Deliciously crunchy oat cookies that have no added sugar. Using honey instead of the white stuff means there is no refined sugar but plenty of flavor in these crispy cookies! It tastes just 5 ingredients to bake a batch of these amazing healthy oat cookies.
I have been obsessed with these cookies ever since I first starting making them – and I have been making them for years! Over time I have adapted and perfected the recipe to my own requirements. I always make them gluten free by using a gluten free blend of flour. I also hate adding refined sugar to food I cook, so have made these cookies rely on honey to supply a natural sweetness. And guess what? I don’t miss the sugar at all!
These cookies have the right balance of sweetness, buttery taste and a natural chewy oat feel whilst also being crunchy around the edges. You might be sceptical that one cookie can do all that, but read on for the recipe for you to try for yourself.
This is what goes into these sugar free cookies:
Oats
Natural oats are full of pure goodness. Full of fibre, nutrients, cholesterol lowering properties and with a winning taste and texture that everyone I know loves you cannot go wrong when using them in baking. My kids can’t get enough of them!
Honey
This provides a natural sweetness to this oat cookie recipe. Deliciously sweet and with less of an effect on blood sugar than refined sugar this is the best way to makes this recipe naturally sweet. If you really want to substitute, then good alternatives include; maple syrup, agave syrup or date sugar.
Flour
Use gluten free plain flour blend if you require it. Otherwise plain flour will do or wholemeal if you want to up the fibre in these cookies another level.
Butter
Natural unsalted butter is great in this recipe. Make sure to choose one without added salt or other additives.
Chocolate
Use a good quality dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa solids minimum. Ideally use 90% cocoa if you can get it. I often use 85%-90% in my cooking. Although my kids prefer the 70% option.
Optional extras
You can top these cookies with anything you like. Nuts and seeds work brilliantly as does crystalized ginger and dried tropical fruits or anything else you like. You can easily customize the cookies in each batch in this way and prepare something to suit everyone’s tastes.
How to make these naturally sweet cookies
This is a super easy recipe to make! Perfect for if you want to make a quick batch of something sweet in a hurry if you are having cookie cravings and want something healthier, or a more wholesome idea for a child’s lunchbox.
You need to put both the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Mix together briefly.
Melt the butter and add the honey. Mix together until smooth.
Now add to the dry ingredients and mix together until completely combined. The mixture should be quite stiff.
Shape into rounds by rolling into balls and then flattening on a cookie sheet or baking tray. Be sure to line with greaseproof paper first to make it easy to transfer cookies later.
Before they are cool add the melted chocolate and smooth on top.
If you like you can add extra superfoods of your choosing. Nuts and seeds work really well. My favourite are walnuts and pecans or pumpkin seeds.
Sugar Free Honey Oat Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose or gluten free flour blend
- 1 cup butter or coconut oil for dairy free cookies
- 1 cup rolled or jumbo oats
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3.5 ounces dark chocolate at least 70% cocoa solids minimum
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
- First of all measure the dry ingredients - the flour and oats into a mixing bowl.
- Measure out the butter and melt in the microwave in 30 second bursts stirring thoroughly after each session.
- Add the honey and stir into the butter, mixing thoroughly.
- Add the honey and butter mixture into the dry ingredients and add the vanilla.
- Stir with a wooden spoon until completely combined.
- Take small handfuls of mixture and roll into balls. They will be roughly 1-2 tbsp big depending on the size you would like.
- Flatten down to make rounds and place on the baking sheet.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. The cookies should be golden brown all over. Do not allow to overbake as this will make the cookies bitter.
- Break a bar of good quality dark chocolate in a bowl and melt. In a microwave heat in 30 second bursts stirring well in between.
Notes
I was looking for a lower sugar cookie that I could make for my parents one weekend and I am glad I found this recipe. It wasn’t overly sweet so I think it needed the chocolate. Next time I will try white chocolate too.