With all things fall on the horizon I wanted to kickstart the season with a fun pumpkin inspired recipe! Today I’m sharing a Pumpkin Cookie Dough Bite Recipe that is so good and easy to make! These bites are healthy, gluten free and a fun way to incorporate pumpkin into your diet this fall!
What’s the Scoop on Pumpkin?
Pumpkin is a healthy vegetable full of vitamins minerals and beta carotene. It’s rich in nutrients but low in calories so you can enjoy more of it! Pumpkin contains fiber and protein naturally so enjoying it as a treat will help fill you up and keep you full so that you don’t overeat on them. It’s also high in antioxidants which fight free radicals, are heart healthy and have anti-aging benefits.
WHY MAKE COOKE DOUGH BITES?
These bites are gooey, a little sweet and the perfect texture. It’s almost like eating a cake pop or brownie but instead of those sugar loaded desserts, the pumpkin bites will actually fuel your body instead of bog it down with nutrient poor ingredients. These are a healthy treat made with little added sugar, gluten free, contain fiber and protein! So not only do they curb your sweet tooth craving they provide nutrients your body needs. So if you are trying to lose weight or just eat healthier swapping processed foods for clean treats like these can help. Unlike an unhealthy candy bar or bowl of sugary ice-cream the clean ingredient pumpkin cookie dough bites are made with real food ingredients that will fuel your body instead of slow it down with processed chemicals, high fats and sugars.
The bites are gluten free made with just almond flour and peanut butter. They have a bit of protein and fiber which is a great wholefood alternative to a packaged cookie!
VARIATIONS
Instead of almond flour you can sub for oat flour or coconut flour if you have allergies or prefer the flavor better. Coconut flour is very absorbent so if you do swap almond flour out for coconut flour, make sure the bites don’t end up too sticky. Add extra peanut butter, pumpkin or a little water to the mixture as you blend so you end up with a nice consistency. I do love coconut flour but it’s pretty tacky alone in recipes like this, just make sure you sample and adjust accordingly so they aren’t to dry and chewy.
>Swap Maple Syrup for Honey
>Sub Almond butter for Peanut butter
>Sub semisweet chocolate chips for milk chocolate chips or cocoa nibs if you prefer.
>Add Pecans or Nuts you like to give them a crunch and more fiber.
PREP AHEAD
Making a double batch and freezing energy bites like these Pumpkin Cookie Dough Bites is a great way to stretch your time in the kitchen plus stocking up on them can help you stay on track and avoid other not so healthy foods or just eating chocolate chips straight from the bag!
To Freeze simply follow the instructions then lay all the bites flat on a cookie sheet or something that will fit nicely in your freezer. Flash freeze about an hour until they’re firm. Then add them all to a freezer friendly bag or container! When you want a clean healthy treat to take with you on a road trip or just to munch on after dinner, pull them out about 10 minutes beforehand or warm in microwave. I actually microwaved mine for about 20 seconds and they were perfect and so gooey that way!
I love hearing from you! Let me know how these turned out for you and if you made any variations to them! Tag me @smoothidiva on Facebook with your pics, it would make my day!
Enjoy!
Did You Make This Recipe?
I love hearing from you! Tag me on Facebook when you make this recipe and let me know how it turned out for you! https://www.facebook.com/smoothidiva