These Oatmeal Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies are toddler friendly, mom approved cookies that are packed full of nutrition but satisfy a craving for a big soft chocolate chip cookie!
We have a (loose) rule in our house that if we want something sweet, we need to make it ourselves. Our pantry has very few sweet stacks in it (mainly because I have more of a salty tooth than a sweet one). But, when that cookie craving it, it hits hard! To fulfill that craving though, I want something that I feel great about letting my kiddos have, too. And these Oatmeal Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies is exactly that - toddler loved and mom approved!
My favorite part of these cookies? They're naturally sweetened and packed full of nutrition thanks to quinoa, flax seed, and chia seeds. But still with satisfying chocolate chips! The ultimate healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie! Oh and they just happen to be vegan, too!
Ingredients Needed
These are not your average cookie! SO much nutrition packed into a delightful little treat!
- Coconut Oil - Not only incredibly healthy but also it adds a lovely coconut flavor! You could substitute another neutral flavored healthy oil like grapeseed or sunflower. Butter works well too if you don't need them to be vegan, but then you lose all of the health benefits of coconut oil.
- Oats - Old Fashioned Rolled Oats are best for this recipe. Quick or Steel cut wont work the same.
- Whole Wheat Flour - This flour is more protein rich than all purpose flour, but you could of course substitute all purpose or even a nut based flour like almond or really lean into the coconut flavor and use coconut flour.
- Quinoa - I just love that these cookies have fiber packed quinoa in them without adjusting the flavor at all. They are great way to get more of it into your, or your kid's diets!
- Natural Sweeteners - Pure Maple Syrup and Honey are my favorite! You could also use agave, too.
- Seeds - Chia Seeds and Ground Flax Seed add a ton of antioxidants, fiber, and omega-3! Plus the added benefits of being heart healthy and great for digestive health.
- Eggs, Salt, Baking Soda, and Vanilla Extract - Have you made your own Homemade Vanilla Extract yet?
- Chocolate Chips - Not pictured but a crucial ingredient! Use any that you'd like, semi-sweet, dark, whatever your fancy!
Refined Sugar-Free Cookies
Is it still a cookie without a refined sugar? Absolutely! We try to stay away from a lot of refined sugar products for the tiny human anyway. But then I realized, that I can call whatever I want a cookie. The tiny humans will have no idea. She has no idea that "normal" cookies don't have ground flax seed or chia seeds or quinoa! But you know, the quinoa adds such a delightful "softness" to these cookies that comes from the nutritious quinoa instead of loads of butter.
I love (and prefer) to use natural sweeteners in my cookies. Here are some of my other favorite refined sugar-free cookies.
Easy to Make
Step 1: Mix the wet and dry ingredients in different bowls.
Step 2: Mix it all together.
Tip: As with all cookie doughs, you don't want to overwork the dough. Just mix it enough so that it all comes together.
Step 3: Shape in to small 2 in balls and then flatten into a disc.
Note on Size of Cookie: These cookies are packed full of so much, that means that if you make bigger cookies, the calorie count for each cookie will be pretty high. We like small round thick cookies, but you could also make them into thinner, flatter cookies that will make more and reduce the calorie count for each cookie.
Step 4: Bake!
Even without the added sugar, these cookies are delightful. They have just a kiss of sweetness from the honey and maple syrup, they're soft and chewy with just a touch of chocolate. They are hands-down the healthiest chocolate chip cookie you'll ever eat. You'll totally forget you're eating quinoa!
These cookies are some of my girls favorite snacks. And I'm happy to oblige. Even better, these cookies freeze great. Keep them in the freezer for whenever you need a super heathy, nutritious, snack!
Other Healthy Toddler Friendly Snacks
Healthy Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins
So whether you're trying to keep your toddler bribes as healthy as possible or you're cutting out refined sugars from you're diet and dammit it's hard and you need a cookie, I've got you with these Oatmeal Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
If you want to see more, be sure to sign up for my 5 Easy Ways to Start Cooking From Scratch!
Oatmeal Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 2 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked and cooled
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease.
- In a large bowl add coconut oil, honey, and maple syrup and vigorously whisk with a fork or with a hand mixer. Add eggs and vanilla and mix again until it's all well incorporated.
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly add to the wet mixture mixing and mix until combined.
- In the medium bowl, give a quick mix to oats, quinoa, flax, chia seeds, sunflower seeds and chocolate chips. Gently, with your hands or a wooden spoon, slowly add this mixture to the dough, be sure to not overwork the dough.
- Roll out 2 inch balls and place on baking sheet. Gently flatten a little into a thick disc.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack. Store in an airtight container in fridge for 2 - 3 weeks in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Is it possible to omit the chia seeds from the recipe? Or would it have to be replaced with something?
I want to try these but for some reason chia and I do not get along 🙂
Oh of course! No need to substitute them for anything else, just leave ‘em out entirely. Enjoy!
I feel like my dough didn't come together like yours. It was super sticky and difficult to roll into balls. I used almond flour instead of the whole wheat...do you think that could be why? That is the only thing I did differently.
Hi Courtney! Yes, the kind of flour your use definitely makes a difference. Also, when substituting flours you should do by weight and not volume - but that's my bad I didn't put the weight on this recipe. That will also make a difference though because 1 cup of almond flour (and especially dependent upon how you measure it) can be very very different than 1 cup of whole wheat flour. With that said, I will work on this with almond flour and make adjustments and notes! 🙂
Unless I’m just seeing things I see 13 cup maple syrup. Haha! Could you clarify how much syrup these call for please?
Ah haha - oops!! 1/3 cup! Thanks so much for pointing that out!
used recipe analyzer online to try to determine nutritional values.
below is rough estimate based on ingredients
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 cookie
Servings: 38
Amount per serving
Calories 136
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 5.3g 26%
Cholesterol 9mg 3%
Sodium 101mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 16.7g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 5.4g
Protein 2.3g
Vitamin D 1mcg 4%
Calcium 7mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 28mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
I was skeptical at first but I admit - these are tasty. Best if eaten warm I think so you can always microwave them for a few seconds. I will make these again.
Kim! Thank you SO much for saying that! They are definitely good warm, but have you tried them popped in the freezer for a little while and had them almost frozen? SO GOOD.
Hey there, have you used a substitute for coconut oil? I’m just not down with the taste in any cooking I’ve done with it
Hi Cindy! Of course - you can always sub butter 1:1 🙂
Yay! Perfect thank you!
I assumed 2 eggs. Unless I’m blind, I didn’t seem them listed in the ingredients list, but they are mentioned in the directions. Just FYI! PS, been there with the “negotiating.” Hang in there, momma.
Oooh thank you for noticing that, Crystal!! Solidarity, mama! 😉