Healthy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Dough! {No Bake}

  Lately I have been posting mostly sweet recipes and it kind of bugs me since I don't want y'all to think I only eat chocolate-covered treats throughout the week, especially since most of the recipes I've been sharing I actually made as far back as a few weeks ago but waited to post about it. After stopping by Central Market the other night and buying a few pounds of chicken breasts, a pound of large fresh scallops, and a lot of green veggies like baby bok choy (one of my favorites) I have several savory recipes in mind to share soon. I've also been thinking up a few new recipes for soup since according to my mom the changing weather will be "soup weather" soon.

But right now we are still talking about sweet treats. 

  Have you ever stopped by Katie's blog: Chocolate-Covered Katie? Her blog is full of amazing small portioned desserts that are healthy so you don't have to feel guilty about having nutella fudge, chocolate pumpkin brownies ,and I especially want to try the cookie dough dip. This recipe was kind of inspired by her cookie batter recipes.

  This recipe is gluten free, refined sugar free, can be vegan, and tastes sinful!
  The title," Healthy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Batter, " gives you a pretty good idea of what this delicious recipe is made of and what it tastes like. The sweetness comes from large Medjool dates & a little maple syrup, the oat flour gives it a nutty flavor, and a good quality chocolate just makes everything better. I actually tested this recipe out about 2 weeks ago and the result was okay, but after tweaking and testing it a few more times I finally got this recipe.

This makes enough batter to fill an "average" size coffee mug 3/4 full which makes enough batter to last me a few days.

Healthy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Dough

                                             Created by Rayna of Curious Country Cook
                                                                         

10 Medjool Dates, Pitted
4 Tbsp coconut oil or butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 -1 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1/2 cup oat flour (gluten free oats)*
1/3 cup favorite chocolate bar, chopped or mini chocolate chips


Notes:
*To make you own oat flour, add 1 cup of oats (gluten free or regular) into a small blender or food processor and blend until a fine powder.
-You could try using light agave instead of maple syrup.

1. Put the pitted dates into a small bowl, pour enough boiling water to cover the dates, and sit aside for at least 15 minutes.  Reserve 1 tbsp of date water before draining the softened dates.
2. Add the softened dates, melted oil/butter, vanilla extract, 1/2 tbsp maple syrup, and the reserved date water into a food processor. Blend on high for 2 minutes, or until the dates break down and the mixture is smooth.
3. Dump the oat flour into the processor bowl and blend again until no flour is visible. Add in the 1/3 cup chocolate before pulsing a few times to get everything incorporated.
4. Taste to adjust sweetness -I usually use 1/2-1 Tbsp of maple syrup, but you could add more to making it sweeter.

 I prefer to enjoy this chilled so I pour the batter into a bowl or mug, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for a few hours.