A healthier Cookie Dough Bites recipe you can make with or without chocolate chips! They're sweet and delicious, plus ready in just 10 minutes. Great for a quick snack, energy boost, or dessert! (Vegan, gluten-free, no added oil.)
These easy cookie dough balls are sweet and delicious! They can help satisfy a chocolate chip cookie craving in a quicker (and healthier) way.
Best of all, they're made with just a few simple ingredients. (No raw eggs, butter, or refined sugar included!)
The texture is so light and fluffy, and they're full of classic cookie dough taste. Plus no special equipment is required - just a bowl, spoon, and your hands!
They're great for a quick treat, packed lunches, midday energy boost, or even dessert.
Ingredients for Cookie Dough Bites
For this recipe, you'll stir together in a medium mixing bowl:
- Oat flour: I use Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oat flour. But you could also make your own by grinding oats in a food processor until a fine powder forms. I haven't tried almond flour but that might work as well.
- Peanut butter: I use unsalted creamy and natural peanut butter. It's best to use soft, drippy peanut butter so it mixes better. I'm guessing any nut butter or seed butter would work just fine. So you could try it with almond butter, cashew butter, or sun butter as well. (Be aware this will change the flavor however.)
- Pure maple syrup: I use this for a refined-free natural sweetener because I enjoy the rich flavor and it's simple to work with.
- Plant milk: You'll need just one tablespoon milk (any dairy-free variety), or you can substitute water if needed.
- Pure vanilla extract
- Almond extract
- Salt: You'll need just a small pinch of salt, and I use fine-grain for this recipe.
- Vegan mini chocolate chips: These are optional if you'd like chocolate chip cookie dough bites! Either semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips work. But they taste great without them too.
Tips
Chocolate chips: Mini chocolate chips work best in this recipe. However regular chocolate chips can work too if that's all you have. Just be sure to add them after the individual cookie dough bites are rolled, and press them into the balls instead. (If you add regular-sized chips to the dough mixture, I find the balls are much harder to roll and don't stick together.)
Oil-free option: There's no added oil in this recipe. So if you want to keep it oil-free, don't use the optional chocolate chips or find ones without added oil. (Some contain refined oils or cocoa butter.)
Customizing
Chocolate coating: Instead of the chocolate chips, these balls could also be dipped in melted chocolate for a hard shell coating. Melt your chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, dip the balls, then set them on a plate lined with parchment paper. Then place in the fridge or freezer to help set and harden the chocolate.
Storing
Fridge: I store ours in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and find they keep for at least a week. (Storing in the fridge will make them last longer, but they do slightly harden and dry out this way.)
Room temperature: You could also store them at room temp in a sealed container, but be sure to enjoy within 2-3 days.
For more inspiration, also browse all vegan dessert recipes.
Cookie Dough Bites (Easy, Vegan!)
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup oat flour*
- 1/3 cup peanut butter (creamy, natural)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. dairy-free milk
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. almond extract
- 1/8 tsp. salt
Optional:
- 2 Tbsp. vegan mini chocolate chips**
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add peanut butter, maple syrup, milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt. Stir well to combine into an even mixture.
- Then add oat flour and stir well. Continue stirring until a solid, non-sticky dough ball forms. Towards the end, I use my hands to help combine. If the mixture is too sticky, add a little more flour until a workable dough forms.
- Add the mini chocolate chips (if using), and work them into the dough with your hands until evenly dispersed.
- Roll the dough into small, individual balls with your hands. (I form mine about 1.5 inches wide, which creates 12 balls. But make yours as big or small as you'd like.)
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
If you're enjoying this vegan Cookie Dough Bites recipe, also check out:
- Chocolate Banana Popsicle
- Healthy Vegan Chocolate Milkshake
- Chunky Monkey Protein Smoothie
- Peanut Butter Granola
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Jackie says
So good! Love them both with and without the chocolate chips!
Kaitlin says
Wonderful to hear, Jackie!
Anonymous says
These are amazing! I was a bit skeptical at first, thinking they may not taste like cookie dough. I am pleasantly surprised. Easy to make, satisfies my sweet tooth and definitely a healthy alternative to candy, granola, and other sweets. Thank you!
Kaitlin says
Glad you enjoyed! Thank you for sharing.