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!
jeanie 02.01.2016
those chocolate cookie dough bites look great! love the kitchenaid mixer! my dream!
jeanie 02.01.2016
those chocolate chip cookie dough bites look great! hope i get the mixer!
Ally's Sweet & Savory Eats 02.01.2016
I only recently realized I should buy another stainless steel bowl for my KitchenAid mixer as a “back-up” or just for double duty! How many times have I had to wash out the bowl so I could get started on something else right away? Geesh. Sometimes I’m slow! These dessert bites look heavenly!
Emma 02.01.2016
I love your blog! And I’ve always wanted a KitchenAid!
Tori 02.01.2016
Those cookie dough bites look A-mazing! So making those soon!
steph 02.01.2016
literally having a convo with the boyfriend about moving in together, combining stuff when I saw this….
Lynda 02.01.2016
Love the recipe, cannot wait to try them.
Ruth 02.01.2016
Cant wait to try these!!
Ashley 02.01.2016
Yumm! I love making energy bites, and this would be a fun way for a sweeter spin. Any thoughts on how they might hold up if frozen? (Not that they’d last that long!)
Elle @ Only Taste Matters 02.01.2016
These look amazing! I always say chocolate chips make everything better. Everything!
Nancy Helen 02.01.2016
Love your stories of the fun you have with your little cutie! The treats look yummy. Thanks!
Cindy 02.01.2016
What a fun trip!!
Jennifer 02.01.2016
Yummy! My boys would love cookie dough bites!
Katie M 02.01.2016
You were in my city this weekend! Glad you had fun!
Wendy Fisher 02.01.2016
Great ideas for our next trip to MN!
theresa 02.01.2016
Mmmmmmm! I would use it to make yummy bread
Beth 02.01.2016
I’ve always wanted a mixer!! My boyfriend and I cook all of the time and this would help so much!!
Lynne 02.01.2016
My husband and I are renovating our first fixer-upper and I would love to have the turquoise colored mixer!
Eve 02.01.2016
Looks great, wish I had the ingredients on hand,. These would be perfect thing to try on our impending snow day.
julia 02.01.2016
Hi! These look delicious…have you tried with any other nut?