Healthy christmas cookies and treats from my favorite RD blogs

I have a habit of going overboard with holiday baking. Homemade gifts of food are the perfect way to say thank you to family, friends and coworkers.  And with all the holiday parties, it's nice to keep something on hand for a quick hostess gift. 

Most people are completely innundated with sugar this time of year, so it's nice to gift something delicious they can enjoy without the guilt. Here are my favorite dietitian approved sweet treats from around the blogosphere! 

Yes, I do own Bernese Mountain Dog glasses. Thank you Anthropologie for the find of a lifetime! 

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies  by me

These babies are gluten free, vegan, and made with no added sugar, yet still manage to be cravable.  Mashed banana and coconut oil stands in for sugar and butter and almond flour and shredded coconut are used instead of flour. 

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Bites  by Alexis from Hummusapien

Pumpkin spice latte does nothing for me - I'm all about the peppermint mocha.  But with 42 grams of sugar in a measly tall, I limit my indulgence to once a season.  I think these pepperminty bites, made with nuts, dates and cocoa powder will be the perfect substitute.

Vegan Vanilla Almond Biscotti by Anne from fANNEtastic food

Crunchy, lightly sweetened biscotti is the most practical choice for holiday gifting.  They don't get stale and are sturdy enough to survive shipping or being shoved into the bottom of a stocking.  Vanilla and almond is a classic flavor combination. 

Pistachio Crusted Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies by McKel from Nutrition Stripped
Don't these red and green flecked cookies just scream Christmas?  These gluten free treats are made with almond, garbanzo and coconut flour and lightly sweetened with molasses.

Banana Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Bread by Elle from Nutritionella
A mini loaf of bread is a sweet addition to a box of holiday treats.  Mashed banana and almond butter replaces most of the butter in this recipe.

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bars  by Lindsay from Lean Green Bean

In the busy holiday season, breakfast is often overlooked.  Include a healthy, grab and go breakfast and you will win major points!  This bar is basically apple cinnamon oatmeal made portable.  

Homemade Dog Treats by Ashely from The Gypsy Dietitian

The easiest way to win me over is to show love to our pups, Charleston and Savannah. At 95 and 135 lbs, they go through their fair share of treats! Just make sure you label it as dog treats. I won’t call anyone out, but we’ve had a few house guests mistakenly dip into the dog treat bowl. They were really glad we spring for the organic stuff! 

Peppermint Walnut Fudge  by Alysa from Inspired RD
I can’t get enough peppermint and chocolate!  This fudge is gluten and dairy free, with full fat coconut milk to keep the creamy texture.

Vanilla Bean Spice Set by Deanna from Teaspoon of Spice

If anyone is looking for a last minute gift for me, consider this a subtle hint.  Vanilla has such a beautiful flavor that's even more intensified when real vanilla beans are involved. This set of salt, sugar and extract allows you to work it's flavor into everything you make.

Do you have any favorite holiday food gifts?  If so, share below.