No-Guilt Vegan Cookie Dough

By the Gracious Vegan

Healthy cookie dough? It can be done. This recipes contains no added sugar, oil, butter, or eggs. The main ingredients are dates, chickpeas, oat flour, and pecans. The chilled dough has a texture so close to regular cookie dough, it might bring a smile to your face. With added dried fruit, nuts, and cacao nibs or chocolate chips, this dough satisfies. This dough was not designed to be baked up as cookies.

Makes about 3 cups of cookie dough

Add the following ingredients to the food processor and process until as smooth as possible, likely taking a minute or more

• 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted, each cut into 2-3 pieces

• 1/2 cup pecan halves or pieces

Then add the following ingredients and process again until smooth.

• 15.5-ounce can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)

• 1.5 cups oat flour

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 2 Tablespoons flaxseed meal

• 2 Tablespoons water

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Optional to stir in any or all of the following:

• 1/4 cup (or more) mini chocolate chips (not as healthy) or 1/4 cup cocoa nibs (healthier)

• 1/4 cup chopped nuts of your choice

• 1/4 cup dried fruit of your choice

Roll mixture into balls (your choice of size). After they chill for a couple of hours they will have the texture of chilled cookie dough. Keep refrigerated for up to a week.

Timing: About 15 minutes, then chill for a couple of hours for the best texture

Gluten-free