Edible Cookie Dough Protein Balls
Soft, chewy, and packed with all the best flavours of cookie dough, minus the refined sugar and raw flour.
Ash from @ashleigh.cooks has created these dreamy edible cookie dough protein balls that taste far too good to be a healthy snack, but here we are. They're soft, chewy, and packed with all the best flavours of cookie dough, without any of the refined sugar or the worry of raw flour. Made with almond meal, peanut butter (or nut-free spread), and naturally sweetened with Medjool dates, these come together in minutes and require zero baking. The optional chocolate coating takes them completely over the top in the best way. Perfect for lunchboxes, snack plates, or whenever the sweet craving strikes.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough Base
- 1 cup almond meal
- 2 tbsp Unrefined Nutrients Kid's Immune Protein, Vanilla Vanguard
- ½ cup peanut butter (100% peanuts, runny), or any nut butter. Sunflower butter is a great nut-free alternative
- 4 Medjool dates, pitted and soaked in boiling water
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
Optional Chocolate Coating
- 25–50g dark chocolate + a small splash of coconut oil
- Sea salt flakes, to top (optional, but highly recommended)
Method
Step 1: Prep the Dates
Soak your pitted Medjool dates in boiling water from the kettle. After 5–10 minutes, drain them, then blitz in a food processor until a smooth paste forms.
Step 2: Make the Dough
Add the almond meal, Unrefined Nutrients Kid's Immune Protein Vanilla Vanguard, peanut butter (or nut-butter alternative), and chocolate chips to the food processor with the date paste. Blend again until wet crumbs form and the mixture holds together when pressed.
If the mixture feels too dry or crumbly, add a tiny splash of milk (1 tsp at a time). If too sticky, add a little extra almond meal or chill for 10 minutes before rolling.
Step 3: Roll, Coat & Chill
Roll into golf ball-sized portions and place on a lined tray.
Optional chocolate coating: melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil together in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring each time, until smooth. Dip and coat the balls in the melted chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt flakes (yum!).
Refrigerate for 20 minutes before eating.
These are delicious as-is, but the chocolate and sea salt coating make them feel extra special. I sometimes do half dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with flaky sea salt, and half as is.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
