Yes, I wrote that combination of words correctly… It’s a dream come true, right? One of my favorite sweet snacks is cookie dough, but it’s always marred by the risk of that pesky salmonella. As a result, I rarely end up eating it, even though I crave it so often. After  stumbling upon the basis for this recipe, I was so excited!

When I’ve had a rough day, I put The Office on and nosh on something sweet. As I said above, I can’t usually curl up with some cookie dough with raw egg in it, so I end up resorting to cookie dough ice cream or just some chocolate chips. But now, there’s no need to settle! This is the ultimate indulgence, and while you probably don’t want to eat it everyday, this will conquer any bad day blues and sugar cravings. Not to mention, its vegan and gluten-free diet friendly too.

Now, you may be wondering how such an eggy, chocolate-y dessert could be vegan: the secret lies in the coconut oil. Coconut oil is a great substitute for eggs in baking, and adds just the right liquid-ish texture without any animal by-product. Apple sauce is another alternative, but I personally have found that it affects the flavor too strongly. That’s not to say it doesn’t taste amazing in muffins and other baked goods, but I’m just looking to get as close to a classic chocolate chip cookie dough as I can get. Do note that it definitely will have a slight coconut flavor (you can slightly reduce the amount according to taste and texture).

For the flour, we used gluten-free flour (easily found at places like Fred Meyers), although you can use oat or almond flour as well.

But what about the chocolate chips? They’re dairy free! Alternatively, you may use cacao nibs. Feel free to substitute or supplement the chocolate chips with other elements such as coconut flakes, dates, peanut butter, pumpkin puree, dairy-free white chocolate chips, cranberries, minced pecans, or sliced almonds (these add-ons are all vegan and gluten-free).

This recipe is super easy to make, has no cook time, and only uses one bowl.  It’s not time intensive, either….Took me less than 10 minutes to blend everything together. You can put it in the fridge in an airtight container and save for later, but you’ll want to pop it in the microwave for 15 seconds and stir it up to unsolidify the coconut oil (if warm cookie dough isn’t your thing, you can put it back in the fridge for a few minutes to chill it out, just don’t keep it in too long or it will start to turn back into a solid).

I’m not gonna lie, I’ve had some pretty bland vegan, gluten-free desserts. This is not one of them. And besides the subtle “coconutty” flavor, it tastes just like the toll house recipe that I’ve relied on for years. It’s creamy, it’s chocolate-y, it’s rich: everything you look for in cookie dough. Enjoy, and don’t forget to tag us in what you made with the hashtag #tryrootsandall!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (semi-solid)
• 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (can substitute for almond or oat flour)
• 3/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (can substitute for cacao nibs)
• Optional mix-ins: coconut flakes, dates, peanut butter,  pumpkin puree, dairy-free white chocolate chips, cranberries, minced pecans, or sliced almonds

How To Make It:

1. Mix brown sugar, white sugar, and coconut oil together. The coconut oil shouldn’t be completely liquid, but it shouldn’t be hard either: think a soft solid form, slightly warmer than room temperature (submerge jar in hot water to warm up if needed).
2. Add vanilla, coconut milk, and salt to mixture. Mix until creamy.
3. Mix in the flour in small increments until fully blended.
4. Mix in chocolate chips and other add-ons.