My Gluten-Free Vegan No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls are an easy and healthy recipe that's made with only 8 clean, real food ingredients. They're the perfect plant-based no-bake dessert made without chickpeas or eggs and can be prepared in under 15 minutes!
Real Vegan Method™ Recipe
This recipe is part of the Real Vegan Method™...a simple step-by-step way to move beyond processed vegan foods and become a confident Real Food Vegan.
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love Gluten-Free Vegan Cookie Dough Balls!
- Perfect for Meal Prep + Freezer Friendly: make a batch, freeze them, and enjoy a grab-and-go-treat anytime!
- Can Be Prepared in Under 15 Minutes: this is a no-bake dessert with no complicated steps - just mix, roll, and enjoy!
- Made with Clean, Real Food Ingredients: my cookie dough balls are made with pantry staples such as almond flour, maple syrup, almond butter and dairy-free chocolate chips!
Karielyn
Jump to RecipeEdible and Food Safe Raw Cookie Dough Balls
You'll love how this recipe is made without white flour, white sugar, butter or eggs which are standard ingredients in chocolate chip cookies, but not safe to eat raw.
Instead, I used clean, real food ingredients such as almond flour, almond butter, maple syrup, pure vanilla extract, coconut oil, and allergy-free chocolate chips.
My healthy, plant-based recipe is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, no-bake, no refined sugar, and paleo-friendly.
"Feel good about what you eat..."
- Karielyn Tillman
Ingredients
Here are the clean, real food ingredients I used to make this recipe. Try to buy organic if possible.
Key Ingredients:
- Almond Flour
- Almond Butter
- Maple Syrup
- Coconut Sugar
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Enjoy-Life Mini Chocolate Chips
- Coconut Oil
- Himalayan Pink Salt
That's it! My Gluten-Free Vegan No-Bake Cookie Dough Balls are super easy to make!
How To Make No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here's how to make almond flour cookie dough balls and I'll also show you how easy it is with these step-by-step instructions below.
- Before beginning, prepare a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then set aside.
- Step 1: Add all the ingredients for the balls to a large mixing bowl.
- Step 2: Stir everything together until evenly distributed.
- Step 3: Take out about a tablespoon at a time and roll the mixture in the palm of your hands into a ball shape. Place the balls onto the prepared cookie sheet and transfer the cookie sheet to the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to firm.
- Step 4: Melt the ingredients for the chocolate coating using the double boiler method (see details in the recipe card) on lowest heat, stirring until smooth, and taking care to not let it burn. Dip each ball into the chocolate until completely coated, then return the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes or until the chocolate hardens.
did you know?
I'm The "No-Bake Dessert Queen"!
I absolutely love to make no-bake desserts and even wrote and published an entire cookbook called CLEAN DESSERTS which contains 72 gluten-free + vegan no-bake desserts made with clean, real food ingredients!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Traditional cookie dough contains raw flour and eggs which make them unsafe to eat raw.
However, you can enjoy my edible no-bake cookie dough balls safely because they are 100% vegan and do not contain eggs or raw flour.
Yes! You can substitute make the following substitutions to keep the cookie dough balls nut-free:
Almond Butter ---> Sunflower Seed Butter
Almond Flour ---> Oat Flour
Yes! You can substitute the maple syrup with an unrefined granular sweetener such as coconut sugar in the same amount.
Yes! Feel free to add your favorite ingredients or whatever you have on hand.
Here are some examples:
Cacao Nibs
Chopped Pistachios
Chopped Nuts
Dried Fruit (such as Cranberries!)
Have fun and be creative!
No, no chickpeas here!
A common ingredient in no-bake vegan cookie dough is chickpeas, or 'garbanzo beans".
However, not to worry because there's nothing wrong with using chickpeas.
In fact, I used chickpeas in my Cookie Dough Bars recipe in my CLEAN DESSERTS Cookbook and they are delicious!
But some diets don't allow chickpeas or you may not care for the taste of chickpeas which makes this recipe perfect!
In addition, traditional cookie dough is made with eggs, making it not only non-vegan but also unhealthy to consume raw.
In my plant-based version, I created a cookie dough that does not contains eggs.
You can store them in an airtight, BPA-free container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Before storing them, allow them to set in the freezer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper before putting them into an airtight, BPA-free container to prevent them from sticking together.
In my opinion, yes!
Let's look at the ingredient list of a popular S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) edible cookie dough:
Pillsbury Eat or Bake Cookie Dough Chocolate Chip Ingredients: Enriched Flour Bleached (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Chocolate Chips (Sugar, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavor), Palm Oil, Water, Canola Oil. Contains 2% or less of: Molasses, Eggs, Baking Powder (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate), Salt, Artificial Flavor
It contains bleached flour, white sugar, inflammatory seed oils, GMO ingredients and artificial flavors.
My healthier version is made with only 8 clean, real food ingredients such as almond flour, almond butter, maple syrup, coconut sugar, pure vanilla extract, Enjoy-Life chocolate chips, coconut oil, and Himalayan pink salt.
Karielyn's Expert Tips
Here are my best tips to help you make the Best Edible No-Bake Cookie Dough Balls perfectly every time. These small adjustments can make a big difference in the flavor and texture.
Pro Tips
- Use superfine almond flour: it creates the smoothest, most authentic cookie dough texture.
- Use runny almond butter: if your almond butter isn't runny, warm it slightly to make mixing easier and to prevent the dough from becoming crumbly.
- Adjust sweetness to your taste: if you prefer a sweeter taste, add 1-2 extra teaspoons of maple syrup.
- Chill the dough before rolling if it's sticky: if your dough is sticky, chill it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to firm the dough.
- Add optional protein: if you want to add extra protein, replace 2-3 tablespoons of almond flour with a clean, real food vegan protein powder such as Sprout Living Epic Protein - Vanilla Lucuma.
Ingredient Substitutions
Almond Flour. Even though the recipe calls for (2) cups of almond flour, you may need an extra 1-2 tablespoons depending on the consistency of the nut butter you use. For example, a thin, runny nut butter will need a little extra almond flour. Start with (2) cups and add an additional (1) tablespoon, as needed, until the mixture has a thick, cookie dough consistency that will hold a ball shape.
Almond Butter. I used almond butter because it's a neutral-flavored nut butter, but you can substitute it with cashew butter, peanut butter or even sunflower seed butter.
Maple Syrup. This can be substituted with another liquid sweetener like organic date nectar or organic coconut nectar.
Coconut Sugar: I added this ingredient to replace brown sugar that is typically used in chocolate chip cookies. It adds an extra dimension to the sweetness. If you don't have coconut sugar, you could substitute with organic brown sugar.
Chocolate Chips. I prefer to use mini-chocolate chips in this recipe so they aren't so overpowering in the balls, but you can use standard-size chocolate chips if you prefer. If you use standard-size chocolate chips, you may want to reduce the amount from (1) cup to ½ cup since they are larger in size.
Coconut Oil. If you don't like the taste or smell of coconut oil, use organic refined coconut oil which has zero coconut taste or smell. In addition, I used such a small amount to help harden the chocolate and can be omitted if you prefer.
Himalayan Pink Salt. This is my salt of preference, however, you can always substitute with sea salt.
Struggling To Eat Vegan Without Relying on Processed Ingredients?
If you rely on packaged vegan food and ingredients or feel overwhelmed trying to eat healthier, this recipe shows how easy real food vegan meals can be...without sacrificing flavor or comfort.
The Method Behind All My Recipes
If you love clean, real food vegan recipes like this one, you'll love the method behind them.
The Real Vegan Method™ 14-Day Reset helps you:
- Move beyond processed vegan substitutes
- Cook with clean, real food ingredients
- Make plant-based eating simple + consistent
All my recipes - including this one- are based on the Real Vegan Method™.
Gluten-Free Vegan No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls
Ingredients
For the balls:
- 2 cups almond flour (plus more, if needed to thicken)*
- ½ cup organic almond butter
- ½ cup Enjoy Life semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup organic maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons organic coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons organic pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
For the chocolate coating:
- ½ cup Enjoy Life semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon organic coconut oil
Instructions
- Prepare a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and set aside.
Prepare the ball mixture:
- Add all ingredients for the balls to a large mixing bowl and stir until everything is well combined.
- *Depending on the consistency of your nut butter, you may need to add a little extra almond flour. For example, a runny nut butter will need more almond flour and a thick nut butter may not need any extra. Add (1) tablespoon at a time until the mixture has the texture of thick cookie dough.
Assemble the balls:
- Take out about (1) tablespoon of the mixture out at a time, squeeze it tightly in your fist, then roll it into a ball shape between the palms of your hands.
- Place the balls on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Transfer the cookie sheet to the refrigerator for approximately 10-15 minutes to chill and firm.
Prepare the chocolate coating:
- While the balls are chilling, prepare the chocolate topping using a double boiler method.
- Add about 1-2 inches of water to a small saucepan then place a glass or stainless-steel mixing bowl on top.
- Add the ingredients for the chocolate topping to the glass or stainless-steel bowl and melt on the lowest heat, stirring until the mixture is smooth. The steam from the simmering water in the saucepan will gently melt the chocolate. Take extra care to not let the water boil or the chocolate will burn.
Assembly:
- Remove the cookie sheet from the refrigerator and dip each ball into the chocolate mixture, gently tossing so that all sides are covered.
- Place the chocolate-coated balls back onto the cookie sheet and return to the refrigerator for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the chocolate hardens.
- Store in an air-tight BPA-free container in the refrigerator until ready to serve because they will get soft if left out at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
Copyright Notice
The instructions, notes, and photographs for this recipe by Karielyn Tillman of The Healthy Family and Home™ website are copyrighted material. This copyrighted work is protected and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International License and the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) and cannot be legally used without my written permission.
More Healthy Vegan No-Bake Ball Recipes
- Dried Blueberry Protein Energy Balls
- Triple Seed Energy Balls
- Cranberry Lemon Ball Truffles
- or my Real Vegan Method™ 14-Day Reset with 42 plant-based vegan + gluten-free recipes made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!
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