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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.

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)

Print This!

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

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