I’ve been making these “better cookie dough bites” for years now, in multiple flavors, all for good reason. My better cookie dough bites are simply delicious little bite sized sweet treats made with great ingredients, and they truly are one of my favorite better-for-you desserts. I have always had and will always have the biggest sweet tooth, especially for cookie dough. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve enjoyed raw cookie dough (I’ve risked salmonella way too many times), even more than the actual baked cookie. Fast forward to the present, I am now an adult with a desire to fuel my body with wholesome nutrient-dense ingredients, who loves cookie dough just the same, and so I’ve found a way to please the inner child me and the adult me with these bites. Don’t get me wrong – regular cookie dough is still awesome and can totally fit into a healthy lifestyle. But, I am all about adding new, exciting, and healthy recipes in there too. All foods fit into a healthy diet, including regular cookie dough AND better cookie dough bites. You don’t have to choose one or the other. Everything in moderation!
I’ve made these little bites in multiple flavors – lemon coconut, chocolate fudge, almond joy, and more – but the base is always the same. The star ingredient, one I love oh so much, the thing that makes these bites oh so scrumptious, is dates. I’ve expressed my love of dates more than once, but let’s hear it one more time for the people in the back!
Dates are naturally chewy and sweet, making them great for baking and making an array of sweet snacks. Plus, they are rich in fiber, iron, potassium, B vitamins, copper, and magnesium, making these little bites delicious and nutritious.
Like I mentioned, I’ve made these bites in a multitude of flavors, but I am always looking to expand and try something new. So, I present to you Better Snickerdoodle Bites. I will admit, I was a little skeptical when first trying to make these because snickerdoodles are one of my favorite classic cookies, and so I didn’t know if these would live up to it. But, these came out too good to even hesitate making them again next time. They’re truly chewy little bites of heaven sealed in a coat of cinnamon sugar. I’ll literally eat my foot if it’s coated in cinnamon sugar, so you know I’m here for it.
Better Snickerdoodle Bites
Equipment
- Food processor
- Refrigerator
Ingredients
For the bites
- ½ cup unsalted cashews
- 12 medjool dates, pitted
- 3 Tbsp cashew butter
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 1 Tbsp water*
For the cinnamon sugar coating
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the cinnamon sugar until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Pour the cashews into a food processor and blend into fine crumbs.
- Add in the dates, cashew butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt, and blend until everything is broken down and combined, for about 30-45 seconds, until the mixture resembles cookie dough.*If the mixture is still crumbly, slowly drizzle in up to a tablespoon of water, until it forms a dough. It should all come together into a big ball in the food processor.
- To form the bites, roll portions of the dough into teaspoon sized balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar coating until the entire surface is covered.
- Place the bites in the fridge to chill for 10-15 minutes before consuming. You may eat them without chilling first, but the texture will be a little softer than ideal. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy whenever a sweet craving hits!