Dark Chocolate Cookie Dough Bites

YUMMMMM!!!!!!

Sums this one up in a tidy little package.  Why is it that Sunday afternoon always seem to call for a little sweet treat?  This one will fit the bill without landing you in the poorhouse nutritionally, energetically, or emotionally.  It’s a win for us all.

The original recipe comes from our neighbors over at Wicked Spatula.  With a name like that, you know it’s gonna be good! Lauren is a dedicated food blogger, who embraces a whole food diet as well.  None of that processed food-like wannabes over at her house!  While the original recipe looked lovely, I am currently dairy-free so I needed to change it up a bit.  My tweaking still came out fabulously even though I didn’t have exactly what she called for in the recipe.  I made do with what I had on hand, and we all came out smilin’ in the end.

For those of you, who may be like me, and the best part of baking cookies is the dough, then this recipe is for you.  When my sister and I were growing up, there were a few occasions that my dad would make chocolate chip cookie dough, that never did make it to the oven.  It was fairly commonplace in our home to even make a double batch of cookies just so we would have enough dough in the baking process to get our fill, and still have a few crisp cookies to show for it.  None of this talk of getting worms, bellyaches, or whatnot, cookie dough was part of the magic.  I love this recipe for the simplistic nature of it, and also for a little magic of my own to share with my family.  Indulge away loves, you are getting some quality nutrition whilst you are also gaining your fair share of bibbity-bibbity-boo! (With no energy crashes, and crazy mood swings–just magic wands and fairy dust). Everyone wins.

DARK CHOCOLATE COOKIE DOUGH BITES

Makes a dozen and a half, plus a few extra for sampling in the kitchen along the way….

1 c.  Almond Flour

1/2c. Arrowroot Powder

1/2c. + 2 T.  Coconut Butter/Coconut Cream Concentrate

1/4c.  Maple Syrup

1/2t.  Redmond Real Salt, Sea Salt

2t.  Homemade Vanilla Extract

1/3-1/2 Bar of Fair Trade Organic Dark Chocolate, chopped

Place all ingredients except the dark chocolate into your food processor.  Give it a whirl until it mixes well, and is thoroughly combined.  It will be cookie dough consistency, when completely mixed together, not too dry and crumbly, and will be able to be formed into a ball.

Chop the bar of dark chocolate as rough or as fine as your family likes it.  I was shooting for somewhere around chocolate chip size!  Stir the chocolate bits in by hand, so they don’t get pulverized in the food processor.

Scoop dough by either teaspoonfuls to shape into a ball, or use a small cookie scoop to create bite sizes.

OR, just hand out spoons and have at it!!!!

Enjoy them while they last, they are teenage boy and husband approved, so you know it won’t be long!!!

* A few handy tips…. 

I use almond flour (King Arthur brand),  not almond meal, as it gives a finer texture.  

Arrowroot powder, is sometimes called, flour, or starch.  It is all the same product, just different brands and labeling.

If you do not have coconut cream concentrate you can either get it here, or use cold butter or coconut oil.  

I am digging this brand of dark chocolate that I get on sale at our local co-op; Organic Equal Exchange Chocolates, Panama Extra Dark, 80% cacao.