Cookie dough is arguably every woman’s best friend — and immortal enemy. While cookie dough can provide a world of comfort for a stressed student during midterm week, once that first bite is taken, it can be difficult to ever stop. And, with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ National Nutrition Month in full swing for March, super-processed, store-bought cookie dough should be avoided if students want to finish the month with healthy-eating habits. 

But the cookie dough in this recipe is not store-bought or highly processed. It is actually very healthy, easy to make and just as delicious as its sinfully unhealthy counterpart.

These cookie dough balls — while they look almost identical to any chocolate chip cookie dough — are vegan, almost 100 percent raw, gluten-free and, because of the protein provided by the cashews and oats, super filling. They also freeze well, so they can easily be available whenever a sweet craving strikes.

Follow the simple directions below, adapted from an Averie Cooks recipe, to satisfy both that sweet tooth and that grumbling stomach.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup raw unsalted cashews

1/3 cup oats or 1/4 cup of oat flour

2 tbsp. agave syrup

1 tbsp. maple syrup 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Directions:

1. Take the cashews and oats and blend them in either a food processor or a high-speed blender until the mixture starts to feel like a fine powder. Do not over-blend.

2. Then, add the agave syrup, maple syrup and vanilla extract, and blend in short spurts to avoid over-blending. 

3. Sprinkle chocolate chips into mixture and blend by hand.

4. Form the mixture into about 1-inch balls and serve. (If dough is sticky, cover the mixture and place it in the freezer until it hardens into a more workable dough.)

Yields approximately 15 cookie dough balls. 

Elizabeth can be reached at [email protected].