Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and with it comes being bombarded by ALL THE SWEETS. I whole heartedly believe in enjoying a sweet treat with your sweetie on the holiday, but you can definitely do it in more healthful way with my naturally sweetened Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites. Not only do these 5 ingredient (plus salt) cookie “dough” balls taste like Chewy Chips Ahoy (YES,) but they’re naturally sweetened with dates!
Here’s the scoop: raw cashews are combined with sticky-sweet Medjool dates, vanilla extract, almond meal, and chocolate chips, then rolled into balls which not only look but taste like raw cookie dough. I mean it’s unreal, and they come together in just 10 minutes! Lincoln’s developed a taste for these “sweet meatballs” and I feel zero guilt about him occasionally eating one vs something that’s loaded with refined sugar. Healthier but still very decadent-tasting. I could not love them more.
How to Make Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
As I mentioned, these cookie dough bites are sweetened and held together with Medjool dates. Medjool dates are super sweet and sticky, and can usually be found in the produce section of the grocery store.
Medjool dates are occasionally sold in the bulk bins but if you’re gluten-free you’ll want to avoid those because of cross contamination issues, plus the dates can become dry and hard in the bins and they need to remain really soft to hold the bites together.
Add 6 Medjool dates to the bowl of a food processor along with 1 cup raw unsalted cashews, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt, then process until the mixture is smooth and starts to come together into a batter.
The mixture should hold its shape when squeezed, like this!
Dump the mixture into a big bowl then sprinkle in 1/4 cup finely ground almond meal and mix with your hands to combine.
Next add 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips and mix with your hands to combine.
Last step is to roll the mixture into 10 balls then enjoy right away (dare you not to!) or store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Let the bites sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes after being refrigerated to regain that chewy texture that you’re going to flip for!
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Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
Description
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites are naturally sweetened, vegan, and gluten-free. These bites are the perfect cure for a sweet tooth!
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw unsalted cashews
- 6 Medjool dates
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup finely ground almond flour
- 1/2 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
- Add cashews, dates, vanilla, and salt to the bowl of a food processor then process until smooth and mixture just starts to come together into a sticky batter. Pour into a large bowl then sprinkle in almond flour and mix with your hands to combine. If mixture is too sticky, add a little more almond flour. Add chocolate chips then mix until combined. Roll into 10 balls then store in the refrigerator.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
I can’t wait for you to try these healthier sweet treats this Valentine’s Day, or any time of the year!
David 02.01.2016
I would love a stand mixer! Maybe it’s my lucky day? Separately, I make a similar cookie dough bite and throw them in with my dessert bullet, delicious
brittney n 02.01.2016
This recipe looks great! Can’t wait to try!
Laura Harms 02.01.2016
This looks delish! I would SO love to win that mixer!
Christina 02.01.2016
I’ve been drooling over these mixers for years
Jenny Naus 02.01.2016
What a great g
ashley 02.01.2016
so exciting!!
Stefanie 02.01.2016
All of those treats look so yum! Thank you for sharing!
& your chewy chocolate chip cookie dough bites are the perfect thing to eat while I’m cutting back on sugar! :)
Megan W 02.01.2016
I am loving all the delicious food in one post. I am drooling!
Erin M. 02.01.2016
YUM! these look awesome!!
Nicky 02.01.2016
yum! Healthy raw cookie dough! ?
Samantha 02.01.2016
I would be the happiest person ever if I won a Kitchen Aid Mixer! I’ve been wanting to get one ever since I graduated college and got my own place, but have never gotten up the guts to spring for it. But I love baking and having a stand mixer is just so much easier than jsut the little hand mixer that I have now!
These cookie dough bites look AMAZING! I have such a sweet tooth that these would be the perfect thing to end a meal while not feeling too guilty about indulging!
Caroline 02.01.2016
These look delicious and so easy!
Carrie 02.01.2016
So excited to try the chocolate chip cookie dough bites!! They look delicious!! Would love the kitchenaid mixer!! Hope I win!!
Aaron 02.01.2016
Yummy!
Julie 02.01.2016
I love cooking no-bake with dates- so much flavor!
lynda eads 02.01.2016
OMG if I won the Kitchen aide I would pick the petty tea color
Smoothie Bowl and KitchenAid Giveaway - My Plant-Based Family 02.01.2016
[…] Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites from Iowa Girl Eats […]
Lindsay 02.01.2016
These look so yummy! I love that they’re sweetened with dates (love those medjools!), and I love the addition of almond flour. Can’t wait to try these!
Tanah 02.01.2016
Ahhh i’ve been wanting one of these forever!
Jennifer 02.01.2016
These look yummy!