These Healthy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies are packed with oats, whole wheat flour, dark chocolate, and dates and are some of the most delicious cookies I've ever had!
(This recipe for Healthy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies was originally published in January 2011, but was updated with new photos in 2019).
Late Monday evening I started to come down with a bit of a sore throat. When my alarm clock went off Tuesday I felt like a log as I lay in bed moaning like a beached whale.
At 4am today I woke up, took some cold and sinus medicine, heated up a therapeutic pillow filled with lavender and flax seeds in the microwave, blindly stumbled back to bed, and prayed to the Health Gods that I'd feel better if not immediately, as soon as possible, preferably before Friday.
We're heading up to Sugarbush on Friday for a fun weekend of snowboarding lessons and luxury with SkiVermont, Cabot Cheese, and some other bloggers, so that's why I'm praying I feel better. I need to be at 100% for those slopes especially since my snowboarding skills are about 20% when I'm feeling perfectly fine. But seriously.
I've convinced myself that cookies can cure all (rough weeks, heartache, bad hair days... the common cold, why not?) so when I got home from work this afternoon I decided I'd make some.
But I didn't want to leave the house again to go grocery shopping. Because being in public while delirious isn't always cute.
So when I saw these Oatmeal-Date-Chocolate Cookies from Health magazine on Recipe Girl's website, I immediately scrolled down to make sure I had everything. Sure enough, I did. Including pitted dates. Helloooo, well stocked pantry!
I also figured since I'm sick eating "healthy" cookies was the best and only option. Duh. Healthy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, here I come! Please cure my illness ASAP and teach my how to be a pro snowboarder. OK, that might be taking it too far.
Healthy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
These cookies are quick and easy to make. I mixed them up in my stand mixer, but if you don't have one, you can use a hand mixer or simply a spatula and minimal arm strength. The batter comes together easily.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease baking sheets or line with parchment
Place butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and place in microwave to melt. Remove from microwave and add brown sugar; stir until just smooth.
In the bowl of an electric mixer (or you can just do it by hand), whisk together oats, flours, baking soda and salt.
Stir in butter and sugar mixture, along with egg, vanilla, and dates.
Fold in chocolate chips and mix well.
Using a tablespoon, gently drop cookie dough onto your prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until the cookies set.
Your kitchen will start smelling really, really good and this will likely be the longest 12-15 minutes you've ever lived through. Hurry up and bake, cookies!
But finally, they'll be done. I ate two of these while I waited for my dinner to finish. And about three after dinner. Because straight out of the oven, these cookies will knock your socks off and probably cure your illness, too.
The oatmeal melts in your mouth and the tiny hints of sweet stickiness from the dates will clear your sinuses. Kidding. But they'll do something that will just make you happy and forget that you're sick. 🙂
Honestly? These are close to the BEST cookies I've ever had. Yes, even though they're "healthy" (I should really say "healthy-ish" or "healthier," but whatevs) and have oatmeal and DATES in them, they are still some of the best cookies I've ever had.
And everyone I gave them to agreed.
Over the years, this has become a go-to cookie recipe for me. No, I don't go around saying, "here, I made you some healthy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies!" But I say, "please enjoy these amazingly delicious chocolate chip oatmeal cookies" and people go crazy.
Depending on who my audience is, I might tell them the cookies have whole wheat flour and dates in them. I don't totally know why, but dates scare people. Don't be scared by these dates.
It's so nice to have a cookie recipe in my back pocket that's semi-healthy and 100% delicious. Plus, everyone knows dark chocolate cures all ails, right??
Just know that these may not be considered TOO healthy if you eat 12 of them in one sitting. Not speaking from experience or anything!
If you like this healthy chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe, check out my Fruity Pebbles Cookies and my XL Peanut Butter Cookies with Sprinkles. I also can't wait to try these Chocolate Coconut Flour Cookies from Baking with Renu!
📖 Recipe
Healthy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
- â…“ cup all-purpose flour
- â…“ cup whole wheat flour
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely chopped pitted dates
- 3 oz. dark chocolate, finely chopped
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper or Silpats.
- Place butter in a microwave-safe bowl and place in microwave to melt. Remove from microwave and add brown sugar, stir until just smooth.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, whisk together oats, flours, baking soda and salt.
- Mix in butter and sugar mixture, along with egg, vanilla, and dates. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Using a tablespoon, gently drop cookie dough onto your prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until the cookies set.
Notes
- Recipe slightly adapted from Health.com.
Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic says
Yes cookies can cure all!! This sounds like a winning recipe. I always have dates on hand too (I love grandma foods). And it's healthy so hello, you can eat as many as you want 😉 Feel better!
sassy molassy says
Ah man, I'm sick right now too and this is exactly what I wanted to make for dessert tonight. Unfortunately, we're out of brown sugar. Lame sauce. Feel better. Your upcoming weekend sounds amazing!
notyet100 says
cookies look too good,..
Simply Life says
oh those cookies look great! Hope you feel better soon!
Lauren at KeepItSweet says
I can always use a tasty healthier cookie! Hope you are feeling better for the weekend, it sounds amazing!
Erica says
oh gosh- I hope you feel better! Sounds like a FUN weekend! Oatmeal chocolate chip are my favorite! I'm actually planning on making some today 🙂 Your version looks yummy
Fun and Fearless in Beantown says
Feel better soon!
Sarah @ Semi-Sweet says
We have the same bug - it sucks! Your cookies look awesome . . . not sure I have energy to bake today (reclining with laptop on belly is all I'm up for right now) but they sure look tempting! Fingers crossed your weekend doesn't get wrecked . . . .
Mary says
My crystal ball tells me that you'll soon feel as good as your cookies look. You'll be better in no time :-). Hugs and blessings...Mary
brandi says
hello - this weekend trip sounds like it will be fab! I hope you're starting to feel better 🙂
I know these cookies would help me get well soon!
sarah k. @ the pajama chef says
feel better!!
Monique says
Girl you are awesome. when i was sick i wanted cookies but didnt have the strength to stand in the kitchen so i sliced a round of cookie dough and ate that... then passed out lol
These are goreous and rustic!
Corey @ the runner's cookie says
Cookies DO cure everything 🙂 These look awesome - I bought dates a while ago and can't wait to use them in cookies!
emily @ the happy home says
hey! just think that your body needs calories to fight off the icky germs. those look fab!
(feel better!)
sweeter salt says
I saw "healthy" "chocolate" and "cookies" and I came a-runnin! Love the idea of dates. Want. Now.
Laura
Beth @ DiningAndDishing says
oh yummy! my very favorite cookie is an oatmeal white chocolate cranberry cookie. with a few substitutions im sure i could make this recipe work for those!
Christine (The Raw Project) says
These sound great and would be a good breakfast. 🙂 Now I'm craving oatmeal cookies.
rita says
yay! a healthy choc chip oatmeal cookies that doesn't have nuts in it. only because, i'm allergic to all of it.
by the way, dark semi-sweet chocolate is always better. that's what i think, anyway.
April says
These look amazing - hope you are feeling better in time to hit the slopes! 🙂
Katie says
sounds yummy!! i hope you feel better soon so you can enjoy your weekend! have fun!
dinners and dreams says
Great ingredients and wonderful cookies. I'd love some right now!
Nisrine
E says
I don't know what's more impressive-that you had pitted dates in your pantry or that these cookies are healthy! They look a good cure to me. Hope you feel better!
lynn @ the actor's diet says
yum - i love that you added dates. just got a whole bag of them!
Sharlene says
I hope you feel better! These look delicious and I'm totally with you that cookies make everything better.
Cayla says
wow, just made this recipe expecting to be the only one who ate them, but they are all gone, everyone loved them. It is all about the dates. I even cut the sugar and added a little honey. Definitely making them again.
Cookies Lover says
These look great. I will have to try them sometime. How long does it usually take you them make a whole batch?
Jill Roberts @ WellnessGeeky says
Gorgeous pictures. I am obsessed with cookies! Definitely your healthy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies will be yummy! Thx for sharing!
Julia Stearns @ Healthirony says
Oh my! These healthy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies were delicious and so easy to make! Will have to try this for my family. Thanks so much!