chocolate chip cookie dough bars

If you’re a cookie dough lover but you want a grain-free version that you can snack on at your hearts content then these chocolate chip cookie dough bars are for you. All the fun of regular cookie dough but they’ll leave you feeling much better after eating big scoop!

I reckon everyone has early childhood memories of sitting on the bench with one of your favourite adults eating cookie dough from the bowl. Its one of the simple pleasures of being a kid since time immoral and while I don’t believe that practice should ever be replaced I do think as adults we should have a more digestible option for us cookie-dough lovers to be enjoyed on the regular. 

Since you’re here you clearly agree. 

Eat the dough straight from the bowl, roll it into balls or create these epic chocolate chip cookie dough bars- the choice is yours and the recipe is fully customisable. Don’t have choc chips? No worries, pop in your favourite nuts, some coconut or dried fruit and they’re just as good. 

Here is what your need

• Grass-fed butter. Salted or unsalted, you pick. I have teamed up with WESTGOLD butter to create this recipe, because their New Zealand Grass-fed butter is my all time favourite. Grass-fed butter gives the cookie dough the best flavour and texture and adds wonderful fat soluble vitamins to these healthier cookie dough bars. Butter is one of the worlds original superfoods and in my household we eat it as much as we can!
• Roasted cashew butter– or swap for any nut or seed butter you like. I tested this recipe with hulled tahini and peanut butter too and while they were both great cashew butter was the winner for both taste and texture. 
• Vanilla extract or paste. I would say this is an optional ingredient, but it is HIGHLY recommended. YOU JUST SHOULD NOT BAKE COOKIES WITHOUT VANILLA but hey, you do you. We use a whole tablespoon because vanilla in cookie dough is heaven. 
• Pure maple syrup. Maple syrup is the only sweetener in the dough itself and works best for this recipe. You could use honey but I found the taste too overpowering. 
• Blanched almond meal. Using almond meal instead of flour makes these chocolate chip cookie dough bars grain free but without affecting the texture. Personally I’ve never been a fan of eating raw flour or wheat (it just doesn’t sit well), and thus these digest a lot better for me. 

• Coconut flour. Yo only need a tiny amount of coconut flour to go a long way- in this recipe it helps to create that cookie dough texture without having to use a lot more almond meal. 
• Salt. Of course!
• Optional ingredients– baking soda and molasses. Both of these ingredients help to create a more traditional cookie dough taste, but if you don’t have them the recipe is wonderful without either. I have made many batches and added 1/2 cup of either roasted hazelnuts, free dried raspberries or roasted macadamia just to mix up the flavours. You can add these or anything else you like- or simply stick chocolate. 
• Dark chocolate chips. I use 80% dark chocolate chips to keep these chocolate chip cookie dough bars low of refined sugar, but you can use whatever you have. If you  can’t find dark chocolate chips just buy your favourite bar of dark chocolate and chop it up very finely. 

You’ll love these chocolate chip cookie dough bars because they are;

• Buttery, creamy and indulgent
• Customisable– add in whatever flavours you like
• Easy to whip up- this is a no-bake recipe
• You can serve them at room temperature, from the fridge and also the freezer
• They can be rolled into bliss balls or pressed into a mini cup moulds and dipped in chocolate (think Reece’s cups but BETTER)
• They are easily made without refined sugar (swap chocolate to a refined sugar free one, or omit and swap for nuts). 
• The cookie dough is grain free and easy on your digestion 

Tips for the best chocolate chip cookie dough bars

• Use room temperature ingredients. Make sure everything is at room temperature- especially the butter- to quickly whip these bars up. 
• Add molasses into the recipe IF you have it on hand. Molasses has such an intense flavour that the 1/2 tsp we add really does go a long way. Obviously there is no need to go buy a shoe jar if you don’t have it on hand. 
• Use dark chocolate (70-90%) to avoid these being too sweet. Milk chocolate is too sweet for this recipe. 
• Get creative with flavours. I love adding in things I need to use up in the pantry. My favourite additions have been chopped roast hazelnuts or macadamia or freeze dried raspberries. 
• Keep them in the fridge. Sadly these bars are not shelf staple and they are at their best enjoyed straight from the fridge. 

If you loved these chocolate chip cookie dough bars you might also enjoy

• The best healthy spiced carrot cake muffins
• Healthy passionfruit bars
• Paleo lemon curd slice
• Lemon blueberry cheesecake gummies
• Healthy fruit nut slice
• Grain free banana muffins

We hope you love these chocolate chip cookie dough bars as much as we do! If you make them we would love a review below, as it helps others find this recipe too. If you have any questions we always endeavour to get back to you quickly. Happy baking x

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