You Won't Miss The Sugar In These 19 Cookie Recipes

Sugar detoxes are all the rage lately. We're being warned about added sugars sneaking into many of our drinks, snacks, and even pasta sauces — and the resulting backlash is leading to people quitting the stuff entirely.

There's also a belief that sugar, and other forms of junk food are addictive. Sugar can't actually cause an addiction; but certain types of refined, unnatural sugars can have effects on your health if you eat too much. Refined sugars can adversely affect your blood sugar, increasing your risk of Type 2 diabetes.

However, sugar in moderate amounts is a great source of energy for your body. It's quickly accessible and can be nutritious — especially when it comes from fruit, honey, or other natural substances. Sugar detoxes can cause all kinds of deficiencies by cutting out fruit, milk, and other healthy (yet sugary) foods. They're also crazy restrictive, causing intense cravings and isolation from social events and other healthy parts of life.

There are ways to limit the amount of refined sugars you're eating, however, without eliminating the food group entirely. Sugars from maple syrup, honey, and other natural sweeteners taste just as sweet and can add health benefits such as antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to your treat. Don't get me wrong — I love a regular, white-flour-filled, sugary cookie every now and then. But for everyday indulgence with a bonus of eliminating the added refined sugar, these recipes will do the trick.

These cookies have a lot of good stuff going on. Banana, chocolate, coconut... If you use gluten-free oats, these cookies can be made gluten-free! They're also dairy-free and vegan — but you'd never be able to tell. They're so good.

Get the Healthy Cookie recipe here.

Butter pecan is one of the best ice cream flavors, and luckily there's a cookie to go with. Pecans add a rich, dense flavor to any treat; the dates and jam add enough sweetness to eliminate the need for anything else!

Get the Butter Pecan Cookies recipe here.

These moist, flavorful cookies are healthy enough to have for breakfast and tasty enough to save for dessert. The sweetness of these cookies comes from apples and raisins — a classic combination that doesn't need help from anything refined or artificial. Plus, walnuts may help deter you from junk food; you'll undoubtedly be satisfied with just one.

Get the Carrot Walnut Cookie recipe here.

These cookies are soft, chewy, and somehow still grain-free. If you're looking for a cookie with the perfect texture that's just the right amount of sweet, this recipe is for you. Walnuts add a touch of healthy fats to each treat while cherries and chocolate do their thing as one of the greatest sweets combinations in history.

Get the Cherry, Walnut, and Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe here.

You'll never guess where the protein in these cookies comes from. Beans. That's right; you can turn beans into a sweet treat without using any added sugar. The recipe also calls for a nut or seed butter, perfect for adding healthy fats. The recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and guaranteed to satisfy your cookie craving.

Get the Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies recipe here.

Did you know cranberries are good for your gut? Since they're made without any refined sugar or other processed ingredients, these cookies are, too. They're gluten-free and can easily be made vegan by swapping the butter for coconut oil. Anything with chocolate chunks is bound to taste amazing, and these cookies are no exception.

Get the Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies recipe here.

These taste like little mini cheesecakes, and we're obsessed. Every bite is so creamy and so indulgent that you won't miss the sugar at all. The cookies get their sweetness from apricot preserves — just make sure you buy a jar with no sugar added!

Get the Cream Cheese Cookie recipe here.

These appropriately-titled cookies will drive your friends bananas for more. The secret to keeping these all-natural cookies simultaneously delicious? Vanilla bean paste. It adds a ton of flavor without the necessity of sugar. Paired with the bananas and coconut, it creates a rich flavor you'd never guess came from something sugar-free.

Get the Go Bananas Cookie recipe here.

They truly are heavenly. The only added sugar in this cookie comes from fruit. Both apples and bananas are used in the recipe — an unexpected combination, but trust us. It works well. We recommend using dates over raisins in the recipe to keep the texture from feeling grainy. Dates and bananas are both chewy and smooth, just like you want your cookie dough to be.

Get the Heavenly Healthy Cookie recipe here.

These brightly-colored bites are sure to keep kids happy, too — they use sugar-free gelatin to form a unique, fruity treat. Use different colors of Jell-O to make a rainbow plate for a party or to give out to your friends.

Get the Jell-O Cookies recipe here.

These thin, crispy cookies are perfect for fall. In a time when maple is on its way to becoming the new pumpkin spice, now's the perfect time to whip up a batch for family and friends. A hint of cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg, and some maple syrup sweeten these to perfection. They're also gluten-free, so truly everyone can enjoy.

Get the Maple Oat Cookie recipe here.

Why add more sugar when peanut butter and honey already taste to-die-for? This recipe doesn't bother. It's also vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free if you use the right kind of protein. These cookies require zero cooking skills or equipment — every lazy baker's dream.

Get the No-Bake Protein Cookies Recipe here.

The recipe calls for either sugar or honey, but we're leaning towards honey. I mean, come on — it tastes just as sweet, but it also adds on all kinds of health benefits from its antioxidants. These cookies are high-fiber, high-protein, and miraculously still chewy when baked.

Get the Oatmeal Honey Cookies recipe here.

One taster of the recipe deemed it similar to a monster cookie — but way better for you. They're also flourless, replacing refined white flour with healthy oats. To make them even better for you (and more filling) add the flax seeds marked as an optional ingredient. You won't taste the difference, but your body will thank you.

Get the Oatmeal Raisin Cookies recipe here.

We recommend using a natural sweetener like stevia or honey instead of Splenda like the recipe calls for — artificial sweeteners aren't great for your health. But these cookies are simple, tasty, and filled with healthy fats from peanut butter. Some peanut butters have added sugar, so make sure you read the ingredients before buying!

Get the Peanut Butter Cookies recipe here.

You can use any flavor of protein you want in this easy recipe, but we recommend chocolate. Muesli adds a nice crunch while the honey and cocoa mingle to create a sweet flavor and chewy texture. Plus, they have so much protein. Post-workout snack, anyone?

Get the Protein Cookies recipe here.

Tired of pumpkin spice yet? We hope not. Because these cookies are too good to pass up. They're gooey on the inside, so sweet, and satisfying enough to put your sugary pumpkin desserts to shame. Pair it with a healthier pumpkin spice latte for the perfect fall treat.

Get the Pumpkin Cookies recipe here.

They're bite-sized, adorable, and so tasty. Each sweet, doughy cookie has a small dollop of jam on top. Maple syrup adds a natural sweetness and a unique taste to the dough. They're gluten-free, vegan, and perfect for a crowd.

Get the Raspberry Jam Dot Cookies recipe here.

Molasses provides all the sweetness you need in these no-sugar-added cookies. If you want to omit the molasses entirely for its sugar content, you could always use honey. But molasses has some health benefits from nutrients such as iron, calcium, and magnesium. Omit the brown sugar, optional in this recipe. We promise — you won't need it.

Get the Soft Molasses Cookies recipe here.

These recipes are all great for when you're looking for a healthier cookie recipe — but sometimes you just have to go all out. For our 101 best cookie recipes ever, click here.