This recipe is for my friends in the audience who bake cookies purely to eat spoonfuls of batter straight from the bowl. Meet Healthy Cookie Dough. It’s 100% safe to eat, you can customize it every which way, and I lightened it up with everyday ingredients like peanut butter.
Eating cookie dough out of the bowl is a small pleasure in life and a serious perk of baking cookies from scratch.
If you are the kind of person who thinks heaven is diving into a big bowl of cookie dough with a spoon, you’ll want to make sure you are eating cookie dough that was designed to be eaten that way and is safe.
- If you prefer a healthy cookie dough that can be baked OR are looking for a healthy cookie dough without flour, try my Chickpea Cookie Dough, an oat flour based healthy cookie dough.
- For another no-bake treat that’s on the healthy side, don’t miss these Vegan Cookie Dough Bars with Chocolate Chips and the classic Healthy No Bake Cookies.
About This Healthy Cookie Dough Recipe
Today’s healthy cookie dough recipe is nutty and warm, made with peanut butter, whole wheat flour, maple syrup and molasses, and of course, chocolate chips.
It does not contain eggs and the flour is “cooked” to a safe temperature, making this healthy edible dough safe to eat.
5 Star Review
Made this for my Cookie Monster who also loves peanut butter, and it was a huge hit! Thanks for what has to be the 100th recipe of yours that we love, Erin!!!!
— Morgan —
How to Make Healthy Cookie Dough
Since this healthy chocolate chip cookie dough was engineered to be eaten by the spoonful (and healthy desserts that satisfy are the name of the game around here), I took the liberty of lightening up the recipe with wholesome ingredients.
Let’s take care of that sweet tooth NOW!
The Ingredients
- Peanut Butter. This makes the cookie dough taste rich and satisfying (like it does in my Chocolate Mug Cake), all while providing protein and healthy fats. It’s also the reason we can get away with making this edible cookie dough without eggs, as it provides the needed creamy texture and richness. While I have yet to experiment with another nut butter, I think almond butter or cashew butter would be a tasty swap too.
- White Whole Wheat Flour. A pantry staple, this light and mild-tasting flour is 100% whole grain but tastes like regular all-purpose flour. It’s an easy healthy swap I love to make in many of my cookie recipes.
- Maple Syrup. A delicious and natural sweetener. I wasn’t able to come up with an healthy cookie dough without brown sugar or granulated sugar that I was happy with, so you’ll still see a moderate touch of regular sugar the recipe too.
- Butter. This recipe does include some butter for true cookie batter flavor.
- Molasses. Not required, but it gives the dough a rich, edgy taste that I enjoyed.
- Vanilla Extract. I never can stop myself from using a heavy hand with this golden liquid.
- Chocolate Chips. Do I even need to explain this? Surely my love is well established by now. Dark chocolate chips all the way. The mini chocolate chips are fun because you get so many in a spoonful.
- Your Favorite Cookie Mix-Ins. Whatever you have in your pantry! Peanut butter chips, toasted nuts, dried cranberries or raisins, M&M candies, a sprinkle of cinnamon, the works! Any mix-ins you love in your cookies are fair game for your healthy cookie dough variations. Use this recipe as a start, then get creative.
The Directions
- Cook your flour to 160 degrees F in the microwave or oven. Now your healthy cookie dough will be safe to eat!
- Beat all the ingredients together except the flour, milk, and chocolate chips.
- Once the mixture is smooth, mix in the flour.
- Then, add the milk and fold in the chocolate chips (or other mix-ins of choice). Chill in fridge until dough is set, then ENJOY!
Storage Tips
- To Store. Place the cookie dough in an airtight container (or hey, the bowl you made it in), and press a piece of plastic firmly over the top. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- To Freeze. Store cookie dough in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Stand Mixer. One of my favorite baking tools for any of my healthy dessert recipes! You also can use a hand mixer.
- Instant Read Thermometer. Use this to ensure that your flour is safe to eat for making this healthy edible cookie dough recipe.
- Measuring Spoons. These are two-sided, so there are less dishes to wash.
Though it tastes best after it has refrigerated for an hour or two, a spoonful—or several spoonfuls—eaten directly from the bowl as soon as you finish stirring it together won’t disappoint.
Eating dough from the bowl is baker’s prerogative after all, and since this is a healthy one, you can really GO FOR IT!
Frequently Asked Questions
According to the CDC, raw cookie dough poses risks due to potential bacteria in both the raw eggs and the raw flour, so it’s best to make cookie dough that is designed to be edible.
Though I have not yet tested gluten-free healthy cookie dough recipe, I believe you could 1:1 swap your preferred gluten-free flour, like almond flour or coconut flour, in place of the whole wheat flour.
Although cookies are one of the food groups in my book, unfortunately, cookie dough is called a treat for a reason. While typical cookie dough is not healthy as it is loaded with butter and sugar, this healthy cookie dough recipe makes some more nutritious swaps.
Healthy Cookie Dough
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter or nut butter of choice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature use a nondairy vegan butter substitute to make vegan
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon molasses optional
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips dairy free if needed or mix-ins of choice
Instructions
Cook the Flour
- Option 1, Microwave: Place the flour in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until the flour reaches at least 160°F when checked in the center with an instant read thermometer. OR, cook via Option 2, Oven: Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 350°F. Spread the flour onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. To check for doneness, gather the flour into a mound and insert an instant read thermometer into the center; it should register at least 160°F. If it doesn’t, spread out the flour back out and continue baking, rechecking the temperature every 3 to 5 minutes. Via either method: Let the flour cool completely to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Make the Cookie Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, beat the peanut butter, butter, maple syrup, granulated sugar, vanilla, molasses, and salt on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the cooked flour, then beat again on low speed just until the flour disappears, about 30 seconds. Beat in the almond milk. With a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic and refrigerate 1 hour to allow the dough to set and the flavors to marry (feel free to sneak a few bites first). Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Refrigerate leftovers for 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
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