Healthy Chocolate Chip Spinach Cookies

Many years ago I discovered the magic pill. It makes me feel better, prevents injury, helps me sleep better, aids in avoiding sickness, and even helps with weight control. But it's not easy, it's not sexy and it's often not fun. It's exercise. And although I know I should do it regularly and I know how much it helps, I still haven't always done it regularly.

And it's not just about weight control, because exercise is only part of the weight control equation. Eating healthy is actually the bigger part of that equation. And that's why I like to create healthy desserts like these Award-winning Healthy Chocolate Chip Spinach Cookies! These cookies make a great dessert or healthy snack!

This recipe was inspired by my love of cooking contests and my challenge to create an award-winning spinach recipe. And they won!

Exercise keeps that looming dark cloud of stress, anxiety and misery at bay. It also burns calories. Then there's that feeling it gives me; it seems to satisfy some innate, primal need.

But like I said, I know that exercise is only part of the equation- you still  have to watch what you eat. Although I wish it weren't the case, there is no way around it. It's simple math. If you want to lose weight, you need to burn off more calories than you consume. And although it feels like you are burning tons of calories when you exercise,  you're not burning as much as you think. Therefore, you have to be conscious of food intake.

But I know for myself, that cannot mean total deprivation.  I still need my chocolate. I mean, who doesn't? That's where these guys come in. These award-winning healthy chocolate chip spinach cookies were a winner in the Farmers' Almanac Spinach Contest.

🥘 Ingredients

These spinach cookies with chocolate chips are one of those desserts that get me through. It's a chocolate chip cookie with banana, spinach, and pineapple, making them all the more healthy.

Did you know that spinach is very calcium-rich and it contains more calcium than milk?

So now you can have your chocolate chip cookies and be healthy too! These cookies are so good that my kids (who don’t even like spinach) know there is spinach in them and still love them. If you are looking for a healthy spinach cookie recipe, look no further.

For this spinach cookie, you'll need some basic ingredients:

• unsalted butter
• brown sugar
• egg
• ripe banana
• baby spinach
• pineapple - fresh or canned
• vanilla
• salt
• flour
• baking powder
• cinnamon
• baking soda
• milk chocolate chips

👪 Serving size

This healthy recipe makes about 20 cookies. You can make these cookies smaller by using a heaping teaspoon instead and cooking for 9-12 minutes.  If you want to cut the recipe in half, double or triple it, simply click on the blue servings in the recipe card, select the number of servings you'd like and the ingredient amounts will adjust accordingly.

🍽Equipment

For these healthy soft cookies, you will need a baking sheet for this recipe. A masher, to mash the bananas, also comes in handy (affiliate links).

But healthy does not always mean low-fat and/or low sugar  - you also have to watch the ingredients in food. I find manufacturers often compensate for lack of fat with extra sugar and vice versa. And I try to avoid artificial sweeteners, as they do not agree with me. So, I prefer to treat myself to desserts that are made with real, whole foods. And that's what these cookies are; made with spinach, pineapple, and bananas, they are real food.  And that's what I consider to be healthy. But be warned -they are not really low fat or sugar. It's all about moderation, as far as I'm concerned.

💭Ideas for Leftover Spinach Recipes

You may have some leftover fresh spinach, so here are a few ideas for spinach recipes:

• Healthy Applesauce & Spinach Brownies (shown)
• Easy Homemade Lasagna
• Healthy Homemade Jello Fruit & Veggie Snack
• Potato, Spinach and Beef Casserole (Gluten-free)
• Stuffed Beef Cannelloni

🌡️Storing

• Fridge: Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, then in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. 

Exercise is the magic pill! It's even harder to motivate yourself to exercise in the winter, especially is you are a runner or like to walk outside. So, if you can't exercise outside, then using a treadmill INSIDE is a great alternative!

So... I try to exercise regularly and I've been really good about it the last couple of years and that has made a huge difference in my health. But I still need to watch what I eat, no matter how much I'm exercising.

However, I know that I can't live without chocolate, so if I'm going to eat chocolate, I'm going to at least try to get some health benefits out of it. And that's why I love recipes like this Healthy Chocolate Chip Spinach Cookies (with bananas) ! And if you're interested in additional healthy desserts, then check out my other healthy desserts with fruits and veggies (below the recipe card)!

🍪 Healthy Chocolate Chip Spinach Cookie Recipe

These healthy award-winning Healthy Chocolate Chip Spinach Cookies are made with fresh spinach, pineapple and banana and are kid friendly. Now you can have your chocolate chip cookies and healthy food too!

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American, Canadian, North American

Keyword: chocolate chip cookies, healthy, spinach cookie, spinach cookies

Special Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: 20 cookies

Calories: 158kcal

Author: Terri Gilson

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

masher

baking sheet

Ingredients

• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter
• ▢ ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 2 ripe bananas mashed
• ▢ 1 cup fresh spinach chopped
• ▢ ½ cup fresh pineapple, chopped into small pieces (can substitute canned- I use crushed)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 cups flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¾ cup milk chocolate chips

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 370 degress F and spray baking sheets with non- stick cooking spray.
• Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer.
• Blend in mashed banana, then add egg, vanilla and pineapple. Mix in spinach and chocolate chips. 
• In a separate bowl mix flour, cinnamon baking soda, salt and baking powder together.
• Mix dry ingredients into the wet ingredients (spinach mixture) and mix until well blended.
• Drop by the heaping tablespoonful on cookie sheet and bake 12-15 minutes or until cooked in the center and bottoms are golden brown.
• Cool for 5 minutes cookie sheet, then transfer to wire rack.

Notes

*See post contents for important recipe information, substitutions and tips!

Nutrition Facts

🍪 Healthy Chocolate Chip Spinach Cookie Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)

Calories 158 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 21mg7%

Sodium 112mg5%

Potassium 104mg3%

Carbohydrates 23g8%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 315IU6%

Vitamin C 3.4mg4%

Calcium 32mg3%

Iron 0.9mg5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 158kcal (8%) | Carbohydrates: 23g (8%) | Protein: 2g (4%) | Fat: 6g (9%) | Saturated Fat: 3g (19%) | Cholesterol: 21mg (7%) | Sodium: 112mg (5%) | Potassium: 104mg (3%) | Sugar: 11g (12%) | Vitamin A: 315IU (6%) | Vitamin C: 3.4mg (4%) | Calcium: 32mg (3%) | Iron: 0.9mg (5%)

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📋More Healthy Desserts with Fruits & Veggies!