Usually I’m a careful person, but ever since my childhood years, I’ve thrown caution to the wind when it involves raw cookie dough or cake batter. Yes, I know that raw eggs can contain salmonella and should be avoided, but there’s something wrong with baking a cake or a batch of cookies without sampling the dough/batter beforehand.

Now that I’m pregnant, though, I take special care to avoid raw or undercooked foods. Thankfully, that doesn’t mean I have to give up my beloved cookie dough! We’ve all seen countless vegan or egg-free raw cookie dough recipes over the years, and I’m sharing another one today.

These can be gluten free (if you use certified GF oats), and depending on the liquid sweetener and type of chocolate chips you use, they can also be vegan. They’re also pretty healthy.

Cranberry & Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

yields 16 small balls

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups rolled oats
• ½ cup almond meal
• ¼ cup ground flax
• ¼ cup liquid sweetener (agave, maple syrup, honey, etc.)
• 2 Tbsp smooth almond butter (or nut/seed butter of choice)
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp fine-grain sea salt
• 2 Tbsp dried cranberries
• 2 Tbsp mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions 

1. In a high-speed blender (I used the Magic Bullet), blend the oats until finely ground. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground oats, almond meal, flax, and salt.
3. In a small bowl, combine the sweetener, nut butter, oil, and vanilla; microwave for about 20-30 seconds until easily stirred together (and any solid oil is melted).
4. Pour the liquid mixture over the dry mixture, stirring until a dough forms (you may need to use your hands to ensure everything is well-mixed). Fold in the chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
5. Roll the dough into small balls (I go for 1-inch); place the finished balls (in a single layer) onto a plate or into a freezer-safe container.
6. Freeze for about 10 minutes until firm; bites can then be stored in the freezer in a freezer bag or in the refrigerator.

[adapted from Angela Liddon’s Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites, page 235 of The Oh She Glows Cookbook]

I know I make a lot of these, but these are great to keep at work for a healthy snack or bit of energy. They can easily be packed in lunches and are good at holding me over in the afternoons before dinner.