Gingerbread Cookie Dough Bites
Loaded with healthy omega-3s and featuring simple whole food ingredients these vegan, oil-free, date-sweetened Gingerbread Cookie Dough Bites are a low-calorie cookie fix when you don't feel like turning on the oven!
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted Medjool dates, about 9 large dates pulled apart in half ~165 grams
- 1 cup cannellini beans, well rinsed and drained ~170 grams
- 2/3 cup raw walnuts ~75 grams
- 1/3 cup rolled oats ~32 grams
- 2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed ~12 grams
- 2 Tbsp. orange juice or water ~29 mL
- 1 tsp. lemon zest ~2 grams
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger can increase up to 3/4 tsp.
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp. allspice can increase up to 1/4 tsp.
Instructions
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This dough is going to be very sticky so it's going to take a bit of helping your food processor along with frequent intervals of scraping down the sides of your food processor bowl. You may be tempted to add more liquid to "help" process the batter quicker but DO NOT DO this. It will make the end consistency too soft.
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Add all the ingredients into your food processor bowl and process until your blades are not catching the ingredients, I've found this to be about 5 to 7 seconds. Remove the top of the processor and use a spatula to scrape down the sides.
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You're going to repeat this processing for 5 to 7 seconds and scraping down the sides until the ingredients form a thick ball. It takes about seven rounds to get to this consistency. The timing may vary a bit based on your particular processor.
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The final texture will be soft but will hold shape. There will be some larger bits of oats, dates and walnuts and that's okay, you don't want the mixture completely smooth.
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Use a 1-1/2 Tbsp. cookie scoop and portion out 18 balls onto a small baking sheet or large plate. Don't roll them just yet, let the mixture chill in the refrigerator first. Let the portioned scoops chill for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
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When ready to roll, you can slightly dampen your hands. Optionally, you can sprinkle or roll the balls with shredded unsweetened coconut.
Recipe Notes
RECIPE YEILD: makes 18 1-1/2 Tbsp. bites
STORAGE:
Fridge: The energy bites keep for 12 to 14 days in a glass food storage container with a snaplock lid.
Freezer: Keep for up to 2 months in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
To thaw: Allow the bites to thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature until defrosted (about 10 minutes).
SUBSTITUTIONS:
Cannellini Beans: Known as the white kidney bean, cannellini beans are mild in flavor and have a particularly smooth and creamy texture. I don't recommend using any other type of bean.
Walnuts: This is a healthy fat source that's naturally high in omega-3s, so they are a first choice. Taste-wise you could use hazelnuts instead.
Dates: The fresher and softer the dates you use the better the result will be. The test is that you should be able to easily pull them apart in half. If you only have super-dried-out dates on you can "revive" them by soaking them overnight or soaking for 15 minutes in very hot water (just covering). Allow the soaked dates to dry off completely before using them in the recipe or you’ll end up with a gloppy mess.
Orange Juice: If you don't have this on hand you can use water. The orange juice adds another layer of flavor but is mostly used to help the mixture process.
Nutritional information show is for the bites without optional shredded coconut topping: