Healthy Sugar Cookies

You are going to love these healthy sugar cookies! They taste great and are fun to make.

They're made with whole grains and sweetened with apple sauce and coconut sugar (making them refined sugar free, if you don't ice them).

They're not quite as sweet as classic sugar cookies but they still have the wonderful vanilla flavor that's perfect for the holiday season.

Use your favorite cookie cutters to make these Christmas cookies, Valentine's Day cookies, or special for any time of year!

While they do require a little chill time, these cookies come together surprisingly easily (no mixer required).

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• More Healthy Cookie Recipes
• Substitutions & Variations
• Storage
• Tips for Making this Recipe
• Healthy Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

Here are the simple ingredients you'll need to make this healthy sugar cookie recipe.

• Coconut Sugar or Cane Sugar
• Unsweetened Apple Sauce
• Large Egg
• Real Vanilla Extract 
• Whole Wheat Flour
• Baking Powder
• Kosher Salt

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Combine the coconut sugar and apple sauce in a large mixing bowl. Stir till thoroughly combined. 

Add the egg and vanilla to the bowl and stir till combined. 

Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl until combined. 

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir till fully combined. 

Chill the sugar cookie dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or another tightly fitting top.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Dust a clean surface with flour and roll the dough to ½-inch thickness. Dust your rolling pin with flour as needed.

Cut into shapes as desired. 

Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until they are golden brown.

Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack.

Decorate as desired with icing, powdered sugar, or sprinkles.

More Healthy Cookie Recipes

Interested in more healthy cookies? Try some of these great recipes!

• Healthy Gingerbread Cookies
• Sunbutter Cookies
• Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies (Vegan + Gluten-Free)

Substitutions & Variations

Want to make some changes to this recipe? Here are a few optional swap recommendations.

• Flour - you can use whole wheat pastry flour, white whole wheat flour, or all purpose flour for this recipe. I have not tested coconut flour, but it has a similar enough consistency that it may work. I would not recommend using almond flour as the cookies will be too dense.
• Sweetener - You can substitute the coconut sugar for maple syrup.

Storage

Sugar cookies will keep for about 2 weeks if stored in an airtight container. You can refrigerate them or keep them at room temperature.

They can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Tips for Making this Recipe

Links on some posts are affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Cooking Tips - I recommend lining your cookie sheet with parchment paper. This keeps the cookie dough from sticking.

Specialty Ingredients - This is my favorite whole wheat flour to use.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Connect with us on Instagram and share your photos or leave us a rating.