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These Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies are soft, chewy and packed with peanut butter and oats. The delicious combination of peanut butter and chocolate makes these cookies so irresistible!

healthy peanut butter oatmeal cookies stacked on a plate

Sometimes when you’re craving cookies, you want a healthier option. Like my Banana Oatmeal Cookies, these peanut butter oatmeal cookies are completely crave-worthy, yet they’re made with healthier ingredients.

I love the soft and chewy texture of these cookies, and the rich peanut butter flavor. Not to mention the chocolate chips – I use dark chocolate chips but you can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate if that is your preference.

You’ll love how easy these healthy cookies are to prepare. No mixer is required, just two bowls and a few minutes of your time. Before baking the cookies, you’ll want to chill the dough for 30 minutes to make it easier to scoop onto the baking sheet. The wait is totally worth it, and you’ll be enjoying a warm cookie with melty chocolate chips before you know it!

Healthier Ingredients

These cookies are made from wholesome ingredients. They are sweetened with honey, rather than refined sugars. Adding applesauce and peanut butter to the cookies allows you to use less butter. Oats and white whole wheat flour add fiber.

How to Make Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

To make these healthy cookies, you’ll start by stirring together the dry ingredients: quick oats, white whole wheat flour, baking soda and salt. Quick oats are sometimes called instant oats or 1-minute oats. I prefer them for this recipe because their texture is best in the cookies, but you can also use old fashioned rolled oats.

In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: melted butter, peanut butter, applesauce, honey, an egg, and vanilla extract. I like to first mix together the warm melted butter and peanut butter to achieve a smooth consistency.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients, stirring until they are just combined. Last, stir in the chocolate chips.

cookie dough with chocolate chips

Chill the dough for 30 minutes before scooping the cookies. This makes the dough less sticky and easier to work with. You can chill the dough longer if you wish. If the dough firms up too much in the refrigerator, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes until it’s soft enough to scoop.

These cookies don’t flatten on their own while baking, so you’ll want to gently flatten them a little using your hand after scooping the dough onto the baking sheet. Bake the cookies according to the directions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Freezing Cookies

These cookies are my favorite for keeping in the freezer for whenever a sweets craving hits. I always freeze leftover cookies, wrapped airtight in a zip-top bag or other container. You can eat the cookies straight from the freezer, let them thaw for a few minutes at room temperature, or warm them in the microwave.

stack of cookies

Baking Tips for Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

  • Quick oats will give you cookies with the best texture, but you can use old fashioned rolled oats if that’s all you have.
  • If you don’t have white whole wheat flour, regular whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour may be used.
  • You can substitute pure maple syrup for the honey.
  • Try not to over-bake the cookies. Take them out of the oven when they are just set. This way, your cookies will be soft and chewy.

More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes:

cookies stacked on a plate
5 from 2 ratings

Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Servings: 36 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Author: Kristine Roseblatt
These Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies are soft, chewy and packed with peanut butter and oats. The delicious combination of peanut butter and chocolate makes these cookies so irresistible!
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Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups quick oats*, (also called instant oats or 1-minute oats)
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour*
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup peanut butter
  • ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ½ cup honey*
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup dark chocolate chips, plus more for tops of cookies, if desired

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, stir together oats, whole wheat flour, baking soda, and salt.
  • In a medium bowl, melt the butter. Stir in the peanut butter, and then the applesauce, honey, egg, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
  • Chill the dough for 30 minutes to make it less sticky. Scoop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls and place on the prepared baking sheets. Use your fingers to gently flatten each cookie a little, as they won't flatten on their own during baking.
  • Bake 8-10 minutes, until just set and barely golden. (If baking more than one pan at a time, rotate the pans halfway through the baking time.) Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Quick oats will give you cookies with the best texture, but you can use old fashioned rolled oats if that's all you have.
  • If you don't have white whole wheat flour, regular whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour may be used.
  • You can substitute pure maple syrup for the honey.
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 97kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 92mg, Potassium: 72mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 45IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 15mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert, Healthy Dessert, Snack
Author: Kristine Roseblatt
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