If you’re on the hunt for holiday cookies and treats, I’ve got you covered! All of these recipes are made with whole grains and many are naturally sweetened as well. I’ve left notes for which are vegan and/or gluten free so you can find just the right sweet fix. I’d like one of each, please.
Maybe you want to deliver or ship some edible gifts—my top picks would be the dark chocolate-dipped macaroons, whole wheat pancake mix, salted oat fudge or peppermint bark popcorn.
Looking for a last-minute gift? Don’t forget that my cookbook, Love Real Food, is perfect for home cooks, dog lovers, and anyone who might benefit from some healthy recipes! More gift ideas here.
Cookies
Dark Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons
Gluten free
These gorgeous macaroons look lovely on holiday tables. They’re made with raw sugar and that sugar is so worth it.
Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies
Easily gluten free and vegan
These chocolate chip cookies are easy to make (no mixer required) and surprisingly don’t call for butter or eggs.
Spicy Molasses Cookies
These not-too-sweet, grown-up cookies are fantastic on their own or with an afternoon cup of coffee.
Peanut Butter Oat Cookies
Gluten free and easily vegan
These peanut butter cookies are tender on the inside, chewy around the middle, and just barely crisp around the edges. For a festive spin, make these monster cookies instead, using red and green M&M’s (they’re almost the same recipe).
Healthier Gingerbread Cookies
These gingerbread cookies are made with whole wheat pastry flour, molasses, coconut sugar and coconut oil. No flour substitutions, please.
Lemon, Rosemary and Olive Oil Shortbread
Vegan
This untraditional shortbread is made with olive oil instead of butter. Lemon and rosemary play well with olive oil’s herbaceous flavors.
Baked Goods
Fluffy Cranberry Orange Muffins
Easily gluten free and/or vegan
These cranberry orange muffins are fluffy and delicious. Make them for your holiday breakfast, brunch or parties.
Vegan Banana Nut Scones
Vegan
Everyone loves these scones. Coconut oil is easier to work with than butter, so they’re easy to make, too. Also check out my pumpkin scones recipe.
Healthy Banana Bread
Easily gluten free and easily vegan (see notes)
This one bowl, honey-sweetened banana bread is wildly popular. Have you made it yet? Also available as a banana muffin recipe, and check out my pumpkin bread, too.
Coffee Chocolate Chip Blondies
Crazy delicious chocolate chip blondies recipe with toasted pecans. Made with coconut sugar and whole wheat flour, so they’re a little healthier than most.
Breakfast & Brunch
Apple Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Gluten free and vegan
Apples and steel-cut oats cook together in the same pot until they are creamy, delicious perfection.
Very Best Granola
Gluten free and vegan
This granola is beyond easy to make, and you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry already. You’ll never want store-bought granola again.
Gingerbread Granola
Gluten free and vegan
Molasses and maple-sweetened granola with cranberries. Choose a mild molasses or go for intense flavor with blackstrap molasses.
Orange & Almond Granola
Gluten free and easily vegan
This granola is truly incredible. It’s made with orange zest, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, almonds and golden raisins.
Whole Wheat Gingerbread Pancakes
Easily gluten free and vegan
I made these molasses pancakes for my family and my brother declared them Best Pancakes Ever.
Whole Wheat Pancake Mix
This whole wheat pancake mix is a cute, thoughtful and affordable holiday gift. Your friends and family will love it. You can also make a single batch of whole wheat pancakes with this recipe.
Gluten-Free Banana Oat Waffles
Gluten free
This incredible gluten-free banana oat waffles recipe requires only one kind of flour—oat flour! Also check out my gluten free oat waffles (no banana), pumpkin oat waffles, buckwheat waffles and whole wheat banana pancakes.
Cranberry Orange Granola Bars
Gluten free and easily vegan
These wholesome granola bars are the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or snack. They really do keep you fueled for a few hours.
Sweet Treats & Savory Snacks
Easy Salted Oat Fudge
Gluten free and easily vegan
Like a cross between classic fudge and no-bake cookies. That’s about all you need to know.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Fudge
Gluten free and vegan
This chocolate peanut butter freezer fudge is surprisingly easy to make. The swirled pattern on top makes this naturally sweetened fudge look so beautiful.
Sweet & Spicy Roasted Party Nuts
Gluten free
A tiny bit of butter, maple syrup and cayenne pepper turn raw nuts into an irresistible snack. This salty, savory snack would provide welcome contrast on a table full of sweets.
Easy Chocolate Bark
Gluten free and easily vegan
Chocolate bark is so easy to make. Here’s my favorite version, made with dark chocolate, chopped nuts, cranberries and flaky sea salt.
Perfect Stovetop Popcorn
Gluten free and vegan
Stovetop popcorn is a quick and irresistible snack, and it’s so much healthier than microwave or movie theater popcorn.
Sesame Caramel Corn
Gluten free and vegan
This naturally sweetened caramel popcorn recipe is made with tahini, sesame seeds and maple syrup. It tastes like halva, in the best way.
Peppermint Bark Popcorn
Gluten free and easily vegan
This popcorn is remarkably simple to make and tastes a million times better than the store-bought stuff.
Cinnamon Maple Caramel Popcorn
Gluten free and vegan
This popcorn has a super simple and nutty caramel-like topping.
Dessert
Orange Poppy Seed Pound Cake
This is traditional pound cake’s sophisticated older sister. It’s made with olive oil, yogurt, orange zest and poppy seeds. So good!
Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This wholesome gingerbread cake is topped with rich cream cheese frosting—the best of both worlds.
Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
Gluten free and easily vegan
This honey-sweetened apple crisp is covered in an irresistible oat, almond meal and pecan topping. Apple crisp is much easier to make than apple pie!
Pear Cranberry Crisp
Gluten free and easily vegan
This cranberry-studded pear crisp is delicious and quite simple to make.
Naturally Sweetened Pecan Pie
This pecan pie recipe is extra delicious because it’s sweetened with maple syrup instead of corn syrup and sugar.
P.s. More resources you might appreciate: what to cook this December, my 2019 holiday gift guide and 33 meatless Thanksgiving options (all of which would work for Christmas, too!).
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Stacy | Keeping Willow
As I scrolled through the images of these yummy treats, I kept saying, “I want to make that. I want to make that…” I want to make all of it! Especially those pumpkin pecan polvorones and the lemon rosemary shortbread. Delectable!
Amy @ Amy M4gic
All of these treats look so good! My husband has been begging me to bake some molasses cookies so I’ll definitely be trying those Spicy Molasses ones. :)
Tara
What a great list! I agree with Stacy. I want to make so many of them. I pinned the article before getting to the end. Thanks for sharing.
Candace @ The Wheatless Kitchen
I can’t wait to make your salted oat fudge!
Kelly
Peppermint bark popcorn sounds amazing, yum!
Robyn @realfoodwholelife
These all look amazing Kate. I still can’t get over the guac with the pomegranate seeds. Absolutely adding to our Christmas Eve spread. And my two-year-old is obsessed with ginger molasses cookies so we might just make your version for Santa this year. :)
Kylie @ immaeatthat
Oh that olive oil shortbread! My neighbor brought a blue cheese + walnut shortbread to Thanksgiving that was insane! Sounds kinda similar to these so I know I’d love it!
Kate
Oh man, that shortbread sounds so good!
Amy @ Parsley In My Teeth
It’s hard to be good during the holidays with so many treats out there, so thanks for providing healthier alternatives. My favorite has to be the guacamole with pomegranate – so beautiful!
Judith
Your photos are beautiful and I thank you for sharing these delectable recipes. They all look scrumptious!
Kate
Thank you, Judith!
Angela
What a great list of delicious looking recipes! i need to be more wholesome like you :)
r.a.
It was great timing to receive this posting. I needed to make a treat to share with friends and the olive oil shortbread recipe worked out as I have rosemary in the garden and lemons on my tree. I use white whole wheat flour and in most of my recipes I experiment with using more of the whole wheat and less of the white so it turned out I only had two cups of the whole wheat on hand and had to use a cup of unbleached white flour. This was my first time making shortbread and I was surprised it came out of the pan intact instead of turning to crumbs as I always thought it would. I think it tastes good and hope my friends agree when they get it today. Now that I have a couple of “naked” lemons it is on to hummus next! Thanks for the recipe.
Kate
Thanks, R.A.! So glad the shortbread turned out well for you. I bet it tastes extra great with those garden fresh ingredients!
Natalie | Paper & Birch
Oh my gosh, those whole wheat gingerbread pancakes look decadent!
Joanne
Want alllllll. You make eating healthy look so tasty.
Augustus
How long did it take you to become that good?
Shoshana
actuɑlly very good things here, juѕt many thanks
Healthy Kitchen 101
If we could get fat by only looking at food photographs, I would definitely become a fat pig Amazing list!!! I love them all xD
Anyways, Merry Christmas Kateee!
– Natalie
Kate
Thanks!
Stephanie filandros
I tried your banana muffin recipe. The best banana muffins ever!! and my kids mixed the ingredients and loved them. Thank you for a great go to muffin recipe.
Kate
I’m glad you loved them, Stephanie!
annette vogt
Beautiful recipe batch! Thank you.
Kate
You’re welcome! Be sure to let me know your favorite!
Paige Cassandra Flamm
That gingerbread cake looks amazing! I totally need to make that asap!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Floranet
You rock with your writing!! Spectacular one for sure.