Cookie Dough Cravings

I love cookie dough. Part of me wonders why we ruin something so wonderful by baking it - the only reason I bake mine is to prevent me from eating it all in one sitting! Turbinado sugar is vegan and slightly healthier than white sugar, and I always use whole wheat flour, vegan Earth's Balance buttery sticks, and natural peanut butter, but really...cookie dough is just not a health food - no matter how I try to fool myself otherwise.

I like LaraBars (especially their cherry pie bar!) and I recently made some flourless PB cookies for my friend with Celiac's disease. Thinking about those two things kind of opened my mind to the idea that I don't necessarily need flour (flourless cookies) or refined sugars (LaraBars) to make a great dessert. So I did a little mixing and even my (VERY picky) little ones gobbled the "cookie dough" right up. Mmm...

Healthy Cookie Dough Alternative

• 3 ounces (about 12) Dates, dried and pitted
• 1/3 C. rolled oats
• 1 - 1 1/2 Tbs. Natural Peanut Butter
• splash of almond or soy milk

I put the dates in a food processor (after failing to adequately mash them by hand or with a hand blender) until they were mashed and sticky with no large chunks. Then I mixed in the oats and peanut butter but they weren't sticking together very well, so I added a splash of almond milk and that did the trick!

My 3 year old barely glanced at my concoction before refusing it and my 6 year old agreed to take a bite if I tried it first. Once she tried it, she couldn't get enough. When my 3 year old witnessed her enthusiasm, he decided to give it a try and the two of them polished off everything I hadn't already put in my mouth. I couldn't believe how much it tasted like my favorite cookie dough (peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate chip)! Not low calorie, but definitely a healthier, more natural alternative to most cookie doughs.