Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites are naturally sweetened, vegan, and gluten free. Each protein-packed bite is the perfect cure for a cookie craving!
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!
What’s Inside
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.
Did I mention they come together in just 10 minutes?
My kids love these “sweet meatballs”, as they call them, and I feel good about giving them a naturally sweetened treat that just so happens to be filled with protein.
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 pitted 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!
I can’t wait for you to try these healthier sweet treats this Valentine’s Day, or any time of the year!
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw unsalted cashews
- 6 pitted 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 the mixture starts to come together into a sticky batter.
- Pour the mixture 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.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
I’m trying to cut back on refined sugar but sometimes find myself craving dessert. I love this idea-cannot wait to try the recipe!
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Thanks :-)
This recipe looks like another one of your winners. I can’t wait to try them! I can’t believe all the beautiful colors Kitchen Aid mixers come in now.
These look amazing!! I’ve made a peanut butter oat version, but these look even better! A Kitchenaid Stand Mixer is a must in any kitchen!
My mother made a version of the cookie dough bites back in the 1960’s. They never lasted very long as all 5 siblings fought over them!
This looks great! Pinned and cannot wait to make. Will definitely help cure my sweet tooth craving while trying to eliminate excess sugar.
Would love a mixer and those look delicious!!!
Ooh, I bet my daughter would love these bites!
Love healthy options for a sweet tooth! This is great.
The cookie dough recipe looks great! My sister-in-law has celiac’s disease, and I’m always struggling with what treats I can make her. I’ll have to try these!
Where do I start?! Everything on this post looks delicious!
Thanks for the wonderful gluten-free recipes! Nice to see them all featured in one spot. The KitchenAid giveaway is fabulous, too. Thanks!
This looks like such a tasty and healthy recipe. Once my husband realized that I could just make cookies at a moments notice, I have to have chocolate chips on hand at all times, should the craving hit! A stand mixer would no doubt mean more cookies for him (and me)!