I get very excited over little things, especially when then little things have anything to do with food, family, friends or fitness!
So you can imagine my delight when my friend (and yoga teacher!) brought a container of Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites over for a playdate. A simple, delicious, real food snack that uses only 3-ingredients (dates, cashews, + chocolate chips). Heaven!
Now in full disclosure, my 3-year old son was all-in but my 5-year old daughter was a bit more hesitant about the whole thing. She knew this was not your traditional ball of cookie dough and she wasn’t nearly as excited as her Mommy.
I’ve have noticed that as my kids become more and more exposed to traditional foods like pizza, cookies, cupcakes, candy, etc. they also become more hesitant and picky about real food alternatives. Just like adults!! When our palates get bombarded by artificial flavors, and excessive fats and sugar, the subtle deliciousness of real food starts to lose it’s appeal.
Since I can’t control everything my kids eat all day long, (ie. birthday parties, school snacks, and at Grandmas house) I simply focus on what we do at home (aka most of the time). You won’t find me trying to persuade my daughter to eat what she turns her nose up to, I just go about eating and enjoying it myself. And while I won’t fight with her to eat certain foods I also don’t offer a traditional alternative. I just let the whole thing rest on neutral ground.
I think sometimes as parents, when we want what is best for our kids, we can easily be lured into conflict – trying to push and control them (in the name of their best interests, of course) but it doesn’t work.
So I simply work on setting examples. Often times quiet examples.
I won’t force them to eat their veggies but I will still serve them every night (and eat them myself).
I won’t stop them from eating cake and goldfish at a party (nor will I judge them) but I won’t buy that stuff for my home.
Sometimes they come on board. Sometimes they don’t. But what I am learning as their parent is that it is my job to create the example and their job to decide whether to not they will choose to follow.
And if my 5-year old doesn’t want to try these insanely delicious Raw Cookie Dough Bites, then that just means there is more for her Mommy!
Ingredients
- 1- cup raw cashews
- 1- cup dates
- 1/3- cup chocolate chips I like using the mini chips!
Instructions
- Soak your dates in hot water for one hour to make them nice and soft. (*Note: if you have fresh soft dates, you can skip this step).
- Combine dates and cashew in a food processor and blend until you have a cookie dough consistency. If all of the mixture sticks to the side, just scrape it down and repeat until the dough comes together.
- Transfer dough to a medium mixing bowl and mix in the chocolate chips.
- Take one tablespoon of dough and roll between the palms of your hands until you have a small ball. Place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a silpat mat or some parchment paper. Continue until all of the balls are done.
- Chill in the fridge for about an hour or until the balls are cols and have firmed up a bit and then transfer to an airtight container to store. They will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Christine says
Hi Dani it says in your nutritional information that one of these raw chocolate chip cookie bites are 87 calories per serving so does that mean if i am counting calories i can only have one? please let me know? thanks from cpcarol40@comcast.net
Christine says
Hi dani i am really into making raw desserts they are so much healthier i was wondering if you could make some low fat raw desserts i am counting calories, please let me know asap thanks from cpcarol40@comcast.net
Monique says
HI…this recipe looks delicious. I’m wondering if other nuts can be used besides cashews?? Thank you. 🙂
Dani says
Yes – you can use pretty much any nut you like.
Jessica says
Such an easy idea, I love it and can’t wait to try it. I also wanted to say that I really love your approach to your children as well. I do a lot of the same things. I have 3 girls, and they each eat differently. I also relate to grandma’s house…..I have to laugh when she thinks a healthy snacks fort the kids arte fruit snacks. I use to get angry, but I have learned that in the long run those things are so minor.
Dani says
Thanks Jessica! Yes – sometimes I think the best thing we can do for our health is loosen up with all the rules we have:)
Andre Almeida says
Hi, I made them yesterday and it was a great success.
I used peanuts, didn’t have the same amount in dates, so I completed the sweetness with a spoon of honey.
Loved the no-bake recipe. So tasty, so easy. If possible, please moke some more like these!
Love your channel. Andre
Dani says
Sounds delicious! So glad you made the recipe work for you.
Mildred Martinez says
Hi Dani, Love all your recipes! Thank you for this one! I wonder if I can use raisins or cranberries to make a variation of this raw cookie dough? I would soak them in hot water to rehydrate them as you did with the dates? Please advise. Thank you
Dani says
Yes! That would be delicious!
Anabel says
I made them yesterday and they were fantastic.Easy and quick and delicious. They were so good that my bf was willing to eat them instead of eating candy!.
Anna DeMarco-Mills says
Hi Dani,
I have a question about these yummy treats. I used what I thought were soft , fresh dates. They were actually Medjool dates. So, I skipped the hot water soak. When I processed the cashews and dates together, they turned into a crumb consistency. The stickiness didn’t really come out of the dates. I was able to salvage the batch with some the addition of some almond butter. However, I would really like to get these right. Do you think I should just soak the dates next time? Thank you for this recipe and just for all the work you do. I was devastating when I learned that I have to change my diet due to some medical conditions. I have a lot more hope now, in large part to binge watching your YouTube channel all weekend! I’m making turkey tacos tonight, first time in my life without a seasoning packet! YAY!
Dani says
Hi Anne! Yes – 100% Soak the dates. Even if they are the the super soft Mdjool dates. That should work for you:) Let me know how it goes!
Joan says
Hi Dani, these look delicious but I have a grand daughter that has an allergy to tree nuts. I am sure peanuts would work fine, but is there something that I could substitute for the nuts. Thanks in advance. Love your videos and the website.