and less sweet every day following.

Recipe Notes

Gluten Free: While the ingredients in these cookies are naturally gluten-free, make sure to check all your ingredient labels to verify they weren’t processed in a facility with gluten.
Note 1: I love dark brown sugar; light brown sugar also works. Alternatively, use coconut sugar for non-refined sugar. If you aren’t used to healthier treats, increase this amount to 5–6 tablespoons (I typically do 6 tablespoons). These cookies aren’t overly sweet, since most of the sweetness comes from the chocolate chips. Lightly pack brown sugar in measuring cups when measuring.
Note 2: Coconut oil flavor and strength varies by brand; I like LouAna Coconut Oil. Make sure the oil is fully cooled to room temp before using—if you touch it and don’t feel a temperature, it’s at room temperature.
Note 3: Regular, old-fashioned oats or quick oats will work. Ensure the oats are completely and thoroughly blended to a powder before measuring. Gently pack in measuring cups and level off the top.
Note 4: Why dark chocolate instead of milk or semi-sweet? Dark chocolate is known for its high antioxidant and mineral content and is a great source of healthy fats; read up on the benefits of dark chocolate here. Any type of chocolate works, it will just be slightly less nutritious with milk or semi-sweet chips. If you’re highly sensitive to dairy, check the ingredient labels to be sure milk fat or non-fat milk aren’t added.
A few quick tips:
  • Measure the ingredients exactly. As with most baked goods, loosely measuring may result in cookies that do not work out properly.
  • Even tried-and-true substitutions (flax egg for regular egg, vegetable oil for coconut oil, or almond flour for oat flour) don’t work the same in these cookies—this recipe is fairly particular.
  • Use room-temperature ingredients. It’s best if the egg and coconut oil are at room temperature. This ensures even emulsification of ingredients instead of a cold egg seizing up in warm or hot coconut oil.
Storage: I recommend freezing unbaked cookie dough rather than baked cookies. Drop the cookie dough balls on a large sheet pan and freeze until solid. Once solid, transfer the frozen dough balls to an airtight container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake these cookies straight from the freezer, just add an extra minute to the bake time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 124mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelsea’s Messy Apron! I’m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. I’m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping by—I hope you find something delicious to make!

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4.71 from 118 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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437 Comments

  1. Choco says:

    5 stars
    Thanks for sharing the informative insights. Keep it up!

    1. Chelsea says:

      Thanks so much!

  2. Juleene says:

    5 stars
    Ok fine, I took the lazy route and only chilled for 15 minutes and 5 minutes for the second batch after rolling. They cookies still held together, but I feel like they would have held better if I had let them chill 😂. Still! The flavor was delicious and the texture was satisfying 😋. Will be making again the right way next time 😆

    1. Chelsea says:

      Haha I don’t always wait the whole time either, haha but they are best after the full chill time! I am so thrilled you loved these Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies! Thanks Juleene! 🙂

  3. Aayush varshney says:

    Thanks for sharing such a great blog, Keep posting.

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Thank you! 🙂

  4. Manamnews says:

    I love baking with oat flour — it adds such a hearty, nutty flavor! And brown sugar is the best in chocolate chip cookies, so I’m all for thar.

  5. فیلم جدبد says:

    Very good blog post. I absolutely love this site. Keep it up!

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Thank you!

  6. Theresa says:

    5 stars
    Thank you for posting! I’ve made these twice now. The first time I doubled the batch and this time I made as printed. Both times I used half the amount of oil because it just seemed like it was probably a typo having a half a cup of oil to 1 1/2 cups of flour. Otherwise they are great! I made a dough log and put it in the freezer to just slice off the number of cookies I want to bake when I have a hankering. 😋

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      I’m so happy you love these cookies! Thanks so much Theresa! 🙂

  7. Emily Wilson says:

    These look great! Can’t wait to try them!

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Hope you enjoy! 🙂

  8. donya muse says:

    I wanted to let you know that I substituted Swerve (brown sugar version) and they tasted amazing!! Excellent recipe!!

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Glad to hear it! 🙂