Next Post
20 Minute Caribbean Shrimp Tacos with Roasted Jalapeño Pineapple Salsa.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
These 5 Ingredient Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies…
Watch the How-To Video Here:
Originally, this cookie recipe was supposed to be Friday’s post, but when I sat down to write today’s post, I really just wanted to write about cookies. Granted it’s currently very, very cold, and very, very snowy outside, so talking about a green salad, just didn’t seem right. Snow days need cookies, and hey, at least these cookies are healthy…ish!
Real talk for a second? Well I’ve loved creating some seriously bright recipes this January for our Healthy January, the one thing I have struggled with is healthier desserts. I always find healthier desserts a little harder than say, just throwing a whole bunch of extra vibrant food in a bowl and calling it a day. Unlike savory foods, desserts usually need a little sugar, and if there’s one thing all health experts agree on, it’s that sugar is pretty bad for us.
UGH. But what about our chocolate sweets, you know?
I’m not one to give up on a good challenge, so I had to start getting a little creative when it came to healthier sweets.
Enter these cookies. They are flourless, butterless, and contain no processed sugar.
So basically, they’re health food. Cookies for breakfast?
Um, OK.
And now you’re probably wondering how on Earth these cookies taste even remotely good without any of the usual ingredients cookies contain. Well, I have a secret ingredient.
DATES.
Yup, just dates. Chewy, incredibly sweet dates. I swear, for those of you who think dates aren’t any good, think again because they are a miracle ingredient when it comes to naturally sweetening food, and I love using them in place of processed sugars whenever possible.
Major bonus? Even though dates are incredibly sweet, they actually provide nutritional benefits and are high in antioxidants, potassium and magnesium. Just one serving of dates provides about fifteen percent of your daily fiber.
Cool. Cool.
Double major bonus? Dates are not only sweet and can replace sugar in recipes, but they’re also super sticky and moist, eliminating the need for binders like butter, oil, and sometimes eggs in vegan baking.
You see, you see? Miracle ingredient. I am a little bit obsessed…but moving along now.
PS. I sent about a dozen of these cookies over to my parent’s house for them to try. I wasn’t sure how they’d react because my mom is one of those people who thinks she doesn’t like dates…well, she loved these cookies, as did my dad. When you get mom’s approval on a cookie, you know it’s a good cookie.
Aside from the dates, these cookies are made up of four other ingredients: peanut butter, vanilla extract, a large egg, and a generous amount of dark chocolate or milk chocolate.
The peanut butter is the key flavor here and I LOVE it…but I’m sure you guys could have guess that. Peanut butter and chocolate are definitely one of my favorite combos. That said, if you’re opposed, or want to switch things up, these work with just about any other nut butter. I’ve made them with almond butter and they are equally delicious and cashew butter sounds like a genius idea.
A few notes.
I use organic, salted peanut butter that has no added oil or sugars. Just be sure whatever you are using is salted. If it’s not salted, make sure to add a pinch of salt to the dough.
If your dates are feeling dry, soak them in warm water for fifteen minutes or so to plump them up again. Drain the water off before using.
As for your melted chocolate, mine was only seventy-two percent dark. I could have definitely used a darker bar, but I just didn’t have any hand. You can use whatever percent chocolate you’d like. Milk, semi-sweet, or extra, extra dark, it all works. Just depends how healthy…ish you want to be.
Most important tip? Do not over bake these cookies…always under bake. Guys, there is no butter, no sugar, and no flour, if you over bake you are going to get a dry, burnt tasting cookie, and that’s not good. So set a timer when you put these in the oven and watch closely. Got it? Good.
Now that we have all the details, can we all agree to go home tonight and bake up some healthier peanut butter cookies?
I think our Tuesday needs a cookie…dunked in chocolate!
5 Ingredient Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies
Servings: 15 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 156 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter or almond butter
- 8 ounces pitted medjool dates (1 cup packed dates) (see notes for subs)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 8 ounces melted dark chocolate
- roasted peanuts, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the peanut butter, dates, and vanilla. Pulse until well combined and no large chunks of dates remain. Add the egg and pulse to combine. Roll the dough 14-15 balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Using a fork, gently press down on each dough ball to flatten and create a cross hatch pattern. Transfer to the oven and bake for 9-10 minutes. It's important not to over bake these cookies, so set a timer!3. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool. To make dipping easier, freeze the cookies for 10-15 minutes. Then drizzle or dip the cookies in chocolate and sprinkle with peanuts. Eat...or let the chocolate harden and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Enjoy!
Notes
Date Substitute: you can use 3/4-1 cup granulated sugar in place of the dates. Work wonderfully!
YES. IT. DOES. <–all caps are needed.
This post was originally published on January 23, 2018
These look so delicious. When I first saw the cookie photos I had no idea you used dates in them and then I read it and I was thinking WOW! Genius! I love using dates in dessert recipes but I’ve never used them in cookies. Such a healthy option, I love it.
Thank you so much Edwina! I hope you love these!
Weight watcher point…….whopping 10 freestyle!!
Great! Thank you!
Peanut butter and chocolate! Delicious! With dates – BRILLIANT!
Thank you so much Peggy!
This looks so good!
What kind of light do you use when shooting the photos? Only natural light? And do you use a reflector? Also, do you cover the windows with something, like a diffuser? I often think the light from outside ar pretty sharp. I think the light in your photos are so good!
Ida :):)
I use only natural light and don’t often use a reflector, but sometimes does do. It depends on the recipe. I don’t diffuse my windows. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Thank you so much for the reply!
Can I ask you what kind of camera lense you use on these pictures?
And I would LOVE to see a “behind the scenes” post when you take pictures and than use lightroom to edit them.
You are a huge inspiration. I am also a food blogger and are always trying to get better. My website is http://www.idagranjansen.com
Ida 🙂
I use a Canon 5D Mark iv. Please let me know if you have other questions. I will work on a behind the scenes post. Thanks! 🙂
Thank you :):)
What lense do you use on this photoes?
Sory for all the questions ?
Best regards
Ida
Hi Ida! This is a link to all my photography equipment! I thought this would be easiest. I like to shoot with both lenses! Thanks!
https://fett-weg.today/shop/photography/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Looks so good! I want to try it now.
Thanks! I hope you love this!
Yum this looks delicious thanks for sharing!
Thank you Arianna!
These are absolutely delicious! I did notice that if you try to handle them while hot they crumble, but once cool they are firm and do not crumble. I’m excited to add a new no sugar added recipe to my repertoire! Happy national peanut butter day, and I’m glad to have celebrated with these cookies!
I am SO glad you enjoyed these Natasha! Thank you!
cant wait to try these pb cookies…easy! Recipe..love it! Thanks!
Thank you Birdie!
I made winter bliss balls and they are delicious so totally on board with using dates. I have an older food processor so it was tough grinding dates. Someone mentioned using date paste any thoughts on that? Also have you ever used powdered peanut butter??
I think date paste will be fine, but I do not recommend using powdered peanut butter as I am not a fan of it’s taste or how it works in recipes. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
I have a recipe I have yet to publish for peanut butter cookies that is very similar, but a lot less healthy. Haha, whoops! Buy hey, cookies can’t always be healthy, right? 😀
That is so great! Cookies can’t always be healthy, but I thought since its Healthy January AND these taste amazing I would share! I hope you love these!
I have date paste I bought specifically for baking these recipes I always see on food blogs that use it/ dates. Ideas on how much of the paste I would use in this recipe, would it just be a 1:1? Thank you! I so want to make these!
HI! I am not really sure, but I am guessing around 1/2 cup of the date paste. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
My husband and I decided to cut out refined sugar this month, and these cookies are a life saver! We made them tonight and they are really good! My husband said he can’t tell the difference between these and regular peanut butter cookies. Thanks so much for the recipe!!
That is amazing and I hope it is going well! I am really glad you like these Kelsey! Thank you!
Every single day of the week calls for these!
Thank you Matt!
Hey Tieghan,
I love these healthy peanut butter cookies! 🙂 I agree the dates are wonderful and I like stuffing them with peanut butter or tahini and dipping them in chocolate, but these cookies sound lovely too! How do you dunk them without them falling apart? Haha I had that problem when I made your chocolate gingerbread cookies (I made sure to undertake them, but that made the chocolate dipping difficult). For healthy desserts, I’ve been seeing recipes for poached pears or roasted fruit with Greek yogurt. Maybe something like that would be good?
Although these cookies seem wonderful as well. 🙂
I hope you’re staying warm and sleep well!
These look amazing! What brand of peanut butter do you recommend?
I was wondering this too! I’m very intrigued and want to try these!
I used organic peanut butter from whole foods or Costco. I just make sure that the only ingredients are peanuts and salt. The 365 brand is great! Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂