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Healthy Lemon Cashew Cookies made grain free with 5 ingredients. These healthy cookies are lower in calories and lower in sugar.
Everyone has their challenges when it comes to their own personal nutrition. Mine is I tend to not eat enough healthy fat. I grew up during the time when everyone was told to not eat fat.
Fast forward to today and I have to really pay attention to my fat consumption, but I’m still practicing it! What better way to add fat to your diet than a cookie made with healthy fat?
These Healthy Lemon Cashew Cookies are a great way to add healthy fat to your diet while satisfying your sweet tooth!
What Makes These Lemon Cashew Cookies Better For You
Here’s a few reasons why these lemon cookies made with cashew butter are healthier and a better option.
- Low Sugar – real maple syrup is used in a small quantity to lightly sweeten these cookies without going overboard. Most cookies have way more sugar added them than they need. When it comes to sugar, I believe eating REAL sugar like maple syrup is always better than sugar substitutes.
- Flourless – these cookies are made simply with unsalted, no added sugar cashew butter. Cashew butter, if you’ve never had it, is very smooth and creamy. It (as well as other nut butters) makes a great base for cookies and a better option than traditional flours.
- Gluten Free – this cookie recipe contains naturally gluten free ingredients.
- Dairy Free – there’s no dairy in this recipe.
- Low Calories – These cookies are 144 calories each. I know someone will say 144 calories is too many but the truth is from a nutrition standpoint it is not too many. Cookies usually range from 300-400 calories each and truthfully, food is never all about the numbers. It’s about what that food does to your metabolic hormones and how it influences your hunger, energy and cravings. I talk more about this in my free weight loss class for midlife women.
Ingredients for Healthy Lemon Cookies
The beauty of these creamy, silky cookies is that you just need 5 ingredients to bake these guys. P.S. I’ve got you covered with substitutions below.
- Cashew Butter – unsalted with no sugar added
- Maple Syrup
- Lemon Extract
- Lemon Juice
- Sea Salt
How To Bake Lemon Cookies Flourless With Nut Butter
I love baking cookies, but I especially love baking cookies that are flourless like these because it’s so easy!
Step one is to add the ingredients to a food processor or blender. Blend until the ingredients are smooth. I scrape down the sides after blending then blend again just to be sure everything is combined.
Then on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper, drop dough onto it using an ice cream scoop. You can also use a tablespoon measuring spoon. Expect the dough to be sticky and gooey. After dropping the dough smooth and shape it with your fingers. I recommend dampening your fingers with water to do this so it doesn’t stick to you.
Next bake the cookies 10-12 minutes at 350 F then remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet. The cookies will crumble if you remove them from the baking sheet too soon so be patient!
I add lemon zest on top of my cookies after they cool before enjoying! Store your cookies in the refrigerator up to 14 days or 90 days in the freezer.
Substitutions For Healthy Lemon Cashew Cookies
Here’s a few substitutions you can make for these lemon cookies. Remember that substitutions you make will change the nutritional values you see in the recipe card below.
- Cashew Butter – any nut butter or seed butter will work with this recipe. Peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower butter, tahini would all substitute well in this recipe. I recommend the substitute you use is creamy, unsalted with no sugar added.
- Maple Syrup – Like I mentioned previously, I personally believe in using real maple syrup as zero calorie flavored syrups have a lot of chemicals in them and it’s not clear what that does to the body long-term. If you’re diabetic or watching your sugar, you can use maple flavored syrup made from monkfruit as an alternative. I would not recommend powdered sugar substitutes as this recipe needs the liquid to get the right texture and consistency.
- Lemon Extract – you can substitute for vanilla extract or maple extract.
More Healthy Cookie Recipes
Lemon Cashew Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashew butter, unsalted, no sugar added
- 1/4 cup maple syrup, or monk fruit
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- Lemon zest for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients (except lemon zest) then process until the dough is smooth.
- Using a medium ice cream scoop, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. This is approximately 2-3 tablespoons. Damp your fingers with water to shape the cookies as they will not rise or shape much during baking.
- Bake 10-12 minutes or until the edges are browned.
- Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet 10 minutes before adding lemon zest, carefully removing and enjoying! Store cookies in the refrigerator up to 14 days or in the freezer up to 90 days.
Notes
- If you enjoy this recipe, check out my cookbook for more low calorie recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I don’t typically eat cookies. I’m not a sweets eater in general but for some reason lately I’ve been craving a cookie. If I have all the ingredients on hand I’m going to try these today. Thanks 🙂
Have a wonderful weekend Megan! xoxo
I’m not a cookie eater either, but every once & awhile I love to have a little treat. These you will enjoy!
These look delicious!!! They remind of the lemon knot cookies Starbucks used to sell. I was legit addicted to them as a kid. They were buttery/lemonny goodness. And soft on the inside!! I hope today is a better one for you. Yesterday’s post just made my heart ache! Seriously girl–I can even email you my number and we can text/talk whatever! No one should have to suffer with what you’re going through alone. Your friends should be knocking down your door!
I’m always here if you need me. I feel like we have a real lot in common.
And PS: swimming is totally cardio! That’s what most of my cardio is at least. It’s so good for your body and it’s a full body workout. I feel like you get the toning component in there with cardio–unlike you do with running. I find even that running bulks up my legs–but maybe that’s just me.
I miss my walking. Heck I miss just being able to walk around a mall. I can’t remember the last time I was able to go shopping for a day without pain. It just sucks all around and that’s all there is too it. Unfortunately you see who your real friends are when something like this happens. A real friend would drop everything to be there for you. I think once you get to a certain age though your friends are so occupied with their husbands and kids that their friendships are not as high of a priority and single women like me are left as second best. That’s just the way it is and I’ve had to accept that over the years. Thanks as always for your sweet comments Yaara. I know you truly care. 🙂
People look at me like I’m nuts in the gym… but I think they’re nuts. So sorry I’m there to actually workout… 😉
Love the cookies! I need to go get some more cashew butter STAT.
Um yeah there are plenty of “loungers” at my gym too.
OMG, yum!!!!! Send my way!!!! 🙂 If I made, I would eat them all in a sitting!
On the exercises, I do stuff like that too! I work out when not a lot of peeps are around BUT I have found even them doing some of my stuff AND ghost IG followers copying without tagging back.. but that is the simplest form of flattery, right! 🙂
I never have anyone who can take pics of me doing my things at the gym & I’m too shy to ask someone. You’re lucky you can film yourself. I think it helps you critique yourself.
Yum! I have been seriously considering picking up some cashew butter, I feel like it would have a nice sweetness to it! I love the simple ingredients of these cookies. I wish I wasn’t such a lazy baker for anything but muffins – something about having a hole to shape the batter is more motivating haha. Happy Friday!
Haha…you sound like me. That’s exactly why I love making muffins. Now I will say if you use an ice cream scoop it makes cookie making very simple. But it would be nice if there made cookie tins that were similar to muffin tins with less depth.
Incorporating stability work into “regular” exercises is key. I now try to do most of my squats and shoulder work standing on top of a half Bosu ball… It helps me engage me core more efficiently and makes me use all the muscles in my body, not just one specific group.
Smart girl Jamie! I do a lot of my lifting on a Bosu ball. I actually love the challenge it gives me. It’s harder than it looks too.
NThese look delicious!! I’ve recently become very cashew butter obsessed so I need to try these!
You will love them!
oh my these sound amazing, but 143 calories “each” is super, super high! Great to give as a gift or for entertaining though.
Actually 143 calories is not that high. If you look at Kashi cookies they range 120-180 calories per cookie. This is consistent across all health foods. Considering a regular cookie is usually 300-500 calories each up to 150 is ideal for a healthy snack. If you’re looking for something less, you can always try these. 100 calorie Zucchini Oat Cookies https://skinnyfitalicious.com/100-calorie-zucchini-oat-chocolate-cookies/
Well, cashew butter is magical ingredient, and I love the pairing with lemon–keeps it nice and light and zingy. I think I’ve become that person who always does the same things in the gym, and I need to switch it up. Remind me of this!
Will do! I think that’s fairly typical of runners to do the basics at the gym. Since being sidelined 18 months now, I have gotten so bored going to the gym. It’s helped me realize my deficiencies. I guess that’s the upside to be injured forever.
Love how simple these are, plus I’m a cashew fan 🙂 can’t beat 4 ingredients, I’ll likely whip these up later today, thanks!
Hope you love them!