Healthier Sugar Cookies

Author: Half the Sugar Baker

There’s just something magical about cookies, especially around the holidays. These cookies are proof of that because with just some basic ingredients and tools, you can make a batch of these fluffy and chewy sugar cookies.

I love eating these cookies warm with milk, they are a match that I look forward to everyday! These sugar cookies are tender and chewy even when I made them with whole wheat flour.

This recipe calls for almond flour which I know some people might not have. If that is the case for you, I would recommend using just 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour and skip both the almond and the whole wheat flour. This is because the almond flour keeps the dough very tender and the whole wheat has a high protein content which could make the cookies tough so the two ingredients sort of balance each other out. I didn’t bake with almond flour until about 2 years ago and it has quickly become one of my favorite ingredients! If you like to experiment with healthier ingredients in your baking, I would definitely suggest buying a small bag of almond flour to try it out!

I personally enjoy these cookies plain with just the vanilla extract but there are so many ways you could switch these up!

Maple with chopped pecans
White chocolate chips with macadamia nuts
Crushed candy canes
Orange zest and cranberries

Tip! You will want to pull these little guys out of the oven when they are still soft in the middle and just slightly brown around the edge in order to keep that amazing, chewy center.

Lastly, if you love decorating cookies, feel free to decorate these however you like (a few sprinkles never hurt anyone!) I chose to leave these cookies plain because I’ll be honest, I was feeling lazy!

Sugar Cookies

Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 8 minutes Servings: 24-30 cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup almond flour (see note above if you don’t have almond flour)
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
6 tablespoons applesauce
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar, for rolling

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350º F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars in a large bowl until the mixture is a pale color and fluffy.
Add the egg and mix until well combined.
Add the vanilla extract and applesauce and mix until well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until the dough is just combined. Finish mixing the dough using a large spoon or spatula. The dough will seem thick.
Using your hand or a cookie scoop, roll out 1 1/2 tablespoon balls of dough and roll it in the 1/4 cup sugar. Put the balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving room for spreading.
Bake the cookies for 7-9 minutes until the edges are barely browned and the center is still soft. Do not overbake these cookies.
When the cookies are done, remove from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.