One of my favorite things about Christmas has always been baking Christmas cookies. Almond crescents, meltaways, and those peanut butter cookies with a chocolate kiss on top. And of course, chocolate chippers.

Some too many for us--and some for gifts.

I still love making cookies, but to keep things in line with our family's whole food (and sugar free) way of life, I've had to change things--but you'll see I haven't given up much at all.

Here's an amazing list of healthier Christmas cookies from all over the internet.

From some of my favorite bloggers--with a few of my own thrown in.

I'm not saying you should go and eat 3 dozen of these in one sitting (though, you might be tempted to), but making cookies without more whole food ingredients is a step in the right direction.

I hope this makes your Christmas season full of joy and less of the weight gain and that sugar-stupors that we can all to easily fall into.

All of these recipes are gluten free, or have that option.

If you need other dietary substitutions, use:

- Powdered Egg Replacer as an egg substitute - candida-friendly sweetener instead of honey or sucanat - different nuts or nut butter (See how to make Homemade Nut and Seed Buttershere.)

Enjoy.

Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies from Daily Bites

Double Chocolate Hazelnut Coconut Cookies (grain, dairy, and cane sugar free) from The Tasty Alternative

Chewy Magic Peanut Butter Middle Cookies by Lexie's Kitchen

No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Balls (grain-free, vegan, & sugar-free) from Sugar-Free Mom

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles (with gluten free, vegan, & sugar free) from Whole New Mom (my blog) My kids ask for these all the time.

Samoa Knock Offs - Toasted Coconut Chocolate Cookies by Tessa Domestic Diva

2 or 3 Ingredient Chocolate Nut Clusters from Practical Stewardship (Not cookies, I know--but a great treat!)

Grain-Free Samoa Cookies from Real Sustenance

3-Ingredient Coconut Flour Cookies from The Coconut Mama Simple & ready for any kind of decorations.

Oreo Cookies (gluten free & vegan) from She Let them Eat Cake

Organic Coconut Butter Cookies | Bark

from Whole Lifestyle Nutrition Use my

Homemade Coconut Butter

for these! Super easy and saves TONS of money!

Chocolate Chip Coconut Macadamia Cookies (grain and dairy free; egg and sugar free options) from my blog again. Grain free is all the rage right now. These will please any grain free friend (or non-grain-free friend as well)

Soft Molasses Cookies - no refined sugar from The Prairie Homestead

"Sugar" Cookie Cut-Outs (gluten free option) from The Nourishing Home

Carob Refrigerator Cookies from Diet, Dessert, and Dogs These have an amazing frosting that you really need to see to believe!

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies with Chai Icing from Queen of Quinoa

Carob Dipped Pecan Shortbread Cookies from Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free

Cinnamon and Molasses Cookies from Nourished Kitchen

Raw Nog Creams from Nouveau Raw

Oatmeal Almond Chocolate Chunk Cookies (& Cookies in a Jar) from Vegan Richa I have always loved the "cookies in a jar" idea, but I've never done it since our "sugar and white flour days" ended. Now I have inspiration to make some!