If you thought the words “cookie” and “healthy” didn’t belong in the same sentence, think again. Here are 10 cookie recipes that are healthier than the store-bought variety. From natural sweeteners to quality flours, you’ll be baking with good-for-you ingredients. So break out the rolling pin and preheat your oven.

Many low-fat cookie recipes substitute cream cheese for butter. If you aren't following a recipe, you can experiment on your own with substituting cream cheese for some or all of the butter.

Cookies are a microcosm of cooking chemistry and a few fixes can turn them into the puffed, mounds of goodness you crave. Chocolate chip cookies that have a high butter content and too much liquid tend to spread as they bake.

Since baking soda is a primary ingredient in a variety of cookies, it can be tough to replace in recipes. According to the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension Service, there is no substitute for baking soda that will work as its precise equivalent.

According to experts at Better Homes and Gardens, your choice of cookie sheet can make or break your batch of cookies. In addition to replacing old or warped sheets, pay attention to the material from which your cookie sheets are made.

Homemade chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven are a sweet treat, especially if the chocolate chips are soft and slightly melted.

Cookies are such a treat when they are fresh and moist, chewy or crunchy, and just delicious. Conversely, stale cookies that have become hard may look great but are not as appealing to the taste buds.

A cookie that spreads too much during baking comes out too thin, and may turn tough or overly crispy instead of soft. While some types of cookies are meant to come out thin, others work better as thick cookies with minimal spreading.

If you plan to make cookies and realize you don't have the all-purpose flour the recipe calls for, it might be worth a trip to the store to pick some up. Though you can substitute self-rising flour for all-purpose, depending on the recipe, the results are likely to differ from what you're used to.

Baking cookies could be considered as much a science as an art. The smallest alteration in the ingredients or failure to follow directions may produce a product much different from the one intended. Read the recipe carefully before beginning, and make sure you have everything you need before you start mixing the dough.

Wax paper is a mainstay in many homes, and it serves numerous purposes in the kitchen. Invented by Thomas Edison, wax paper, or waxed paper, works well for wrapping food items for storing. It’s also handy for covering open plates or bowls of food in a microwave to prevent splattering.

For some people, baking a perfect cookie is a difficult task that requires careful consideration and ample practice. While some people prefer cookies that are thin and crispy, others like them soft and chewy, while still others prefer a combination of the two.