Healthy Easter Cookie Recipes

These citrus-flavored sugar cookies are a lovely addition to any holiday cookie platter.

A double dose of lemon juice and zest brings fresh and tangy flavor to these easy brownies. They're the perfect dessert for any holiday or special occasion--or when you just need a little something to brighten your day.

Magical aquafaba--the liquid from canned chickpeas that often gets poured down the drain--mimics egg whites in these airy vegan meringue cookies. The other magical thing? These cookies require just three ingredients! Save the chickpeas themselves for hummus, stew or any one of our other recipes that call for canned chickpeas.

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.”

These super-rich brownies made chocolaty with plenty of cocoa powder have less fat than other brownies, but stay extra gooey and good with marshmallows, nuts and chocolate chunks on top.

These amazing olive oil biscotti are studded with rich, buttery-tasting pine nuts. Try them alongside fruit sorbet, cheese or summer peaches.

These healthy strawberry-rhubarb bars are perfect for spring. Strawberries add sweetness to balance the tart flavor of rhubarb while a nutty topping adds delicious crunch.

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.

Classic whoopie pies combine a creamy filling sandwiched between cakey chocolate cookies. Some are filled with a marshmallow cream frosting while others are filled with whipped cream. Even those of us who grew up with the former fell in love with our lighter version of the whipped cream-filled treats.

These cereal bars are chewy, crunchy and delicious with good-for-you seeds, nuts, fruit and little explosions of chocolate. We like the flavor of dried cherries or cranberries, but any coarsely chopped dried fruit will work.

In this healthy coconut macaroon recipe, Key lime curd brightens the center of a lightly sweetened coconut cookie. If you can't find ripe Key limes, you can substitute bottled Key lime juice, which is widely available, or try another citrus flavor like more traditional Persian limes, lemons or even bright blood oranges that will produce a coral-colored curd.

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.

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.

This whole-grain chocolate chip blondie recipe has half the amount of brown sugar and butter as a traditional recipe and is made with 100% whole-wheat flour. The results: scrumptious toffee-flavored treats with fewer calories and less added sugars per serving.

For this slice-and-bake cookie recipe, we've knocked back the sugar a bit and used white whole-wheat flour for more flavor, fiber and nutrients. Keep a roll of the dough in the freezer so you can quickly bake a batch if company stops by.

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.

These updated lemon squares are sure to be the hit of any picnic or potluck. We've improved the shortbread crust by using white whole-wheat flour and a butter-canola oil blend to cut saturated fat. The velvety filling has fewer eggs and gets a flavor boost from freshly grated lemon zest.

A lemony date filling makes oatmeal cookies more special.

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.

These decadent-tasting but lightened-up treats are packed with whole grains and healthy nuts.

Try your favorite combination of stone fruit, such as peaches and cherries, in these easy fruit bars.

Lemon zest enlivens the anise biscotti.

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.