Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls (gluten free, vegan)

Sometimes you just really need a quick sugar fix, and sometimes, you don’t want to wait 50 minutes and wash 10 dishes just to satisfy that craving. Yet the alternative  – a manufactured, chemical-laden, and nutritionally void candy bar – is equally unappealing.

What’s a girl to do?

Make herself some raw vegan cookie dough, of course! While in the throes of just such a sugar craving, I came across a recipe for a single serving of raw cookie dough and I thought to myself, “genius!” It was exactly what I was looking for. I used to eat cookie dough straight from those awful Pillsbury tubes, so this healthful alternative feels super indulgent and reminds me of my childhood.

But if I’m going to mix up some ingredients and dirty at least a couple of dishes in the process, I might as well make enough so that the next time a craving hits, I have something ready and waiting that I can feel good about eating. So I changed up the recipe a bit to create a larger yield, and made some adjustments to the ingredients.

First, I made the recipe gluten free by using oat flour, and then added some leftover cashew pulp I had lying around from my last batch of nut milk. Regular almond meal would work just as well, but I love the extra flavour the cashews add, and the idea of reducing waste in the kitchen makes me happy all the way down to the tips of my toes. I also reduced the amount of oil and maple syrup, reserving just enough to keep things moist and lightly sweet.

I really liked the idea of having some kind of crunch happening, since I’m a sucker for texture, so I added some puffed rice cereal, and it worked out pretty darn well!

Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls (makes approx. 18 mini balls)

~ gluten free, vegan, raw ~

Inspired by Vegan Cookie Dough for One

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups gluten free oat flour
• 1/2 cup finely ground cashews (almond meal would work well too)
• 3/4 cup puffed brown rice cereal
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
• 6 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped, good quality dark chocolate (or mini dark chocolate chips)
• pinch of sea salt

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the oat flour, cashew meal, and sea salt.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla.
3. Pour into the flour mixture and stir well to combine, then add in the rice cereal and chocolate chips. You should have a fairly thick but still pliable dough; if it seems way too dry, add a touch more coconut oil.
4. Take about a tsp each of dough and roll it into a ball – then eat it! Store in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for a quick treat on the go.