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I FINALLY just got my first food processor and this was the first thing I made in it! Fan-freakin-tastic! No… definitely not cookie dough, but great doughy texture and oh so very tasty. These will be made many, many more times – thank-you!
Corin
Bam. Just like that, we’re eating healthy peanut butter cookie dough balls. Truffles. Pre-cookies that aren’t actually cookies and won’t be baked but rival the addictiveness of real cookie dough. Whatev.
I’ve made these little guys before, but they were just cookies. When I just put the link in there I realized I called them peanut butter cookie dough bites last time. That’s cute.
However, one major difference this time is that instead of golden raisins, my safe and familiar friends, I went for it with the exotic dates. See them up there? I couldn’t do a close up of those puppies. They’re not pretty. But I got over their wrinkly-smushy looks quickly when I realized that they work like a charm for making vegan, gluten free, grain free, and refined sugar free COOKIES!
Ok, not cookies, as Bjork reminded me.
The afternoon I made these, he asked if we had any snacks. Cause we’re the couple where one of us knows every ingredient in every last kitchen drawer and crevice and what was there last month and what will be there tomorrow, annnnd the other one of us doesn’t know where to look for the bread. There was a time when I used to give him a kitchen tour every time I went grocery shopping. Ok, here’s the crackers, here’s where I put the cheese, we have lots of fruit, and there’s plenty of Fruity Pebbles. I am that girl and now you know.
So, he says, do we have any snacks?
I don’t do kitchen tours anymore. But when he asked me for a snack on the peanut butter cookie dough balls day, I got excited. And then I got sneaky. I told him we had some cookie dough chilling, which prompted a full-on jog over to the refrigerator.
He ate one and declared it not normal cookie dough. Sneaky fail.
I think we can all be adults here: this is not normal cookie dough. What this is is a snack you can make in 10 minutes when all you want is a big ol’ rolled up ball of cookie dough but what you really need is… um, fruit. Read: every day of my life. Dates are considered fruit, right? Or are they candy? Because these are really addicting in that classic cookie dough way, and they’re basically just smushed up dates and peanuts and peanut butter.
Consistency-wise, these will satisfy any cookie dough craving you ever had. They’re both soft and firm and perfectly moist and almost just a little bit sticky, and I really liked the subtle texture from the peanuts. Honey roasted. Do it. Ultimately the peanut butter and chocolate flavors made me feel like I was eating some kind of Reese’s peanut butter cups cookie dough. And I’m speaking in the past tense because they’re loooong gone.
I think I’ll add this to my private stash labeled with my name in the freezer, right along with these dark chocolate coconut bites and other girls-only snacks.
I’m starting to like this new routine.
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
You don’t have to be vegan or gluten free to love these all-natural 5 ingredient peanut butter cookie dough balls! The perfect snack.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup peanuts (I like honey roasted)
- 1/2 cup dates
- 1/4 cup peanut butter (I used chunky natural)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon water
- 4 ounces chocolate
Instructions
- Mix: Pulse JUST the peanuts in a food processor until they are broken down into fine crumbs. Add the dates, peanut butter, and vanilla to the food processor and pulse again to form a soft, sticky dough. Add the tablespoon of water if the mixture gets too sticky. For me, 1 tablespoon was just the right amount to get the mixture moving through the food processor without making it overly wet. Continue to pulse and press the mixture back down with a spoon until there are no more large pieces of dates or peanuts, and the mixture starts to stick together in one large ball.
- Roll: Roll small pieces of “dough” between your hands to form small balls. The dough will leave a bit of an oily residue on your hands but should stick together really easily. Place on a plate or cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Refrigerate until you’re ready to dip in chocolate.
- Dip: Melt the chocolate very slowly (double boiler, hot oven, or carefully in the microwave) and dip each ball into the chocolate. Remove the balls with two forks and let the excess drip off. Place on wax paper or parchment paper and allow the chocolate to set. You can put them in the refrigerator or freezer to keep them cold and/or help set the chocolate.
Notes
For 12 even balls, divide the whole mixture into four sections. Each of those sections should be rolled into three separate balls.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: cookie energy bites, cookie dough balls, peanut butter energy bites
Hahaha!! I love your exposition to this recipe… I LOLed at numerous occasions 😀 What a fun girls-only snack. I might try them with almonds + almond butter someday??
I just made them with almonds! Worked really well, but I would love to try the almond butter too next time!
My husband still gets irritated that I give him the grocery tour, but then he always asks, “Hey, where’s the ______________.” Too funny!
Also, I love how you smothered these in chocolate. They are like Lara bars, but better!
seriously! 🙂 glad I’m not alone.
I love these! I love that you use honey roasted peanuts–they’re the best!
I made them again with plain almonds – definitely lost some of the yum factor. Those honey roasted little things are sooo delicious!
I totally need to try your sneaky antics with my kids! I think they’ll be nuts over these-ok no pun intended! How awesome that you dipped these in chocolate! An amazing snack for sure!
We are that exact same couple. After almost 7 years of marriage and 4 years in this house, I STILL find pots/pans/dishes in the wrong cabinet after he’s unloaded the dishwasher or watch him open the cabinet looking for something that’s always been in the pantry, or the pantry looking for something that’s always kept in the fridge. I kinda love the grocery store thing…
hahaha! Oh, men.
Love this recipe! Sounds so simple and delicious! Of course – if it’s dipped in chocolate there’s no way I am gonna be able to label this anything safe that persues others in my home to keep their hands off 🙂
I’ve made peanut butter chocolate chip cookie dough balls before but that are nothing like these! And these are a lot less ingredients which always makes my life easier so I need to be trying these soon.
I will have to try making something like this for my teenage son. I’m tired of seeing him eat peanut butter out of the jar! I added you to my blogroll so I’ll remember to visit every day!
Thanks Raani!
I try to be sneaky with my hubby too but when it comes to cookies he’s some kind of dough expert and I always end up failing. OH WELL – more for me! 😉
Exactly. Not a bad deal, in the end. 🙂
I’m currently obsessed with smashing dates and nuts together and calling them a treat snack. I’ll definitely have to try this version!
Oh no you didn’t. These look freakin’ amazing! My mom makes a version similar to yours for Christmas and every year I eat the entire batch even though I regret it afterwards 😉
Not your normal cookie dough or no, they’re still rolled in chocolate so- YES.
And I’m there with you on the kitchen tours- I should really make a map or something for my husband, it would save me a lot of time.
I loooove dates! These sound killer
These look delicious! And I am part of one of those couples, too… he finally learned where the chips are, but that’s about it. I don’t think he’s opened the fridge once in the past few months, other than to put beer in and take it out!
My husband and I are totally like that too. So when I rearranged the kitchen a few weeks ago, I wrote notes detailing the contents of every shelf and wahi-taped them to the cabinet doors. It looks pretty tacky, but we have a lot fewer “I can’t find the…” conversations, so they’ll probably stay up. I might move them to the inside of the cabinet. (Although, apparently “baking supplies” does not tell him where the sugar is)
I have a bag of dates in my cabinet and was not sure what to do with them. This looks like a perfect solution!
[from one Fruity Pebbles fan to another..?]
We def. like our fruit pebbles around here.
Our husbands sound very similar! Mine never knows where things are in the kitchen (prefers to stay out of it, too), and would NOT agree if I tried to call these “cookies.” I, however, agree with you–these are a perfect replacement for cookies! I can’t wait to make them 🙂
These look fabulous, my husband is not eating gluten at the moment so will be making these for him (and me!)
Perfect!
haha oh my gosh this is cracking me up! I used to do kitchen tours after grocery shopping too – gave up on those a long time ago : ) I still attempt to do explanations of where everything goes since my husband loves to leave things on the counter after unloading the dishwasher with the claim that he doesn’t know where I like to put them and doesn’t want to “mess me up.” Ahem, not to mention the fact that we’ve been living in the same house for well over 3 years now. lol.
Best part of the whole post… You snuck in a quick fractions/division lesson in the “notes” section! 🙂 That seriously made my day!
OH the shame. I totally made these and then me and my OH scoffed the whole lot within 24 hours..oops.
Very moreish and very delicious 🙂
x
I make these ALL the time! Except I roll mine in shredded, unsweetened coconut =)
Honey roasted peanuts are the best!! These look so good. Perfect healthy summer treat/ snack!
I am addicted. The package that I bought was close to being gone before I even had a chance to make these!
Love it! Dough bites are totally where it’s at! I had never tasted dates until about two months ago when I was making breakfast bars, and you’re right! They ARE like candy!
Love, love! I’ve concocted so many different versions of Snack Bites, but never this – now I see what’s been missing from my life! Actually – so funny that just yesterday I saw a gorgeously packaged, gourmet package of snacks at our upscale grocer. Yep … it was simply dried dates rolled in crushed peanuts … for about a ba-jillion dollars! Uh-huh – you’re soooo all that!!!!