Raw cookie dough bites
Happy twenty-eleven! Now that it’s the beginning of a new year, it seems the holiday hoopla is already becoming a distant memory. The big meals and decadent desserts have been devoured, the wine bottles have been emptied, and the gingerbread house has been picked clean. After so much excess, I would feel a bit guilty if I tempted you with more sweets. And yet here I am, with a recipe for cookie dough bites.
But wait, don’t go! I promise you, this one is different. If you have a health-related New Year’s resolution still fresh in mind, a sugar and calorie laden treat likely won’t be passing your lips anytime soon. Or, perhaps your body is craving healthy greens and whole foods after too much Christmas cake and cocktails. It’s time for a fresh start, right?
While it’s nearly impossible to attest to giving up all sweets in January without caving before the start of February, one thing I have learned is that nutritious, whole food options are the keys to success. So, basically, you can have your [unrefined, whole grain, sugar-free] cake and eat it, too.
Even that hidden desire to eat raw cookie dough can be fulfilled! Here, raw cookie dough bites—”raw” in the good sense of the word, not a raw batter of flour, sugar and eggs—are filled with nutrient-dense nuts and oats and sweetened with raw agave nectar. They are super easy to make, and they can be stored in the freezer for those times when you want to satisfy a sweets craving without feeling bad about it. Enjoy!
PrintRaw cookie dough bites
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup raw almonds
- 2/3 cup raw walnuts
- 2/3 cup raw oat flakes or quick oats
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup raw agave nectar or pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp cacao nibs or mini dark chocolate chips
Directions:
- In a food processor, process the almonds, walnuts, oats, cinnamon and salt to a fine meal.
- Add the agave nectar and vanilla and process to combine.
- Next, add the cocoa nibs (or chocolate chips) and pulse just to combine.
- Roll the cookie dough into balls about 1 tbsp each (wet your hands if the dough is too sticky) and place them on a cookie pan lined with parchment paper. Place the pan in the freezer for about an hour to firm up. Store balls in a tightly covered container in the freezer.