10 Healthiest Cookie Brands—and 3 To Avoid

You may be surprised to hear this coming from a registered dietitian, but enjoying an occasional cookie can be part of a balanced diet. You can absolutely eat dessert foods from time to time without negatively impacting your overall health. Moderation is key when it comes to enjoying cookies while maintaining a healthy lifestyle and choosing the right cookie brands can make a significant difference.

While cookies are a delightful treat, they can also be unhealthy if consumed in excess or if they contain certain lower-quality ingredients. Making your own cookies at home using whole grains, natural sweeteners, and healthier fats like nuts or seeds can be a healthier choice to avoid overly-processed foods. However, we know it's not always realistic to whip up a fresh batch of cookies whenever a craving hits.

That's why we've consulted registered dietitians to curate a list of the healthiest cookie brands you can find at the store. In this article, we'll highlight ten of the best healthy cookie brands and three you should avoid. These recommendations will help you make informed choices that satisfy your sweet tooth without compromising your health.

How To Buy the Best Healthy Cookies

You'll likely buy your cookies at the store occasionally, and when that's the case, look for certain factors that indicate a healthier choice.

• Low Added Sugars: Many cookies are loaded with sugar, which provides empty calories and can contribute to weight gain, tooth decay, and increased risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Opt for cookies that are low in added sugars.
• Fewer Saturated Fats: Some cookies contain high levels of unhealthy saturated fats. This fat can raise bad cholesterol levels, increase your risk of heart disease, and may contribute to weight gain. Look for cookies that are low in saturated fat.
• Whole Grains: Choose cookies that use whole grain flour, such as whole wheat or nut flour, which provides more fiber and nutrients than refined white flour.
• Portion Control: Cookies are often sold in large quantities, making it tempting to eat more than one serving size, further contributing to excess calorie intake. Select cookies that come in reasonable portion sizes to avoid overindulgence.

To help you make an informed choice when your next sugar craving strikes, we tasted as many store-bought cookies as we could and reviewed the nutrition information for each. From classic chocolate chip cookies to decadent double chocolate, these are the best and worst store-bought cookie brands out there. Grab a glass of milk, settle in, and for more, don't miss 10 Cookie Brands That Use the Highest Quality Ingredients.

The 10 Healthiest Cookie Brands

Tate's Bake Shop Tiny Tate's Chocolate Chip Cookies

While you'd indulge in 140 calories and 12 grams of sugar when eating two of Tate's original Chocolate Chip cookies, you can have 17 of these Tiny Tate's Chocolate Chip Cookies for nearly the same amount of calories and less sugar! These cookies will satisfy your craving for Tate's signature crunch but in a convenient resealable pack, making it easier for you to feel like you don't need to polish off a bag in one go.

Simple Mills Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Simple Mills' Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies are gluten-free cookies made with almond flour, which makes them an excellent choice for individuals with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. They are also free from soy, corn, dairy, gums, emulsifiers, artificial additives, and preservatives. With just 7 grams of sugar per serving, these cookies contain fewer added sugars compared to many other store-bought options.

Oreo Thins

Jamie Nadeau, RD, LDN, registered dietitian of The Balanced Nutritionist, shares her cookie recommendations with us: "I love Oreo Thins because they give you the same satisfaction and flavor as a regular Oreo cookie, but the serving size is four cookies versus three. If you're someone who likes to feel like you're getting more bang for your buck with food volume, a small difference like that can have a big impact. Four Oreo Thins also have fewer calories and less added sugar than three classic Oreos. They're certainly not a 'health food,' but they can be a great option when you need real sugar to hit the spot."

Catalina Crunch Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookies

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Catalina Crunch's Oreo dupes will make you feel fuller and more satisfied than regular cookies. With 3 grams of filling fiber and 4 grams of protein per serving, you'll walk away feeling a bit more satiated. Catalina Crunch uses allulose, a zero-calorie sugar alternative, to sweeten its cookies, which doesn't leave a bad aftertaste in your mouth.

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Thinsters Meyer Lemon

"I love Thinsters because these are cookie thins with no artificial flavor colors or preservatives, no corn syrup or hydrogenated oils, and they contain 4% of your daily dietary fiber," shares Moushumi Mukherjee, MS, RD.  A Thinsters serving size is 6 cookies, which is double the portion of many other store-bought cookie brands. Thankfully, you'll probably be more satisfied with the increased volume.

Partake Chocolate Chip Cookies

"Partake Chocolate Chip Cookies are vegan-based cookies that are not only made with healthy ingredients but are also the perfect choice for individuals with food allergies. Their ingredients are free from the top allergens, and three cookies contain 140 calories, 8 grams of added sugar, 1 gram of protein, fiber, and saturated fat," says Joanna Ayalloore, MS, RD, LDN.

Siete Mexican Shortbread Cookies

"If I'm going to buy a store-bought cookie, it's going to be from Siete. Siete cookies are allergen-friendly, meaning they are grain-free, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, and vegan. They're also non-GMO. Siete cookies are packed full of flavor, perfectly sweetened, and have just the right amount of texture. They use wholesome ingredients that you can easily read. I highly recommend trying their Mexican Shortbread Cookies," says Ashley Kitchens, MPH, RDN, a plant-based dietitian and owner of Plant Centered Nutrition.

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MadeGood Snickerdoodle Cookies

MadeGood Snickerdoodle Cookies are organic, gluten-free, and allergen-friendly, as they're made in a dedicated nut-free facility. Made with nutrients from vegetable extracts, they're an excellent source of vitamin D at 20% of the daily value (DV), 30% of the DV of vitamin E, and 25% of the DV of vitamin B1. With a 4-cookie serving, it's impressive that you'll only consume a low 9 grams of sugar.

Fancypants Birthday Cake Cookies

Skip the high-calorie, high-sugar funfetti cake and grab a bag of Fancypants' Birthday Cake Cookies instead. These non-GMO cookies are made with ingredients you'd find in your own pantry, like King Arthur all-purpose flour, sugar, and plant-dyed rainbow sprinkles. Not only are these a great healthy cookie brand, but they're also Upcycled Certified because the oat flour they use is recovered from the oat pulp left after making oat milk, diverting food waste.

Mightylicious

A delicious store-bought, gluten-free cookie can be hard to find, but Mightylicious has done it. Made with a blend of rice flour, brown rice flour, oat flour, and starches, their Chocolate Chip Cookie might bring back memories of childhood cookie-and-milk nostalgia. Their chocolate chip cookies also offer 2 grams of fiber—another hard-to-find quality in gluten-free products.

Individually wrapped in two-per-serving, you'll find these easy to stick to the portion size.

The 3 Worst Store-Bought Cookies

Worst: Keebler E.L.Fudge Elfwich Double Stuffed Cookies

"Keebler E.L.Fudge Elfwich Double Stuffed Cookies are one of the worst because they are loaded with sugar, fat, and calories. According to the nutrition label, two cookies contain 180 calories and over a quarter of the daily sugar intake. They are also high in fat and do not contain any fiber or protein," Wan Na Chun, MPH, RD, CPT says.

Consuming too much sugar and unhealthy fat can lead to weight gain, high blood sugar, and other health problems. I would recommend choosing healthier options that are made with whole food ingredients, are lower in sugar, and those that are a good source of fiber and protein," she adds.

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Worst: Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies

This one shouldn't surprise you. Little Debbie products are notoriously high in sugar, fat, and empty calories. They're also hyper palatable, which means they're easy to overeat without feeling full at all. "These Little Debbie cookie sandwiches are loaded with high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavor, partially hydrogenated oil, and are also high in sodium," Mukherjee shares.

Worst: Grandma's Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies might remind you of your brown bag lunch on a school field trip, but the nostalgia might not be worth it. These cookies come with a two-per-pack despite the label mentioning just one cookie as a serving. We think you're better off skipping these cookies in the future, as a two-cookie package delivers nearly 400 empty calories and 22 grams of added sugar to boot.