Healthy Cookie Dough!!

Why yes, that would be a gigantic bowl of cookie dough.  A gigantic bowl of healthy cookie dough to be exact.

I'll admit I shared a recipe pretty similar to this a couple days ago, but I just couldn't wait any longer to post this Cookie Dough.  It it way too good not to share!

This Healthy Cookie Dough is great for everyone.  No matter how you prefer to eat (vegan, gluten free, nut free, etc), I bet you can tweak the recipe you fit your style.  You can also make it without any special equipment, which is great because I know some of you don't have a fancy shmancy food processor or Vitamix.

I've tried the recipe in three ways so far, and every one has been a success!

So what do you need to make this?

If you stock your house at all like I do, you have every ingredient you need on hand already.  The recipe consists of rolled oats, applesauce, an egg white or milk, baking soda, vanilla, dates or sugar, turbinado sugar, chocolate chips, and chickpeas.  Yep, more chickpeas.

Like the Blondie Bites I shared earlier, I really wish I didn't have to tell you that.  I know some people get creeped out by weirdo ingredients, but I'm telling you, just give this Cookie Dough a chance!  All the chickpeas do is lend an awesome cookie dough texture, you can't taste them.

So now that that's settled, how about I mention how incredibly amazing it is that there's a way to eat raw cookie dough by the spoonful without any guilt whatsoever?  Cause I think it's pretty amazing.

I've made this recipe so much lately, and it's always gone super fast.  Everyone loves cookie dough, especially when it's this good for you.  And there may have been some cupcakes, whoopie pies, and mousse involved, but that's a story for another day.

Enjoy!

Healthy Cookie Dough (vegan, gluten free, nut free, low fat)

• 1 cup quick oats (regular oats will work if you have a food processor)
• 1 pasteurized egg white or 3 tbsp soy or almond milk (the egg white helps to lend a more cookie dough like taste, but it's fine to not use it)
• 2 tbsp applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained very well
• 2 tbsp turbinado or brown sugar
• 3 dates, pitted and broken into small pieces or 1-3 tbsp more sugar (taste for desired sweetness)
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

If you have a food processor:

1. Place oats in food processor and process until broken into small pieces (it doesn't have to be a fine flour).  
2. Add remaining ingredients, except chocolate chips, and blend until completely combined, with no clumps of chickpeas.  Mixture will be very thick.  
3. Add chocolate chips to food processor and process a bit to incorporate, and break chocolate chips down into small pieces.
4. Scoop cookie dough into desired serving dish and store in fridge until serving time.  Serve with fruit, graham crackers, or roll cookie dough into balls.  You can also eat it as is by the spoonful.  Recipe makes about 1 1/4 cups.

If you don't have a food processor:

1. Place chickpeas in a large bowl.  Fork mash until all chickpeas are broken down and no large clumps remain
2. Add in oats (you must use quick oats or you will end up with an oatmeal cookie dough).  Mix until thoroughly combined.
3. Add remaining ingredients except chocolate chips and mix well until a cookie dough texture forms.  Note that if you decide to use dates, you may have to chop them into small pieces and mix them in.
4. Place chocolate chips in a plastic bag, and smash with a spoon/mallet/hammer (this is the best part!) until broken into small pieces.  Alternately, you can use mini chocolate chips.  Mix chips into cookie dough.
5. Scoop dough into desired serving dish and store in fridge until serving time.  Serve with everything mentioned in step #4 above.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Date Caramel + Caramel Chocolate Cookies