A Study in Oxymorons: Healthy Cookie Dough Dip
It is a simple fact that I cannot make a batch of cookies without eating at least one third of the dough raw. My college roommate, who seemed to have been sprinkled with fairy dust by a magical metabolism elf, always kept cookie dough in our fridge. She’d make cookies for Courtney and herself nearly every night. I’d politely turn them down, sneak a couple pieces of the dough and then complain that she was making me fat keeping cookie dough in the fridge all the time.
This recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie has been viral on Pinterest for years. I am generally not a big proponent of healthy desserts. It seems like an oxymoron, and oxymorons make me uncomfortable. But when my friend Emilie brought it to girl’s night, I was immediately hooked.
The unbelievable thing is that I actually adapted one of Katie’s recipes to make it even healthier. I used PB2 in the place of peanut butter and cake batter protein powder in the place of sugar, drastically amping up the protein content while cutting back on sugar. But you’d never know it! In fact it took me a while to convince the ladies at my holiday party that this was actually good for you (unlike Katie, I’m better known for bringing dessert with bacon than for bringing healthy dessert). It really tastes like you’re eating straight cookie dough, but you don’t hear your grandma’s voice warning you about the dangers of salmonella. Plus, you won’t have to wave goodbye to your skinny jeans, even if the magical metabolism elf skimped on your fairy dust.
Healthy Cookie Dough Dip
Adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie
Ingredients:
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed well
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup prepared PB2 (you can also use your nut butter of choice)
- 2 scoops (2/3 cups) cake batter protein powder*
- Sugar-free maple syrup, to taste*
- up to 1/4 cup milk of choice, only if needed
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 2-3 tbsp oats
*I replaced the brown sugar with the protein powder, which is quite sweet. I then added sugar-free syrup for additional sweetness. You can also use 2/3 cups brown sugar or your sweetener of choice in place of the protein powder and syrup.
Instructions:
Add all ingredients except for chocolate chips to a good food processor and blend until very smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips. Serve with apples and graham crackers!
Nutrition (Per 1/12 recipe): 117 calories, 5g fat, 14 carbs, 6g protein, 4g fiber
