When it comes to satisfying your sweet tooth while managing kidney health, choosing the right options can be a bit tricky. Cookies, which are often packed with ingredients that are high in sodium, potassium & phosphorus might not always be the best choice for those with kidney disease. However, when armed with the proper knowledge, you can still indulge in kidney-friendly cookies.
In this post, we'll review tips on making and choosing delicious homemade kidney-friendly cookies. So, you can enjoy a treat without worrying about the impact on your kidney health.
Why Choose Kidney-Friendly Cookies?
Kidney disease affects the body's ability to filter waste, fluid, and electrolytes. For individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD), it's important to manage levels of sodium, potassium and phosphorus in their diet.
Many traditional cookies contain ingredients that are high in potassium (such as nuts or chocolate) or phosphorus additives (like that found in baking powder). Keep in mind that not everyone with kidney disease needs to limit potassium and naturally-occurring phosphorus. However, most need to limit sodium and could benefit from limiting phosphate additives.
For the purposes of this article, so that these cookie suggestions are safe for anyone with kidney disease, all featured kidney-friendly cookies will be low in sodium, potassium and phosphorus. They will also contain no phosphate additives (which have the potential to have the biggest impact on blood phosphorus levels).
Note: Please check with your doctor or renal dietitian for the diet recommendations that are right for you.
Tips for homemade kidney-friendly cookies
Below are some tips for making homemade kidney-friendly cookies that are lower in sodium, phosphorus and potassium.
Keep in mind that the amount of an ingredient used in the recipe makes a difference! For example, a recipe may contain a smaller amount of milk or nuts, but the single serving could still be low in potassium and phosphorus.
- Use unsalted butter
- Avoid excessive chocolate, nuts and seeds: These ingredients are high in potassium and phosphorus, so large amounts of these items should be avoided. Smaller amounts may be OK.
- Avoid or use small amounts of leavening agents: Many (but not all) cookie recipes use a leavening agent, such as baking powder or baking soda. Baking powder is high in sodium. In addition, it contains phosphate additives, so I suggest limiting or avoiding it if high phosphorus levels are a concern for you. Baking soda is very high in sodium, so try to choose recipes that use smaller amounts.
- Limit or use smaller amounts of dairy: Milk and certain foods containing milk/dairy products such as caramel, puddings and custards are high in phosphorus and potassium.
- Limit other high-potassium ingredients. In addition to chocolate, dairy, seeds and nuts, be cautious with other high potassium ingredients such as bananas, dried fruits, pumpkin and cookies containing large amounts of cream of tartar.
Note: to learn more about leavening agents and how they affect a kidney-friendly baked good, check out this article/recipe: Low Sodium Cornbread (Kidney-Friendly).
Another consideration for kidney-friendly cookies
Now, I’m a realist and I’m all for treating yourself once in awhile. So, I would never say to avoid all added sugar at all times. That’s just not sustainable for most people long-term!
However, ideally, kidney-friendly cookies will contain a “reasonable” amount of carbohydrate/sugar, especially if you have diabetes. What does “reasonable” mean?
For example, it could mean a cookie NOT slathered with a thick layer of icing or one WITHOUT sugary candies added. If homemade, it could even mean using alternatives like stevia or monk fruit to reduce sugar levels in the recipe.
If counting or monitoring carbohydrates for diabetes, a cookie containing no more than 2 carbohydrate servings (~ 30 g carbohydrate) per serving is a good guideline—ideally less.
Best Homemade Kidney-Friendly Cookies
Below are some homemade kidney-friendly cookie options along with recipes. These recipes:
- Are Low sodium
- Are Low Potassium
- Are Low Phosphorus and contain no phosphate additives
- Do not contain baking powder—Baking powder contains phosphate additives. Most of the recipes below actually do not contain a leavening agent at all, which helps keep the sodium and phosphorus levels down.
- Contain <30 grams of carbohydrate per serving, or tips on adjustments to the recipe are given to make them < 30 grams. Most are <=22 grams (<= 1 ½ carbohydrate serving).
- Are a cinch to make!
Note: Recipe ingredients for the same type of cookie vary from recipe to recipe. So, if using a recipe other than the ones in this article, you’ll want to check the ingredients for high sodium, potassium, and phosphorus ingredients.
Oatmeal Cookies
Oatmeal cookies are a great base for a kidney-friendly treat. Oats are high in fiber and lower in potassium compared to other grains, making them a great option for those with CKD.
Try this recipe for Simple Oatmeal Cookies (5 Ingredients!). This recipe is so easy to make. It doesn’t use leavening agents or added salt, is lower in sugar, and contains whole grains (rolled oats and whole wheat flour).
Nutrient Breakdown based on 18 servings (2 small or one large cookie):
- Sodium: 3.0 mg
- Potassium: 101 mg
- Phosphorus: 76 mg
- Carbohydrates: 26 g (or ~ 2 carbohydrate servings).
Coconut Macaroons
Coconut macaroons are low in sodium, phosphorus and potassium and are a great choice for a kidney-friendly cookie. These also do not contain leavening agents. With just a few ingredients, they are a simple and delicious treat!
Please note that many coconut macaroon recipes, like the one linked below, do use sweetened condensed milk, which is high in potassium and phosphorus. However, the amount used in the entire recipe does not contribute excessive amounts per serving of either of these nutrients.
Try out this recipe for Easy Coconut Macaroons. Hint: Skip the optional step of dipping the macaroon in chocolate! Or, try drizzling a small amount on top instead.
Nutrient breakdown for one cookie:
- Sodium: 28 mg
- Potassium: 101 mg
- Phosphorus: 53 mg
- Carbohydrates: 14 g (or ~ 1 carbohydrate serving).
Thumbprint Cookies
Thumbprint cookies usually have limited or no leavening agents and only small amounts of added sodium. For the lowest phosphorus content, choose those that aren’t rolled in nuts. Check out this easy recipe for jam-filled Thumbprint Cookies.
Nutrient breakdown for one cookie:
- Sodium: 41 mg
- Potassium: 30 mg
- Phosphorus: 16 mg
- Carbohydrates: 22 g (or ~ 1 ½ carbohydrate serving)
NOTE: To reduce carbs to 15 g (1 carbohydrate serving), use no sugar added jam.
Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread cookies typically contain 3-5 ingredients. Their simplicity is what makes them a kidney-friendly cookie! Shortbread cookies often contain no added salt, no leavening agents and no other ingredients that are high in sodium, potassium or phosphorus.
In fact, this recipe for 3 Ingredient Shortbread Cookies contains only flour, butter and powdered sugar. It is so simple, yet so good!
Nutrient breakdown for one cookie:
- Sodium: 70 mg; If unsalted butter is used, sodium is reduced to 1.4 mg!
- Potassium: 14 mg
- Phosphorus: 14 mg
- Carbohydrates: 12 g (or ~ 1 carbohydrate serving)
Gingersnaps
This Easy Gingersnap Recipe is SO yummy and SO easy! It uses molasses, which is a high potassium ingredient. However, it uses a small enough amount (¼ cup) that the potassium content per cookie is still low.
Nutrient breakdown for one cookie:
- Sodium: 42 mg
- Potassium: 34 mg
- Phosphorus: 9 mg
- Carbohydrates: 9.5 g (or ~ ½ carbohydrate serving)
Mexican Wedding Cookies
The easy recipe for Mexican Wedding Cookies uses only 5 ingredients and is one of my favorites! It does contain pecans, but in a small enough amount so that the potassium and phosphorus in one cookie is still low. This is another recipe that doesn’t use a leavening agent.
Nutrient breakdown for one cookie:
- Sodium: 38 mg
- Potassium: 18 mg
- Phosphorus: 10 mg
- Carbohydrates: 8 g (~ ½ carbohydrate serving)
Sand Tarts
This old-fashioned recipe for Sand Tarts has been around a long time! It uses only 5 ingredients and no leavening agent. They are similar to a very thin cut-out sugar cookie, and can be topped with regular sugar, colored sugar or cinnamon sugar.
Nutrient Breakdown for one cookie using unsalted butter (Note: the nutrient breakdown in the recipe link is for 2 cookies with salted butter)
- Sodium: 8 mg
- Potassium: 20 mg
- Phosphorus: 23 mg
- Carbohydrates: 14 g (1 carbohydrate serving)
Meringue Cookies
These Meringue Cookies are light, airy and melt-in-your-mouth! This kidney-friendly cookie recipe uses only 5 ingredients. Cream of tartar is used for leavening in this recipe, which is sodium and phosphorus-free!
Nutrient breakdown for one cookie:
- Sodium: 7 mg
- Potassium: 15 mg
- Phosphorus: <1 mg
- Carbohydrates: 7 g (~ ½ carbohydrate serving)
Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
When researching cookie options for this article, I saw the word “peanut butter” and almost skipped over this recipe for Peanut Butter No-Bakes. In larger amounts, peanut butter is high in potassium and phosphorus. However, the amount used in this recipe comes out to about 1 teaspoon/cookie and doesn't contribute too much potassium or phosphorus.
Nutrient Breakdown for one cookie:
- Sodium: 29 mg
- Potassium: 40 mg
- Phosphorus: 23 mg
- Carbohydrates: 12 g (~ 1 carbohydrate serving)
Ice Box Cookies
Ice Box Cookies can be a good choice, depending on the leavening agents used. If you are trying to keep the phosphorus content down, choose one that uses baking soda (instead of baking powder) or one that does not contain a leavening agent like this recipe for Ice Box Maraschino Cherry Christmas Cookies!
Nutrient Breakdown for one cookie:
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Potassium: 13 mg
- Phosphorus: 15 mg
- Carbohydrates: 13 g (~1 carbohydrate serving)
Oatmeal Jam Bars
This recipe for Oatmeal Jam Bars is easy and kidney-friendly. One great thing about this cookie is that it’s versatile. You can use any kind of jam you like: strawberry, raspberry, apricot, blackberry, etc. The sky’s the limit!
These cookies are higher in carb than the other cookies in the article. However, if you use no sugar added jam/preserves instead of regular, the carb content is reduced from 39 g to 21g per cookie.
This recipe does use baking soda, which is the reason it’s a little higher in sodium than the other kidney-friendly cookies featured here. However, it’s still low enough to fit into a kidney-friendly or low sodium diet!
Nutrient Breakdown for one cookie:
- Sodium: 96 mg
- Potassium: 94 mg
- Phosphorus: 30 mg
- Carbohydrates: 39 g (~ 2 ½ carbohydrate serving), or 21 g (1 ½ carbohydrate servings) if no sugar added jam/preserves are used.
(Some) Sugar Cookies
Some sugar cookies are more kidney-friendly than others. As discussed above, it all comes back to the leavening agent! Try to choose a recipe that uses smaller amounts of baking soda instead of baking powder to avoid the phosphate additives. Or, one that doesn’t use a leavening agent at all, like this super-easy recipe for 3-Ingredient Easy Sugar Cookies!
Nutrient Breakdown for one cookie:
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Potassium: 9 mg
- Phosphorus: 10 mg
- Carbohydrates: 10 g (~ ½ Carbohydrate serving)
Final thoughts on making kidney-friendly cookies
Indulging in cookies doesn't have to be a guilty pleasure for those with kidney disease! Just be sure to use recipes such as those featured in this article that use lower sodium, phosphorus and potassium ingredients. In addition, avoiding the use of baking powder, or better yet, using no leavening agent at all, will also help ensure you are making kidney-friendly cookies!
Enjoy!
Remember to always consult with your healthcare provider or dietitian to ensure any treats fit your personal nutritional needs.
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