Dairy-Free & Lactose-Free Cookie Recipes

We can't resist big, soft, fudgy cookies, like those found in glass jars on bake-shop counters. These freeze exceptionally well-layer them in a freezer-safe container between sheets of wax paper; thaw 15 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Crisp and chewy, this bar is a good-for-you alternative to store-bought cereal bars. The secret ingredient, silken tofu, will give your day a protein-packed start. The recipe also works with other fruit-and-nut combinations.

The Italian name of these almond cookies, Brutti-Buoni, roughly translates to “ugly but good.” These delicious cookies are traditionally dropped directly on a cookie sheet, but shaping them as directed here gives a more elegant look. Enjoy them for dessert with an espresso.

These easy peanut butter cookies will satisfy your sweet and savory cravings. Make a batch the next time you want a healthy dessert the whole family will love.

These meringue cookies have a puffy, fragile exterior and a moist, soft interior. They deliver an enticingly bold, knock-your-socks-off bittersweet chocolate experience. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

These tiny, lemon-flavored meringues must be cooked slowly so their outsides are powdery and crisp, while the insides are chewy and yielding. Serve with sorbet.

Applesauce rounds out the flavor of this quick, low-fat remake of classic oatmeal cookies.

We love the rich chocolate flavor in these chewy cookies that are like a cross between higher-fat coconut macaroons and low-fat, low-calorie, egg-white-based meringues.

Cynthia Farr-Weinfeld, a hypnotherapist and writer, started improving the nutritional profile of a friend's mother's ginger cookie recipe by substituting whole-wheat pastry flour for all-purpose flour and canola oil for shortening. “Experiment with these cookies,” she advises, “as they taste great either slightly underdone or crispy.” She calls them “the quickest cookies you'll ever bake.”

Your kids will love helping you make these peanut butter-graham treats.

These chocolate, coconut and almond meringue cookies are so light and airy, they are a perfect little treat that's not too heavy.

These pretty streusel-topped bars are quick to make and easy to transport. Made with unsweetened apricot preserves, they are a good source of potassium and beta carotene.

Working on this makeover of a classic Russian Tea Cake made Bridget Klein feel closer to her late sister, Gina, because they are “a great match for her personality: delicate and refined, pretty to look at, and yet a definite character that inspires adoration and loyalty.” Gina's middle name, Sarah, means “princess,” in Hebrew; hence the name of these confections. Klein's mom “swore these cookies couldn't be made without butter,” she says, “until she tasted them.” Klein continues: “Gina was a traditionalist, too, but I think I might have been able to fool her with these.”

Crisp, moist and chewy, this cookie created by Georgene Egri of Walnut Creek, California, has the essential ingredients for the holidays: citrus, nuts and cranberries. These cookies travel well for gift-giving and lunchboxes.

Perfect meringues depend on totally yolk-free whites. The seemingly fussy step of separating each egg into a small bowl before combining them guarantees yolk-free whites for bakeshop-quality meringues every time. These crispy little morsels travel well and make great gifts too.

A no-bake, make-ahead treat, this perfect combination of fruit and nuts is a nutritious and delicious mouthful. Rolling them in shredded coconut gives them their festive look.

Perfect meringues depend on totally yolk-free whites. The seemingly fussy step of separating each egg into a small bowl before combining them guarantees yolk-free whites for bakeshop-quality meringues every time. These crispy little morsels travel well and make great gifts too.

Coconut oil stands in for butter in this dairy-free, eggless cookie recipe for completely mouthwatering gingerbread cut-outs. Decorate cookies with a simple vegan icing or sanding sugar.

Delightful with fruit, these crisp golden slices also make a charming partner for a morning caffe latte.

Bite into one of these cookies and you'll discover the subtle flavor of spice kissed with a hint of citrus. And the best part? Just 9 calories each!

A lemony date filling makes oatmeal cookies more special.

These festive bars are easy to make for a cookie swap or holiday treats for friends and family.

Strategy and operations director Josh Gitlin gave this low-fat cookie three layers of chocolate flavor with cocoa powder, grated bittersweet chocolate and cocoa nibs.

Orange zest, cinnamon and almonds lend these figgy treats a sophisticated flavor.