These sugar-free healthy cookies for kids are made with avocado, oats, and raisins. They make a great portable healthy toddler snack for days out. No sugar, syrups or sweeteners, just 3 natural ingredients.
Cookies are a handy portable snack for kids, but they're certainly not healthy. Until now!
These healthy cookies for kids are made with avocado instead of butter, oats, and raisins for sweetness.
Many oatmeal cookies say they are healthy, but they're full of maple syrup, fats, and sugars.
These cookies really, truly ARE healthy! They have avocado, oats, and raisins - that's it!
With only three ingredients, they can be whipped up in minutes, and with the kids’ help, they make a great, healthy, portable snack that kids, babies and toddlers will love.
There's no sugar or sweetener, so these cookies aren't made for a grown up palate that's used to cookies being super sweet. Instead, they're delicately sweet from the raisins.
This is perfect for kids and toddlers so they don't get too used to sweet things, but can still enjoy a cookie. Heck, these cookies are so healthy, they could even have them for breakfast!
My tip for kids that want their healthy oatmeal cookies sweeter, is to add just a tiny amount of dark chocolate chips.
The easiest way is to add a couple to the tops of the healthy cookies right after they've been baked.
Then they'll see and taste the chocolate chips, but there won't be many in the cookies! Win-win.
This recipe was originally published on January 10, 2014, and republished on June 22, 2021, with new text, images, and video.
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Why you'll love these cookies
They're healthy! No sugar, syrups or artificial sweeteners. They're just sweetened naturally with raisins.
Ready in just 25 minutes and very easy to make.
A great way to use up avocado.
A hidden vegetable cookie. (Okay, I realize botanically avocadoes are a fruit, but let's just call them a veg today!)
A heathy portable snack for kids, so they're perfect for taking on days out.
No bananas, so perfect for kids who don't like them.
These cookies are egg-free, soy-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, wheat-free. Note: If required, check your oats, as some are processed in a factory where wheat and gluten are present.
Ingredients
Avocado - Mashed ripe avocado replaces butter and eggs in these cookies.
Oats - Just use whatever regular rolled oats you have.
Raisins - this adds sweetness and texture to the healthy cookies.
Step by Step Tutorial
Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.
Mash the avocado well, so it becomes a puree. You can do this with a fork, masher or a handheld immersion blender.
Add the oats and raisins to the bowl.
Optionally, you can add in a few dark chocolate chips if you want slightly sweeter cookies too. they just won't be quite as healthy!
Mix it all together well. Get the kids involved in the mixing!
Roll the healthy cookies into balls and place onto a lined cookie sheet, then flatten slightly.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden. Cool slightly then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Be sure to cool the cookies before giving them to kids, as raisins can get very hot.
Tips
Be sure to mash the avocado really well. If it's ripe, this should be easy.
For smaller kids, use finer quick cook oats so the pieces of it are smaller.
You could shape the avocado cookies into ‘fingers’ for easy snacking, so little ones can hold them easier.
If you want to be super amazing, you could even make your own raisins for these cookies! I can honestly say I have never, and probably will never, make my own! Ha. But the option is there for you.
Variations
You can swap the avocado for mashed banana in these healthy cookies for kids.
Try adding in some extra flavors with a pinch of cinnamon or Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend.
For older children and adults who have more of a sweet tooth, you may wish to sweeten them slightly. Try adding a teaspoon of maple syrup, honey or agave nectar.
Press a few dark chocolate chips into the top of each cookie after baking, if you want to add extra sweetness, but don't want to add many chocolate chips.
Swap the raisins for chopped dried apricots, dried cranberries, dried cherries or other dried fruit.
Grate in a little carrot for extra vegetables in these hidden vegetable cookies.
Avocado Recipes
If you have more ripe avocados, try them in these tasty recipes!
Vegetable cookie recipes
I hope you'll love these healthy cookies. Be sure to try these creativevegetable cookie recipes too!
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📖 Recipe
Heathy Cookies for Kids
Ingredients
- 1 avocado peeled and stone removed
- 1 cup (100g) oats
- ⅛ cup (25g) raisins optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F / 160°C.
- Mash the avocado in a bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients and combine.
- Roll into balls and place on to a lined cookie sheet. Press down lightly with a fork.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until they start to turn golden. Cool slightly on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Video
Notes
- Be sure to mash the avocado really well. If it's ripe, this should be easy.
- For smaller kids, use finer quick cook oats so the pieces of it are smaller.
- You could shape the avocado cookies into ‘fingers’ for easy snacking, so little ones can hold them easier.
- You can swap the avocado for mashed banana.
- Try adding in some extra flavors with a pinch of cinnamon or Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend.
- For older children and adults who have more of a sweet tooth, you may wish to sweeten them slightly. Try adding a teaspoon of maple syrup, honey or agave nectar.
- Press a few dark chocolate chips into the top of each cookie after baking, if you want to add extra sweetness, but don't want to add many chocolate chips.
- Swap the raisins for chopped dried apricots, dried cranberries, dried cherries or other dried fruit.
- Grate in a little carrot for extra vegetables in these hidden vegetable cookies.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Jave
Such an impressively short ingredient list and I love the color. My kids were unsure at first, but ate them all! I called them monster cookies when they were worried about the green color and it worked.
Maman
Wearing my little one so tried these cookies as a snack for when we’re out. Perfect! I used raisins but not chocolate.
Steph
How long will these last? Do you think the could freeze?
Kate Hackworthy
Hi Steph, I think it would be best to make them and eat them within a few days. Freezing then thawing the avocado and banana will affect the texture and could make them soggy and fall apart. I hope you enjoy them!
Louisa
What an amazing idea to bake with avocado, all those good fats getting put to great use. And so simple too, totally fabulous use of an avocado. My toddlers ate them up!
dina
these were delish for the kids!
Kate Veggie Desserts
Thanks Dina, I hope you get a chance to try them. 🙂
Vanesther
What a wonderful idea. I love these cookies and my children would gobble up a fair few! Brilliant - thanks for sharing.
Emma.R
Hey! Love the idea of these!
However avocado starts going quite ripe once it hits the air...I was just curious if these cookies have the same problem and how long do they last?
Kate Hackworthy
Hi Emma, these cookies didn't go green. We ate them over two days and they were just fine. Bright green and the avo didn't go brown at all. 🙂
Donna
I've just made a batch of your baby biscuits for my son to take to school with him to celebrate his birthday, they look great so fingers crossed they go down well 🙂