This collection features deliciously easy healthy Christmas cookie recipes that are all gluten-free and won’t send your blood sugar on a rollercoaster ride. Plus, there are plenty of healthy decorating tips to make your cookies sparkle with the holiday spirit!
The fairy lights are twinkling, and the Christmas tunes and aroma of festive food fill the air. Finally, Christmas is here, and with it comes the joy of family, friends, and of course an endless supply of sugary treats. But for those of us living with diabetes, navigating the holiday season’s sugary delights can feel overwhelming!
But don’t worry I have you covered with this compilation of healthy, diabetic-friendly treats (that are also all gluten-free) that are super tasty without sending blood sugar levels on a festive roller coaster.
Why Choose a Healthy Christmas Cookie?
Who says diabetes or healthy means missing out on those festive treats? These diabetic-friendly cookies have all been created with diabetes management in mind. They use clever ingredient swaps to make tasty treats that won’t send your blood sugar soaring. Plus they have a lower carb count, reducing insulin requirements and therefore the error rate and they are all gluten free!
Looking for more tips on a healthy Christmas then make sure to read my article Christmas And Diabetes – Tips To Help You!
What Makes These Healthier Holiday Cookies Different?
Forget the complicated, ingredient-heavy recipes you might find elsewhere. all of the cookie recipes in this collection are specifically designed for people looking for healthier options over the holiday season as well as for those managing diabetes. Here’s what sets this recipe collection apart:
- Focus on Sugar-Free and Low-Carb Flour: I use a sugar-free sweetener and lower-carb flours to create cookies that are both delicious and blood sugar friendly. You won’t miss the refined sugar or highly processed white flour I promise you!
- Lower Carb Count: Compared to traditional cookies, our recipes are typically lower in carbohydrates, helping you manage your overall carb intake.
- All About Wholesome Ingredients – A key ethos for all the recipes on WHK is that I prioritise using whole-food ingredients like nut butters, whole grains, and healthy fats for added flavour and nutrition. These not only taste great but also provide valuable nutrients for your body. Think nutritious cookies packed with protein, fibre, and healthy fats!
- Easy and Adaptable – I believe healthy shouldn’t mean complicated. So these recipes are simple to follow, use easy-to-find ingredients, and many offer substitution options for dietary needs. Whether you’re gluten-free, nut-free, or just looking for a dairy alternative, we’ve got you covered.
- Get Creative – All of the recipes below can be decorated for a more festive feel. So get creative and get the whole family in the kitchen to create designs to add a little extra pizazz to your festive treats. Read on for lots of sugar-free decorating suggestions.
But remember, moderation is key! Even diabetic cookies contain carbohydrates and calories, so enjoy them as part of a balanced diet.
Healthy Decorating with Diabetes in Mind
Here are some diabetic-friendly cookie decorating suggestions to make your treats more festive:
Sugar-Free Icing
Opt for sugar-free icing made with sugar substitutes like powdered xylitol stevia or erythritol. Simply add water to your desired consistency. Or you can make a frosting with a sugar-free sweetener, a little cream cheese or yoghurt for consistency, and flavourings like vanilla, almond, or peppermint extract.
Here are 2 of my favourites:
Sugar Free Cream Cheese Frosting
Sugar Free Chocolate buttercream
Melted Chocolate
Dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate bars can be melted to create drizzles, swirls, or piped designs. Try and use chocolate with 70% or above cacao content. This is because it will have less added sugar and is kinder on blood glucose.
You can even mix in a little melted coconut oil for a smoother consistency.
Chopped Nuts and Seeds
These add a delightful textural contrast and a healthy crunch. Use chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, or even a mix for a festive medley. Roasted and salted varieties can add a touch of savoury balance.
Dried Fruit
Chopped dried cranberries, goji berries, cherries, blueberries, or chopped apricots add pops of colour and natural sweetness. Just be mindful and read the labels as dried fruit does contain some sugar and avoid the packets that have sugar added to them.
Shredded Coconut
Unsweetened shredded coconut adds a beautiful snowy texture and a subtle sweetness. You can toast it lightly for a more golden colour.
Spices
A sprinkle of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger adds a festive touch and complements many cookie flavours.
Edible Glitter
A small amount of edible glitter adds a touch of sparkle without any added sugar. Just be sure to use a variety specifically labelled for consumption.
Cookie Cutters
Get creative with festive cookie shapes like stars, Christmas trees, stars, or bells. The cookie dough in these recipes is quite soft and can’t be rolled so you may have to free-form the shapes a bit!
Frosting Stencils
Use stencils to create intricate designs on your cookies with melted chocolate or icing.
Bonus Tip: Instead of using traditional sprinkles, consider using crushed sugar-free candies like peppermint sweets or chopped sugar-free chocolate bars for a festive touch.
11 Healthy Holiday COOKIE RECIPES – LOW CARB AND SUGAR FREE
Explore this collection of 11 easy, diabetic-friendly cookie recipes that are all bursting with flavour and holiday cheer without spiking your blood sugar!
SPICED GINGER BISCUITS – SUGAR FREE
These cookies are a great basic biscuit for festive designs.
Festive Decoration idea – Try swirling dark chocolate and sugar free icing with added golden stars ( as in the picture above)
Sugar Free Ginger Biscuits
Cooks in 25 minutesDifficulty: EasySavour in the goodness of this low-carb, gluten and sugar-free ginger biscuits! Enjoy the perfect balance of soft and fluffy textures ready in under 30 minutes.
QUICK ALMOND BISCUITS – CARB COUNT FREE
Another great basic biscuit that’s carb count free.
Winter warmers – Add some Christmas spices to the cookie dough or maybe even some nuts and cranberries for a more festive feel
Quick Almond Biscuits – Carb & Gluten Free
Cooks in 25 minutesDifficulty: EasyAre you craving a biscuit but don’t want to have to work out the carb count? Then these quick almond biscuits are just what you have been looking for!
ALMOND FLOUR CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
An indulgently rich almond flour chocolate chip cookie that is low carb, gluten free, super tasty, and sure to satisfy any chocolate biscuit craving.
Make them a Christmas Cookie – Try adding peppermint flavouring or crushed sugar free peppermint sweets for a delicious holiday cookie.
Almond Chocolate Cookies
Cooks in 25 minutesDifficulty: EasySatisfy your chocolate biscuit cravings with these easy almond chocolate cookies! Deliciously low-carb and gluten-free.
PUFF PASTRY MINCEMEAT PINWHEELS
OK, so not strictly a cookie but I think these easy festive treats deserve a spot in this collection. so easy to make and with the addition of sugar free mincemeat they make a better choice for blood sugar management!
Festive Additions – Add some sugar-free powdered sweetener on top for a festive snowy feel!
Puff Pastry Mincemeat Pinwheels
Cooks in 30 minutesDifficulty: Very EasyThese mincemeat pinwheels are here to make your holidays a little easier, a lot more fun, and absolutely scrumptious!
ALMOND FLOUR OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Enjoy these irresistible almond flour oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. They are crumbly, soft, and a perfect diabetic-friendly treat without the added sugar.
Festive Additions – Add some unsweetened coconut on top for a tasty snowy feel!
Almond Flour Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cooks in 25 minutesDifficulty: EasyEnjoy irresistible almond flour oatmeal chocolate chip cookies – crumbly, soft, and a perfect diabetic-friendly treat without added sugar.
LOW SUGAR OATMEAL COOKIES
These are such a healthy cookie full of dried fruit and seeds.
Festive swaps – Try swapping some of the fruit for dried cranberries, goji berries or cherries for a more Christmasy-looking cookie.
Low Sugar Diabetic Oatmeal Cookies
Cooks in 20 minutesDifficulty: Very EasyIf you’re looking to satisfy your sweet tooth without the added sugar, then sugar-free oatmeal cookies are the perfect treat for you!
BANANA ALMOND FLOUR COOKIES WITH PEANUTS
A deliciously tasty combo of banana and peanuts in a cookie.
Christmas Decorating Tip – these biscuits are crying out for chocolate swirls and sugar free sprinkles
Almond Flour Banana Cookies with Peanuts
Cooks in 25 minutesDifficulty: EasyThese banana almond flour cookies with peanuts are gluten and refined sugar-free and for diabetic carb counting only 2g of carbs per biscuit!
SIMPLE SUGAR FREE OAT BISCUITS
These super simple sugar-free oat biscuits are quick and easy to make.
Christmas Decorating Tip – These healthy cookies look beautiful with melted dark chocolate dipped on one side or festive sprinkles added on top.
Simple Sugar-Free Oat Biscuits
Cooks in 20 minutesDifficulty: Very EasyEasy, healthy and tempting, these sugar-free oatmeal cookies will really hit the snack spot!
6 INGREDIENT PEANUT BUTTER BANANA OAT COOKIES
These easy no-added sugar, peanut butter banana oat cookies are naturally gluten-free, suitable for vegans and kinder on blood sugar levels.
Festive Decorating Tip – Add extra nuts and a little edible glitter for some Christmas pizzaz!
Peanut Butter Banana Oat cookies
Cooks in 20 minutesDifficulty: Very EasyEasy, healthy and tempting, these peanut butter banana oat cookies will really hit the snack spot!
CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY THUMBPRINT COOKIES
These chocolate raspberry thumbprint cookies are fuss-free and look fantastic with their berry jam centres.
Christmas Decorating Tip – Shape the wells of your cookies to look more like Christmas baubles and add a little edible glitter to your sugar free jam
Chocolate Raspberry ThumbprintCookies
Cooks in 35 minutesDifficulty: EasyThese chocolate raspberry thumbprint cookies are fuss-free, use only 1 bowl and are only 2g of (Diabetic) countable carbs per cookie! .
EASY SAVOURY CHEESE BISCUITS – CARB COUNT FREE
An Easy Savoury Cheese biscuit that is count free and makes the perfect addition to your festive cheese board!
Easy Savoury Cheese Biscuits
Cooks in 25 minutesDifficulty: Very EasyThese easy savoury cheese biscuits are totally moreish thanks to the secret savoury ingredient and diabetic carb count free!
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