It’s no secret that I love cookie dough. My Monster Cookie Dough bites are one of my absolute favorites, mostly because they harken back to my childhood days, when I’d sit on the counter, bowl in lap, refusing to let anyone bake my doughy treasure.
These go an altogether different direction than the Monster Cookies, embracing the magic of fall for a treat that’s seasonal, but not cloyingly so. The cookie dough base is studded with sweet, sautéed apples before being drizzled in a three-ingredient caramel sauce that requires no more energy than a quick stir.
The secret ingredient in the caramel sauce? Molasses. Molasses not only is a rich source of iron and other vital minerals, it offers a nuanced depth of flavor that instantly creates that sticky, maillard-rich caramel vibe we all know and love.
I love to store these in my freezer so I have them on hand when I’m a little hungry between meals, or a sweets craving strikes. I hope you love them!
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Healthy Caramel Apple Cookie Dough Bites (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan)
Ingredients
For cookie dough bites
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 medium apple (you can use any kind you like), finely chopped (you’re looking for about 1 1/4 cups)
- 1/2 cup cashew butter (feel free to sub your favorite nut or seed butter!)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 cup oat flour
For caramel
- 1 tablespoon cashew butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses
- Pinch of fine grain sea salt
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium-high. Add apple and cook until it’s turning brown on the edges. Set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, stir together the cashew butter, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, maple syrup, and oat flour until smooth. Stir in apples until well distributed.
- In a separate bowl, stir together all of the caramel ingredients: cashew butter, maple syrup, molasses, and salt.
- Scoop cookie dough by rounded spoonful (I used a small cookie dough scoop) onto parchment lined paper. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Freeze until solid. Store in a tightly sealed container in the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy! Makes 12 bites.
