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Ricki Heller

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Grain-Free, High Protein Raw Cookie Dough Snack

by Ricki Heller 59 Comments

Grain-Free, High-Protein Raw Cookie dough for candida diet

One of the fundamental principles taught in English 101 is the essay “thesis statement”–that’s your stance on an issue, your argument, your point of view. When I first learned how to craft a thesis, my professor was very clear: never choose a topic related to life-or-death issues, because the goal of the essay is to convince someone of your viewpoint, and it’s virtually impossible to shift someone’s opinion when it comes to topics like capital punishment, abortion, or whether or not God exists.

Instead, he advised, choose a subject where people may hold a position but are still open to change, such as whether or not drinking coffee is bad for you, whether dogs are better pets than cats, or whether Julia Roberts is grossly overrated as an actress. (Okay, that last one doesn’t count, since we all know that Julia Roberts is grossly overrated as an actress.).

When it comes to eating raw cookie dough, people’s opinions seem to be just as polarized as they are on those life or death issues. In one camp, you have people who find the practice repugnant (well, hello, HH), and would never think to let a drop of raw dough pass through their lips.

Others, like me, actually prefer the raw batter to the baked cookies. We have no idea how many cookies our recipes actually yield, because at least half the bowlful is consumed before any of it hits the cookie sheet.

When my sisters and I were young, we’d all hover around my mom as she stirred up her cookie dough, drifting in and out of range but never straying too far out, like balloons tethered to a picnic table.  As soon as she scooped the final cookie, we’d swoop in and the negotiations began.

“If you get the bowl, then I get the wooden spoon and the beaters.”

“No waaaaay!”

“Well, it’s not fair if you get the spatula! There were more chocolate chips left on the spatula!”

“But you got the spoon! And anyway, you can just have an extra cookie.”

“I don’t want an extra cookie. I want extra dough. Waaaahhhh. . . . . ”

Sometimes, if we were stealthy enough, we’d manage to grab a raw blob of dough right off the sheet and pop it in our mouths before my mother noticed.

Grain-Free, High Protein Cookie Dough Candida Snack on rickiheller.com

As soon as I was old enough to bake my own cookies, I reveled in being able to eat all the dough I wanted. And then, once I shifted to a vegan diet, well, there was simply no stopping me (no salmonella to worry about! no sisters with whom to argue! no one to reprimand me for double dipping!).

As an undergrad living in residence, I believed I’d hit the jackpot (though later realized it was just the opposite) with a room mate who also loved raw cookie dough; we’d buy bags of Quaker Oats instant chocolate chip oatmeal cookie mix, stir it up in a bowl, and. .  . eat. (I know. But hey, at least we weren’t doing drugs. Unless you count sugar as a drug).

Although I’ve converted to a much healthier way of eating these days, I never lost my love of raw cookie dough. But how to create something that was “safe” on an anti-candida diet, grain-free, low glycemic, high protein–and that still tasted like cookie dough?

Well, my friends, I am delighted to tell you, this is it.

Last week, I posted a quick photo on Facebook of my food processor in the testing phases of this recipe. Wow, the reaction was instant! It looks like I’m not the only one who loves to snack on cookie dough.

Not only is this cookie dough grain-free and high protein with no added oil, it’s also got a texture like. . . cookie dough. While I’ve concocted cookie dough recipes before, they always contained grains or added oil to impart that rich, smooth, creamy mouthfeel. With this batch, I’ve accomplished all that, without even adding natural sweeteners beyond stevia.

I’ve been dipping into this snack all week. Clearly, I still love my cookie dough! And the best part? As I said, the HH isn’t a fan . . .  so no sharing required.

Last Year at this Time:  Faux Kombucha (gluten free; ACD all stages)

Two Years Ago:  Freeform Blueberry “Cream Cheese” Danish (gluten free; ACD Stage 3 and beyond)

Three Years Ago: Layered Mexican Casserole (gluten free; ACD 2 and beyond)

Five Years Ago: Mint Smoothie (gluten free; ACD  3 and beyond, or use stevia for all stages)

Grain-Free, Raw Cookie Dough Candida Diet Snack on rickiheller.com

Grain-Free, High Protein Raw Cookie Dough Snack

The combination of applesauce and stevia provides just the right amount of sweetness for my palate. If you prefer a sweeter mix, simply add 1-2 tablespoons of agave, coconut sugar, or sweetener of choice to the processor bowl before adding the chips.

2 cups (480 ml) well cooked navy beans, chickpeas or white kidney beans, or a combination (I used half navy beans and half chickpeas)

1/4 cup (60 ml) natural smooth almond butter

1/4 cup (60 ml) canned full-fat coconut milk (or a bit more, as needed)

1/4 cup (60 ml) unsweetened applesauce

1 Tbsp (15 ml) mesquite powder or lucuma powder

2 Tbsp (30 ml) coconut flour

1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon

1 Tbsp (15 ml) pure vanilla extract

1/8-1/4 tsp (.5-1 ml) pure stevia powder, to your taste

fine sea salt, to your taste

1/3 cup (80 ml) cacao nibs, unsweetened carob chips, or dairy free chocolate chips

In a food processor, blend everything except the cacao nibs until smooth and creamy. If necessary, add 1-2 more tablespoons (15-30 ml)  coconut milk to achieve a smooth, frosting-like consistency.

Add the cacao nibs and pulse to incorporate and chop up the nibs a bit.  Taste and add more salt and/or stevia as needed.  Store in a covered container in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Makes about 3 cups (720 ml).

Note: the mixture will thicken up after being refrigerated for a few hours. If you prefer a thicker cookie dough, chill for at least 4 hours to allow to firm up. If the texture is still not to your liking at that point, add up to 2 tsp (10 ml) more coconut flour.

Suitable for: ACD  Stage 2 and beyond, sugar-free, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, egg free, soy-free, vegan, low glycemic.

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© Ricki Heller

[Disclaimer: this post may contain affiliate links. If you buy using these links, at no cost to you, I will earn a small commission from the sale.]

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Filed Under: ACD Maintenance, ACD Stage Three, ACD Stage Two, anti candida diet, chocolate, cookies, dessert, gluten free, grain free, nuts, raw, recipes, snacks, Uncategorized, vegan Tagged: anti candida diet, anti-candida, beans, chocolate, coconut flour, cookie dough, cookies, dairy free, dessert, easy, egg free, food allergies, food sensitivities, gluten free, grain free, healthy, high protein cookie dough, legumes, nuts, parve, quick, raw, raw cookie dough, recipes, sugar free, sweet, vegan, vegetarian, wheat-free

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. zosia says

    June 5, 2013 at 2:33 pm

    any ideas on what to use instead of the beans?

    my tums cannot handle beans 🙁

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 5, 2013 at 4:34 pm

      Zosia, this recipe relies on the beans, unfortunately, to provide the bulk of the recipe. If you’re just looking for a cookie dough snack, though, then any vegan dough will do–they can all be eaten safely raw! I personally LOVED this carob cookie dough raw, but this grain-free cashew chocolate chip was pretty spectacular, too. I’d try one of those. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Megan @ Allergy Free Alaska says

    June 5, 2013 at 2:42 pm

    Oh Ricki Heller… I think I love you!! 😉 I just might have cheat on the apple sauce. How do you think this would taste without the mesquite or lucuma powder? I need to get some eventually, but just haven’t been able to yet. Thank you for the recipe!!
    Hugs,
    Megan

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 5, 2013 at 4:35 pm

      Megan, you could go with carob powder instead of the mesquite–not identical, but still delicious. And if you do skip the applesauce, add a little liquid or oil to compensate, plus just a *tiny* bit more stevia. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂 (PS I love you, too). 😀

      Reply
  3. Nicole says

    June 5, 2013 at 2:43 pm

    You always have such a unique mix of ingredients, Ricki! That’s what I love about your recipes. I bet this one’s delicious! I can’t wait to try it.

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 5, 2013 at 4:36 pm

      Thanks so much, Nicole! Well, I certainly thought it was delish, anyway! 🙂 I hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think!

      Reply
  4. Andrea says

    June 5, 2013 at 3:11 pm

    I never was a big cookie dough fan, but never too late, right?

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 5, 2013 at 4:37 pm

      That’s the spirit, I say! Never too late for lots of things. . . like traveling across the country to a super-cool and exciting conference, for example! 😉

      Reply
  5. Heather J says

    June 5, 2013 at 3:11 pm

    Looks good, Ricki!

    Just wanted to point out the “nut-free” label in the “suitable for:” line is not true, since you used almond butter. I bet sunflower butter could be a decent sub though.

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 5, 2013 at 4:37 pm

      YIKES!! Sloppy editing on my part–so sorry! Will take it out stat. And you’re right–sunflowerseed butter (and also tahini) work really well as a sub in this recipe. (I had to test, of course). 😉

      Reply
  6. Cheryl Harris says

    June 5, 2013 at 3:50 pm

    2 words: crazy delicious!
    I can’t wait to try this. It looks incredible!

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 5, 2013 at 4:38 pm

      Thanks, Cheryl! I hope you love it. (I did.). 😀

      Reply
  7. Judith Kingsbury (@savvyveg) says

    June 5, 2013 at 5:14 pm

    Hi Ricki, this may seem like a strange question … but could these be baked as … say … cookies?

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 5, 2013 at 7:42 pm

      Hi Judith,

      Not a silly question at all. . . I actually DID try to bake them, and they were edible, but just. 😉 This particular mix of ingredients really was formulated to taste best raw! I do have lots of other cookie recipes (intended to be baked) on the blog, though. . . ! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Johanna GGG says

    June 5, 2013 at 10:38 pm

    I used to argue over beaters and bowl too with my siblings. I have always liked cookie dough for the naughtiness of eating it when it should be going in the oven – the idea of making it just to eat it seems to take all the fun away – though I can imagine dipping into it when I shouldn’t.

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 5, 2013 at 10:56 pm

      Oh, take my word for it–it is still lots of fun to eat. 😉

      Reply
  9. Heather @Gluten-Free Cat says

    June 6, 2013 at 9:18 am

    YUM! My mom’s mixer had two beaters. One for me and one for my brother to lick. I LOVE cookie dough and will love this recipe. Thanks so much!!

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 6, 2013 at 1:32 pm

      So funny how many people had that same experience! 🙂 I hope you enjoy this!

      Reply
  10. Erica says

    June 6, 2013 at 10:09 am

    Oh Ricki, this looks amazing!

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 6, 2013 at 1:32 pm

      Thanks, Erica! Guilt-free (and share-free) 😉

      Reply
  11. Jill says

    June 6, 2013 at 12:37 pm

    What is mesquite or lucuma powder? I have never heard of it. Is there something that can be substituted for it? Looking forward to trying this recipe!

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 6, 2013 at 1:35 pm

      Hi Jill,
      Thanks for your comment! They are both considered “superfoods” and come in a powdered form. Both add a certain subtle caramel or butterscotch flavor. You can see the mesquite here, and the lucuma here. Another good sub with a slightly different flavor is carob powder. If you can’t find any of those, try adding another flavoring, such as peppermint extract, orange, etc.! Let me know how it turns out! 🙂

      Reply
  12. jodye @ chocolate and chou fleur says

    June 6, 2013 at 1:16 pm

    This sounds just divine! I can imagine the richness imparted by the coconut milk, and the lovely flavor of the lucuma. I’m absolutely going to have to make this!

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 6, 2013 at 1:36 pm

      Thanks so much, Jodye! Let me know what you think if you do give it a try! 🙂

      Reply
  13. Brenda@SugarFreeMom says

    June 6, 2013 at 4:31 pm

    Ricki!!! This looks absolutely phenomenal!! I am wondering if I could use coconut butter in place of the almond since my youngest has a tree nut allergy, what do you think? Can’t use soynut butter as my oldest has a soy allergy.

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 6, 2013 at 6:17 pm

      Aw, thanks, Brenda! 😀 I actually *did* use coconut butter in an earlier version, and it tasted great. Just keep in mind that coconut butter will solidify much harder than almond butter, so you’ll need to add a little extra coconut milk to compensate or the dough will be very firm, even at room temps! I also tried it with sunflower seed butter and it worked, but personally I find the taste a little strong. Tahini (sesame seed butter) is another option. Play and see which you like best (and then come back and tell me how it worked so I can add a note to the recipe!) 😀

      Reply
  14. Cherie says

    June 6, 2013 at 10:21 pm

    I had two younger sisters, so Mom would give two of us the beaters and the third one would get the spoon and what was let in the bowl. Of course we had to rotate, lol! Anyway, can’t wait to make this this weekend…thanks Ricki!

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 6, 2013 at 10:47 pm

      That sounds fair! My mother never thought to rotate. . . we just duked it out each time! 😉

      Reply
  15. amber says

    June 6, 2013 at 10:53 pm

    Ricki,

    Your recipes are so darn creative. My goodness. This looks so amazing! I can’t believe white beans are hiding in there! I can’t wait to make this, Ricki. I just made some homemade almond butter. 🙂

    Have a great weekend.

    -Amber

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 7, 2013 at 5:20 pm

      Glad you like it, Amber! LOVE almond butter, too! I’ve been experimenting with lots of variations lately. . . so much fun. 🙂

      Reply
  16. Shannon says

    June 7, 2013 at 11:48 am

    mom never let me eat it as a kid, so i like to think i’m making up for lost time now 😉 i think cara has made something similar, which i tried and loved, so this will be up soon!

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 7, 2013 at 5:24 pm

      Oh, you poor thing! 😉 Glad you’re making up for lost time. I don’t remember Cara’s recipe (must go check it out!), but I know this type of thing seems to be everywhere lately. . . I did an earlier, raisin-oatmeal cookie dough version, on VegNews a while back. 🙂

      Reply
  17. raechel @the rebel grrrl kitchen says

    June 7, 2013 at 4:37 pm

    I was giggling all the way through this! I can relate to everything you said about your relationship to cookie dough! This recipe sounds absolutely perfect. Although my partner is never out-right judgey when he sees me sneak a spoonful (or three) of dough, I will feel even better about making this when he goes out of town for work this week. ; )

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 7, 2013 at 5:26 pm

      Always glad to know we weren’t the only ones obsessed with cookie dough! Hope you enjoy this one–have a great weekend! 😀

      Reply
  18. Dreena Burton says

    June 8, 2013 at 10:36 am

    DAMN that looks good, Ricki! If the girls see this photo, I’m in trouble. 😉

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 8, 2013 at 11:44 am

      Ha ha ha!! Why trouble? I’d say a batch of this would keep them occupied for *at least* half an hour. . . ! 😉

      Reply
  19. Christine says

    June 8, 2013 at 12:22 pm

    Sounds amazing! How strong is the stevia taste? I find it often has a way to stay prominent or linger, which I do not enjoy.

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 8, 2013 at 12:40 pm

      Christine, to my tastebuds, the stevia isn’t strong at all. That may be because I’m so used to it, but I think it has more to do with the brand. I use NuNaturals, which has the best flavor and no aftertaste, in my experience. Of course, if you’re okay with other sweeteners (I was trying to keep this one low, low, low glycemic), you can always add in some coconut sugar, agave, or maple syrup instead! 🙂

      Reply
  20. K says

    June 8, 2013 at 11:13 pm

    So excited and happy about this! But do you think I can use my vitamix instead of a food processor for this? I don’t have the latter anymore and am always trying to find ways to justify my purchase of the former. 🙂

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 9, 2013 at 12:02 am

      K, thanks for your comment. 🙂 Honestly, I’m not sure how it would work in a Vitamix, unless you did it in smaller batches and used the slowest setting to avoid liquefying it. That would be my best guess! It would still taste yummy, though. Let me know how it works out if you decide to try it that way! 🙂

      Reply
  21. Alisa says

    June 9, 2013 at 11:59 am

    Hmm, I’m still not down with the sweet bean dips, but this does look amazing!

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 9, 2013 at 2:11 pm

      Don’t think of it as a bean dip. Think of it as cookie dough (because that’s what it tastes like!!). 😀

      Reply
  22. Jenny Calechman says

    June 9, 2013 at 2:04 pm

    Looks so yummy! Any low fat substitutes for the coconut milk and almond butter? What is considered a serving?? 🙂

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 9, 2013 at 2:15 pm

      Hi Jenny,
      Thanks so much for your comment, and for visiting! I suppose you could use low-fat coconut milk if you wished. I honestly don’t think there’s a suitable sub for the almond butter, since it’s really the main “richness” contributor to this recipe; without it, the “dough” would be much dryer and much less palatable. I didn’t determine servings because everyone is different, but I would guess a standard amount would be 1/4-1/3 cup (60-80 ml). And note that there is only about 1 tsp (5 ml) of almond butter in that serving size, so not really an excessive amount! 🙂

      Reply
  23. Hannah says

    June 9, 2013 at 7:41 pm

    I’ve changed my mind. For our summer dinner, we can give the HH something savoury, but you and I will just curl up with a big bowl of this, two spoons, and endless hours in which to chatter away, right? Right. xo

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 9, 2013 at 9:35 pm

      Do you even have to ask? 😉

      Reply
  24. Alethea says

    June 11, 2013 at 4:44 am

    Oh wow! Ricki, I just made this and it is so delicious – I love cookie dough, but I’m not that fond of cookies themselves…I like squidgey food too much hahah!!!
    I made it in my vitamix and it worked perfectly, even though I subbed soy milk for the applesauce…SO THICK!
    The excess of exclamation marks is proof of my delight – thanks for yet another amazing recipe! xx

    Reply
  25. GiGi Eats Celebrities says

    June 12, 2013 at 2:23 am

    Whaaa?!?! Navy Beans! How interesting 🙂

    Reply
  26. Carole says

    June 20, 2013 at 5:49 pm

    Lovely work! Would you be happy to link it in to the current Food on Friday which is collecting snacks and treats? This is the link . I do hope to see you there. Cheers

    Reply
    • Ricki says

      June 20, 2013 at 6:09 pm

      Thanks for the invite, Carole! Sure, see you there. 🙂

      Reply
  27. Carole says

    June 20, 2013 at 11:05 pm

    Thanks for adding this to the treats table. I hope to see you again soon. Cheers

    Reply
  28. Connie says

    June 21, 2014 at 8:32 pm

    Just made this! AWESOME!!! This brought back a lot of memories for me. I used to fight with my siblings over the beaters and the bowl and the spatula!!

    I ran out of apple sauce so I used a whole apple instead and had to increase the coconut milk just a wee bit. And you’re right – the tahini works great!!

    Reply
    • Ricki Heller says

      June 22, 2014 at 10:56 am

      So glad you liked it, Connie! 😀 Glad I wasn’t the only one who had those batter-fights. (That may be the only disadvantage to this recipe–no beaters!!) 😉 And I do really enjoy the tahini in here, too. Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply
  29. Christina says

    September 7, 2014 at 10:55 pm

    Can I cook these? B/c……I didn’t have any cooked beans and wanted to ‘just make this’ with chickea flour, then wondered if I should’ve eaten it raw, and read that it may cause stomach irritation… So…lol, what to do to salvage? Add baking soda and some flax ‘eggs’ and call em cookies? 😀 Possible?

    Reply
    • Ricki Heller says

      September 7, 2014 at 11:47 pm

      Hi Christina,
      You could certainly try baking the “dough” that way. . . sounds like it might work. I’ve never done it, so let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
  30. Alicia says

    April 11, 2018 at 11:16 am

    I’m out of coconut flour. Could I use almond flour?

    Reply
    • Ricki Heller says

      April 12, 2018 at 10:29 am

      Hi Alcia, It should work–maybe a slightly different texture and flavor, but still good! 🙂

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 62 Kids Snack Ideas - The Taylor House says:
    November 13, 2013 at 8:33 am

    […] Grain-Free, High Protein Raw Cookie Dough Snack – You likely won’t have to ask the kids twice if they want cookie dough for their snack. Plus it’s good for them! […]

    Reply
  2. Candida diet, sugarfree, glutenfree Ricki's Raves post says:
    December 10, 2016 at 11:29 pm

    […] going to try replacing the coconut milk in this recipe or this one, and use it as an extra-creamy milk for lattes, smoothies, or my morning […]

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Ricki, cookbook author, professional recipe developer, holistic nutritionist and anti-candida crusader. Let me show you how easy it is to eat plant-based, sugar-free, gluten free food that tastes great!

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