This post was created in Partnership with Nuts.com
Coming to you with my favorite, easy treat as of late. Though the desserts section of our recipe index has plenty of bar recipes of all kinds (check out our lemon bars, ‘twix’ bars, matcha lime bars, etc.), I can’t stop coming back to them as one of my favorite dessert formats. These cookie dough ones are a little different though – they are shaped into perfectly indulgent, bite-sized treats. They are also: made with pantry ingredients, low-maintenance in preparation, gluten-free and vegan, and they really do taste like cookie dough!
Since the concept of eating raw cookie dough is non-existent where I come from, I was very skeptical when I first found out about it some years ago. My mind was quickly changed when I tried one of the crazy Ben & Jerry’s flavors involving chunks of cookie dough, dispersed throughout their ice cream. I get it now. I really do.
Our cookie dough is a bit less indulgent and more nourishing than the average, but still tastes rich and perfectly decadent. It’s made with flours that are okay to eat in their raw form – almond (made of just almonds) and coconut (made of coconut pulp), and the buttery element comes from tahini or cashew butter. Once mixed with a bit of coconut oil, maple syrup and cacao nibs, it’s remarkable how much the stuff actually tastes like chocolate chip cookie dough. Add a coating of tahini chocolate to that, and you’re in business. I haven’t yet met anyone who wasn’t immediately impressed by these bites.
All the ingredients for this recipe come straight from my favorite online bulk foods shop, Nuts.com. Though we often talk about them on this blog, I never tire of marveling at their amazing selection. It’s true bulk food heaven. They also take real pride in the quality of their ingredients, and it really shows. I haven’t been able to find juicier dried fruit anywhere else. AND they roast their nuts the same day they are shipped! I love seeing that type of care put into businesses, and I’m always grateful to have Nuts.com as a sponsor.
Hope you’ll give these bites a try!
- ½ cup almond flour
- ½ cup coconut flour
- generous pinch of sea salt
- 1 tablespoon maca powder (optional)
- ½ cup tahini, cashew butter, or a mixture of both
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ cup cacao nibs
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- 1-2 tablespoons tahini or cashew butter
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon maca powder (optional)
- Prepare an 8" x 8" square dish and line it with parchment paper, extending the edges up the sides for easy removal later on. Combine the almond and coconut flours with the salt, maca powder, if using, tahini/cashew butter, coconut oil, and maple syrup in a food processor. Mix until well-combined. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and fold in the cacao nibs. You can also mix all the ingredients by hand in a bowl.
- Press the cookie dough mixture into the bottom of the lined dish to create an even layer.
- Melt the chocolate chips on a double boiler. With the heat still on, add in the tahini/cashew butter, coconut oil, and maca, if using. Stir everything together until smooth and turn off the heat.
- Pour the chocolate mixture over the cookie dough layer in the baking dish. Spread into an even layer with a spoon. Place the dish into the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes, or until the chocolate layer is hardened.
- Lift the cookie out of the dish, using the extended sides of the parchment paper, and place it onto a cutting board. Start by cutting the cookie in half lengthwise and crosswise with a sharp knife. Then continue cutting each piece in half until you have 1" cookie dough bites. Alternatively, make them any shape or size you want. Keep refrigerated. Enjoy!
I have been craving cookie dough lately, so excited to get this post in my email. These look amazing! And I love that the ingredients are all good for you, vegan and gluten free and the tahini, yum.
Hi Jen! So glad these came right in time for your craving :) Hope you enjoy them if you make them!
Which are your favorite brands for coconut and almond flour?
Hi Natalia,
Aside from Nuts.com, I buy those flours from Bob’s Red Mill and Trader Joe’s. I also sometimes buy coconut flour from Coconut Secret and Let’s Do Organic :)
Hello! I made these little bites tonight and they are delicious! Such a quick treat to satisfy my sweet tooth! The only thing I would do differently is double the cookie dough base to make the squares a bit thicker. So so yummy! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Gg,
SO glad you enjoyed the bites! Thanks so much for letting us know. Doubling the cookie dough is a great idea if you want more substantial bites :)
Is there another flour I could use in place of the almond flour?
Hi Kellee,
You can use any other nut flour. Or you could try omitting the nut flour and just using 1 cup of coconut flour, but you’ll also have to increase the amount of nut butter/tahini, because coconut flour tends to be dry and crumbly on its own. Just test as you go until you have the desired cookie dough consistency. Hope you enjoy them :)
Could I use almond butter for this or will it change the consistency?
Hi Payal,
Smooth almond butter should work! Hope you enjoy them :)
Mine came out thin too, but I liked the cookie-to-chocolate ratio and would not double it. Craving satisfied!