MACRO-FRIENDLY RECIPE: CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE DOUGH BITES
Sweets are a whole mood in our house and a day doesn’t go by that I don’t have something sweet somewhere in my day. When you’re tracking macros or being mindful of your caloric intake, it can sometimes feel like you have to stay away from sweets or foods that you enjoy, but we feel the opposite!
Enjoying a sweet treat when you want one (whether you’re tracking or not) is really important for having flexibility in your nutrition and for your relationship with food. It's also important for our mental and emotional health! As coaches, it is a major goal of ours to help people look past the idea that there are “good” and “bad” foods and focus on building general awareness about what is in the foods we choose to eat. Just because a food is labeled as “healthy” doesn’t mean we can eat it in unlimited quantities, and just because a food is high in calories doesn’t automatically make it bad.
Today’s post shares two yummy recipes for chocolate peanut butter cookie creations, each with a different calorie value. On some days, you may have some extra calories to spare and going for the more calorie-dense version is the best option. On other days, you may have less wiggle room and just want a bite of something sweet. Hopefully these help you see that cookies aren’t good or bad -- they are just options that may be right for different times and scenarios. There's a time and a place for everything, and we think that cookies should always be part of your life.
EASY CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE DOUGH BITES
HIGH VOLUME, LOW CALORIE OPTION
PREP TIME: 10 minutes | CHILL TIME: 2 hours | MAKES: 35 servings
WHAT YOU NEED:
225g instant oats
15g cocoa powder
100g powdered peanut butter, we used PB2
10g stevia
pinch salt
16g butter, or coconut oil for dairy free
125g unsweetened applesauce
45g mini chocolate chips, divided 30g and 15g
1t vanilla extract
90g peanut butter, creamy works best, no sugar added
180g unsweetened vanilla almond milk
WHAT TO DO:
Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment.
Add dry ingredients (oats, cocoa, powdered peanut butter, stevia, salt) to the bowl of a stand up mixer or a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix on low setting (or by hand) until well combined.
In a small saucepan, add applesauce, butter or oil, and 30g of the chocolate chips. Melt over low-medium heat, constantly stirring until melted and well combined. (You can also do this step in the microwave on a medium setting, making sure not to burn the chocolate). Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Add the mixture from the saucepan to the mixing bowl of dry ingredients. Add the peanut butter and mix on low speed. Once the “dough” starts to come together, slowly pour in the almond milk to achieve cookie dough consistency. Add in the remaining chocolate chips and mix for another 30 seconds.
Using a tablespoon measure, scoop dough and roll into balls, using your hands to pack dough together and place on the baking sheet. Put in the fridge and let chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
MACROS PER SERVING: 3P/5F/8C, 84 calories
You can find the recipe in the MyFitnessPal database by searching:
“KLN Recipe: Chocolate PB Cookie Dough Bites”.
KATE’S FAMILY NO BAKE COOKIE RECIPE
MORE CALORIE DENSE OPTION
PREP TIME: 10 minutes | CHILL TIME: 30 minutes | MAKES: 24 servings
WHAT YOU NEED:
½ C sugar
¼ C cocoa powder
½ C milk
½ C butter, or coconut oil for dairy free
1t vanilla extract
3 C instant oats
½ C peanut butter
WHAT TO DO:
Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment.
Add the sugar, cocoa powder, milk and butter to a medium saucepan and melt over low-medium heat, constantly stirring until melted and well combined. Bring mixture to a boil and boil for one minute. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Remove pan from heat and add in the remaining ingredients to the hot mixture and stir until combined.
Using a tablespoon measure, drop spoonfuls of mixture onto the baking sheet. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or until hardened. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
MACROS PER SERVING: 3P/5F/25C, 156 calories
You can find the recipe in the MyFitnessPal database by searching:
“KLN Recipe: No Bake Cookies”
For more easy, macro-friendly sweet treats: