Coo Coo for Cookies :)

A few weeks ago, I wanted to celebrate my Sunday fun day with cookies, but not just any cookies, the chocolate chip cookies from the Red Velvet Cafe. I don't know how they fit so much delicousness into 27 calories of vegan heaven, but they make me so incredibly happy. They are the best cookies I have ever had. So I set out on a mission to recreate them. I first started by googling "Red Velvet Cafe recipes," no such luck, but hey it was worth a try. So I researched all kinds of vegan cookie recipes. Then I bought some of the Red Velvet Cafe ones to see the ingredient list (definitely not to eat in the car on the way home, I need instant gratification okay?!). I bought three kinds of flour and a giant jar of coconut oil. Yay!! I went home and started baking.

Then I failed miserably. I've been baking chocolate chip cookies for weeks to no avail. At least 15 unsuccessful batches of cookies. I can't get anything even remotely similar to those pillowy bites of heaven. Nothing even edible. So I've given up for now.

But no worries friends! I have a different solution. The best part of making cookies is eating the cookie dough throughout the baking. So while searching for cookie recipes, I came across a cookie dough recipe, which gave me the inspiration for these healthy, easy raw cookie dough bites. Prepare to have your mind blown.

Vegan Cookie Dough Bites
1 cup oat flour (put oats in the food processor until it becomes a fine powder)
1/3 cup dates, pitted and soaked in warm water for a few minutes, then drained
3 tbsp vegan butter
3 tbsp coconut oil (you can use all oil or all butter or any combination of fats, I just liked the flavors of these two)
3 tbsp applesauce
1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients except the chocolate in the food processor until really well combined. Then stir in the chocolate chips, roll the dough into 1 inch balls, refrigerate or freeze, and eat!! If you're feeling really chocolatey, like I was when I made them, you can dip them in melted chocolate and serve them with chocolate covered strawberries.

While I continue my search for perfect vegan, whole grain cookies, these will provide a fine substitute for my chocolate chip cookie craving.