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If you love classic Nestle Toll House cookies then these will be your new go-to healthier cookie recipe! They taste like the real deal but are naturally sweetened because they have coconut sugar and maple syrup as the sweetener.

Whip these cookies up for the next party you attend, and I promise nobody will even know that they’re healthier! They have perfectly crisp edges with a gooey middle and are bursting with buttery, warm, chocolatey flavor.

What ingredients are needed?

White flour – This recipe uses white flour from Sunrise Flour Mill. I like using their flour because it’s non-GMO, unbleached, and properly milled. Read more about their flour here. Any other white flour will work for this recipe though!
Coconut sugar – This is a 1:1 replacement for white sugar but is natural and unrefined. Coconut sugar is the dehydrated sap of the coconut palm and has a “golden” taste to it, much like brown sugar.
Maple syrup – This is used to add moisture to some of the coconut sugar in order to mimic the moistness of brown sugar. Maple syrup is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It is the sap from maple trees and is rich in flavor.
Butter – This is such a necessity for the classic buttery flavor. I always use salted butter.
Vanilla extract – This adds the perfect flavor to achieve more depth and deliciousness.
Eggs – These help create the perfect texture.
Baking soda – Make sure it’s fresh! If your baking soda is more than a few months old, replace it. I typically replace mine every month. You can use your old, unused baking soda container to deodorize your refrigerator. Just take off the top flaps and put it in the back of your refrigerator, it’ll absorb scent.
Salt – We all know salt adds flavor and depth to everything! I use pink Himalayan salt but feel free to use what you have on hand.
Chocolate – Here’s where you get to be creative. You can use your favorite chocolate bar and chop it into chunks, or just use your favorite chocolate chips. I love using semi-sweet chocolate chips, but milk chocolate or dark chocolate would also be delicious. You can even opt for toffee, white chocolate, or another fun flavor (or better yet, a combination of them!).
Optional chopped nuts – if you want, you can add nuts the the cookie dough. I never do because I don’t prefer it, but I know some people love it!

Cookie Baking Tips

Use softened (room temp) butter, not melted. This ensures that it doesn’t coagulate with the other ingredients or slightly “cook” the eggs. Using melted butter also creates a flatter cookie, whereas room temp butter will prevent the cookie from spreading too much.
Add extra flour for a thicker cookie. In addition to chilling the cookie dough for 10-20 minutes before baking, you can add just a tad more flour. I recommend doing this from the start though rather than adding in later! So if you know you like a thicker cookie then do this: Instead of measuring it by spooning and leveling the flour (which prevents the flour from compacting in the cup therefore leading to more flour), measure it by either: a) measuring 365 g of flour by weight (using a kitchen scale), or b) spooning flour into the cup measurer and lightly tapping the cup measurer on the counter to create more space for more flour OR c) scoop the flour out of the container with the cup measurer then scrape of the top – this naturally adds more flour since it’s just a tad more packed rather than loose in the cup. Just be sure not to actually pack it in the cup or else it could end up being too much flour.
Test a cookie before you bake the entire batch. It’s always a good idea to test one cookie before baking, since altitude and ovens vary and you want to make sure you do what you need for your specific baking conditions. Put it on a cookie sheet then bake as directed. Once it’s done you can see if you need to adjust the cooking time or chill the dough for 10-20 minutes if the cookies are too flat for your liking. Keep in mind Nestle Toll House cookies are quite flat to begin with, so cooling them will help if you don’t want them flat.

Storing & freezing tips

To store: These cookies will stay good at room temp in an airtight container for about 4-5 days. If you’re going to keep these cookies longer, I’d suggest freezing the dough or the cookies themselves.
To freeze dough: Feel free to freeze the cookie dough for up to 2 months. You can either freeze it as cookie dough balls or as a log (If freezing the whole batch, then freeze it in two logs)
- For freezing cookie dough balls: Step 1: Roll the cookie dough into balls. Step 2: Place the cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and chill the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes. This is called a flash freeze, and will prevent the cookie dough balls from sticking together when you freeze them in a container. Step 3: Transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and place in the freezer for up to 2 months. Step 4: When ready to bake, remove the cookie dough from the freezer and put them on a baking sheet to allow them to warm up a little at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Once the oven is preheated, put them in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. You want the center to still look slightly undone for the perfect cookie. Remember, they continue cooking outside of the oven!
- For freezing a cookie dough log: Step 1: Roll the cookie dough in a log (or two of them if you are freezing the entire batch). Step 2: Wrap it in Saran Wrap then place in a freezer friendly container. Step 3: Keep in the freezer for up to 2 months for best flavor and texture. Step 4: When ready to bake, remove the cookie dough log from the freezer. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Once the oven is preheated, remove the cookie dough from the Saran Wrap and slice it. Place the slices on the cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. You want the center to still look slightly undone for the perfect cookie. Remember, they continue cooking outside of the oven!
To freeze baked cookies: Feel free to freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months. Step 1: Let the cookies fully cool down to room temperature. This will prevent them from freezing with too much moisture on them and creating freezer burn. Step 2: Transfer them to a reusable freezer-safe bag or container lined with wax or parchment paper. I like to place them in a single layer to avoid any cookies breaking. You can put a layer of parchment paper or wax paper between each layer of cookies. Step 3: Place them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Step 4: Once ready to eat, simply thaw out at room temperature on a paper towel and enjoy. I would not recommend thawing them in the container that they were frozen in because they will likely get soggy as they thaw.

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