5 Healthiest Cookies That Won’t Spike Your Blood Sugar

Cookies tend to get a bad rap, especially if you’re trying to keep your blood sugar stable. Traditional recipes are often built around refined flour and sugar, two ingredients that digest quickly and can cause glucose levels to skyrocket.

However, some cookies are naturally more balanced thanks to ingredients like nuts, seeds and whole grains. These additions slow digestion, improve satiety, and reduce the risk of sudden peaks and falls that leave you lethargic.

1. Almond Flour Cookies

Almond flour is an increasingly popular alternative to wheat flour, and for good reason. Almond flour is naturally low in carbs and high in healthy fats and proteins, according to Kristen Carli, MS, RD, registered dietitian at WOWMD.

This combination slows digestion and results in a more consistent rise in blood sugar compared to cookies made with refined flour.

During the holidays, almond flour shortbread or almond snowball cookies are common substitutes that maintain the familiar texture without the quick glucose hit.

2. Oatmeal cookies

Oatmeal cookies can be surprisingly easy on blood sugar when prepared thoughtfully. Whole oats contain soluble fiber, particularly beta-glucan, which helps slow the absorption of glucose into the blood.

Oatmeal cookies that are lightly sweetened and made without refined flour are the best option for controlling blood sugar, said Morgan Walker, MS, RD, LDN, assistant professor of exercise science at Lebanon Valley College.

3. Trail Mix Style Cookies

Trail mix-style cookies take the benefits of oatmeal even further by adding nuts and seeds, which provide additional protein, healthy fats and fiber. These nutrients help slow digestion and reduce the risk of rapid blood sugar spikes, Walker said.

“Consider using other ways to sweeten cookies, like mashed ripe banana, unsweetened applesauce or mashed sweet potato (a personal favorite),” she said. “These provide natural sweetness, moisture and can replace refined sugars.”

Versions including nuts, seeds, vanilla and cinnamon offer additional nutrients and flavor without relying on excess sugar, she added.

4. Nut Butter Cookies

Nut butter cookies are a minimalist favorite for a reason. Peanut butter and other nut butters are packed with protein and healthy fats, both of which help smooth out blood sugar spikes, according to Carli.

She recommended a simple three-ingredient cookie: nut butter, egg, and a small amount of sugar or sugar alternative to keep the carbs relatively low while still providing a rich flavor. They are quick to prepare and require no flour, making them suitable for people with gluten sensitivity.

Adding walnuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios or pumpkin seeds are all potential mix-ins that improve both nutrition and blood sugar control, Walker added.

5. Chia or flaxseed cookies

Biscuits made from seeds rather than flour take a very different nutritional approach. Chia and flax seeds are full of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, which slow digestion and promote satiety, Carli said.

When a cookie relies on seeds rather than refined grains, it’s typically lower in carbs and higher in fiber, Carli added.