No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars
Let me introduce you to one of my all-time favorite desserts: No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars. Easy to make, delicious, better-for-you—making these is a no-brainer.
These bars are made with nutritious whole food ingredients, making them lower in carbs and higher in beneficial nutrients like protein, fiber, and healthy fats. The chickpeas help create the doughy base, but trust me there’s no chickpea flavor to be found. These bars also happen to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free, so they’re perfect for accommodating various dietary restrictions. Whip these up and keep a stash in the freezer for whenever you want a healthier sweet treat.
No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars
Ingredients:
1 15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup creamy almond butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips (dairy-free if needed)
1-2 tsp coconut oil (for thinning out the chocolate layer)
flaked sea salt, for topping
instructions:
Add chickpeas, almond flour, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt to a food processor and blend until smooth.
Add 1/2 cup chocolate chips to dough and stir to mix.
Place cookie dough in an 8x8 inch parchment lined baking dish. Top cookie dough with another piece of parchment paper and press down to spread the cookie dough so it fills the pan in an even layer.
Melt the remaining chocolate chips and coconut oil in the microwave, heating for 30 second increments, stirring in between until chocolate is fully melted.
Spread melted chocolate over cookie dough and top with flaked sea salt.
Freeze cookie dough bars for at least 1 1/2 hours. Cut into squares (might need to let soften slightly to reduce cracking of chocolate). Store bars in the freezer. You can eat them straight from the freezer or let them sit for about 5 minutes for a softer, doughier texture.