What to make when you want a sweet treat pronto and the oven is feeling a bit lazy? What to make for friends who love vegan chocolate goodies? What to make when you want a low fat version of a favorite ice cream mix-in? Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough Bites perhaps…
I don’t know about you, but cookie dough is a long-time favorite of mine. In my pre-vegan days, a roll of slice-and-bake was more like slice-and-snack until you feel a bit sick! But this cookie dough won’t have that unfortunate side effect, because all the ingredients are vegan and light on the fat. In my opinion chocolate chunk anything is better pre-oven. And with ice cream (or nicecream) it is pure magnificence! 
Those chocolatey chunks! There is no cacao butter or coconut oil in these chocolate chunks. Just 2 simple ingredients: dates + cacao powder. Drier, harder dates that aren’t so great for snacking (I’m looking at you Deglet Noir) work great in this recipe. If you’d rather use raisins or regular chocolate chips then go ahead. Whatever is okay with your inner Cookie Monster is okay with me. 
I made a batch of these sweet little bites for a friend, just throwing stuff together and making it up as usual. But after one bite though I knew that I had to share them with you guys. They were SO scrumptious I almost didn’t want to give them away. But I did…and then came home and promptly made another batch with my video camera there to capture every chocolate chunk-filled moment.
Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough Bites • Oil-Free + Vegan
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 16 1x
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cup flour (I used oat, but AP works too)
- 3–4 dates
- 2 tsps cacao powder (or cocoa or carob)
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine the applesauce, coconut sugar, and vanilla.
- Add the flour and process until it forms a ball. If it is too sticky to roll, add more flour if it is too dry add more applesauce.
- Roll into balls and set aside.
- To make the chocolate chunks, chop up the dates into small pieces. Dry, harder dates work well for this.
- Sprinkle them with cacao powder, and toss to coat.
- Press 2-3 chocolate chunks into each ball. If your dates are quite soft, refrigerating the chocolate chunks first will make them easier to press in. If the balls become misshapen, roll them between your hands again.
- Enjoy, and keep the extras in the fridge.
I have never understood the appeal of cookie dough….I love the chocolate chunks! So fun!
I can’t understand how you can’t understand it!! Cookie dough is an incredible thing 🙂
I’m with you Natalie, cookie dough is awesome. Love the picture with the milk splashing too.
Action shots are always fun…and challenging…and messy 🙂
Thank you ,I will try to do it.
I have never tried cooking , These chocolate chunk cookies looks awesome!
These are pretty darn easy, so I’d say they’d be a very delicious and easy place to start 🙂
Thanks for the great recipe! Do you by any chance have the nutrition facts?
I don’t for this one unfortunately, but you can plug all the ingredients in here and figure it out: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator