Vegan High Protein Cookie Dough and Vegan Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Wednesday was a really trying day at work, one of those where I feel like I take one step forward and one back every time I tried to make something. You know, not all of the ingredients were there so I had to transfer more, or I got interrupted or I had to open new containers of things.  If you work in a kitchen you get what I mean.  At the end of the day I just wanted to go for a walk outside in the sun with Eric, but it happened to be rainy and cold instead.  But It was nice to have a chat anyhow and the rain was calming.  Even though I was feeling a little better and happier, when I got home, I decided that I deserved something really good for surviving this difficult day, and I decided to make cookies.  I mean...cookie dough.  Yes, that is right, I did not bake it.  I just ate it.

Ever since I was a little kid in my Grandma's kitchen, I have liked cookie dough better than actual baked cookies.  I used to steal chunks of dough when she wasn't looking and she would always tell me, "Don't eat too much or you will get a tummy ache." Never warnings about salmonella though. And, I never got a stomach ache.  The cookies warm from the oven were good too but the dough was my favorite.  I am still like that.  I look forward to making cookies so I can eat the dough.  I know some of you know where I am coming from and you just want to eat the dough too.

I was going to make a no bake cookie dough I had made before just for snacking on, but I decided that I needed a little extra protein for muscle repair since I had worked out hard that morning.  I included a secret ingredient in my dough that I happen to have a lot of all the time, chickpeas!  I eat chickpeas a lot in the afternoon for a snack, so I figured I would get my snack in and combat that cookie dough craving too.  The dough actually turned out really delicious!  I sweetened it with dates, which gave it a bit of a caramelly flavor, and added in some nut butter for richness, a touch of vanilla and it was so tasty!  Even better of course once I added the chocolate chips.  Who says you can't make cookie dough just to eat it.  This stuff is so good you will find yourself making it again and again. And, I couldn't stop at just eating it plain, I decided to make some of it into vegan salted caramel cookie dough ice cream!  OMG was it ever delicious!  If you want to make it, simply make the cookie dough recipe below, and then make my 5 Ingredient Vegan Salted Caramel Ice Cream , stirring little pieces of the cookie dough in after the churning stage.

Vegan High Protein Cookie Dough
Makes about 2 cups

• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1 cup pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes and drain well)
• 1/4 cup raw pecan butter or almond butter
• 2 Tbsp coconut butter (or oil will also work for this recipe), melted
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup filtered water
• 1 1/2 cups gluten free oat flour (or other gluten free flour)
• 1 cup vegan chocolate chips

1. In a high speed blender or food processor, combine the cooked chickpeas, dates, nut butter, coconut butter, vanilla, sea salt, water, and blend until smooth.
2. Remove from the blender or processor, and mix in the flour and chocolate chips.
3. Enjoy!  Store unused dough in the refrigerator.