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I make a big batch of fresh almond milk each week, and up until now, I’ve been at a loss for what to do with the leftover pulp.
As I understand it, much of the nutrition from the almonds is released during the blending process and transferred into the almond milk, which is why the remaining almond pulp is rather bland and lacks the texture of traditional almond flour. This is why I’ve had no issue throwing almond pulp into the compost bin up until now, but due to high demand for almond pulp recipes, I kept at it, even if the first few experiments were not very successful.
Luckily, I’ve finally come up with a solution that’s both easy and delicious.
Raw cookie dough bites!
These bite-sized treats feature coconut oil, almond butter and pure maple syrup, which when combined with dried almond pulp, create the texture and mouth feel of traditional cookie dough–> without any raw eggs to worry about!
As I’ve mentioned before, coconut oil, along with other healthy fats, are key to brain health and may actually boost metabolic function. Almonds not only contain additional healthy fat, but are also associated with lowering cholesterol and are a hefty source of magnesium and vitamin E. With an extra boost of fiber from the almond pulp, this naturally sweetened cookie dough is actually something you can feel good about eating!
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Raw Cookie Dough Bites (Vegan)
makes 16 bite-sized pieces
Ingredients:
1 cup dried almond pulp “flour”
1/4 cup coconut oil, softened
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
6 tablespoons raw almond butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
dark chocolate chips, as needed
Directions:
The key to working with almond pulp is drying it first, so don’t be tempted to skip this crucial step. Trust me, I’ve tried! I use my dehydrator to dry my pulp overnight, but you could also use your oven to speed up the process. (They won’t technically be “raw” anymore, but using at temperature of 250F will dry the pulp out in an hour or so.) Once the pulp is dry, you simply pulse it in a food processor to break up any clumps and create a flour-like texture. Any leftover almond pulp “flour” can be stored as you would traditional almond flour, in a sealed container in the pantry, or in the fridge for longer shelf life.
Measure out one cup of the almond pulp flour, using the “scoop and swipe” method: Scoop the flour with a measuring cup and swipe the top with the back of a knife to level off the top.
Combine the dried almond pulp flour with the coconut oil, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until a sticky, uniform batter is formed.
Adjust the flavor to taste, if necessary, then use a tablespoon to scoop the batter into bite-sized balls. The batter may feel slightly greasy, thanks to the coconut oil melting with the warmth of the food processor, but rest assured that they will lose that greasy texture once they have set in the fridge.
Roll the batter between your hands to form a smooth shape, then arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press the dark chocolate chips into each ball, before placing in the fridge or freezer to set.
I placed mine in the freezer, because I’m impatient, and I found that these were set “enough” after 10 minutes. I actually recommend storing and serving these bites directly the freezer for best texture!
Note: As an added bonus, these little bite-sized bites can also be baked for a delicious cookie treat! They don’t spread like a traditional cookie, but they do get crispy on the outside and stay soft and tender on the inside. If you keep a stash of these bites in your freezer, you will only be 10 minutes away from a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie anytime you like! To bake, preheat your oven to 350F and arrange the frozen cookie dough bites on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cookie bottoms are golden brown. Allow to cool for 5 minutes– they will firm up a bit– then devour!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried almond pulp flour
- 1/4 cup coconut oil , softened
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 6 tablespoons raw almond butter
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- dark chocolate chips , as needed
Instructions
- The key to working with almond pulp is drying it first, so don't be tempted to skip this crucial step. Trust me, I've tried! Once the pulp is dry, you simply pulse it in a food processor to break up any clumps and create a flour-like texture. Any leftover almond pulp "flour" can be stored as you would traditional almond flour, in a sealed container in the pantry, or in the fridge for longer shelf life.
- Measure out one cup of the almond pulp flour, using the "scoop and swipe" method: Scoop the flour with a measuring cup and swipe the top with the back of a knife to level off the top.
- Combine the dried almond pulp flour with the coconut oil, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until a sticky, uniform batter is formed.
- Adjust the flavor to taste, if necessary, then use a tablespoon to scoop the batter into bite-sized balls. The batter may feel slightly greasy, thanks to the coconut oil melting with the warmth of the food processor, but rest assured that they will lose that greasy texture once they have set in the fridge.
- Roll the batter between your hands to form a smooth shape, then arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press the dark chocolate chips into each ball, before placing in the fridge or freezer to set.
- I placed mine in the freezer, because I'm impatient, and I found that these were set "enough" after 10 minutes. I actually recommend storing and serving these bites directly the freezer for best texture!
Notes
Nutrition
Per Serving: Calories: 101, Fat: 9g, Carbohydrates: 6g, Fiber: 1g, Protein: 2g
Hope you enjoy them!
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Reader Feedback: Have you tried any other successful almond pulp recipes? If so, please share!
This recipe looks easy and good! One question. I’ve never worked with almond pulp flour… can this recipe be used with just almond flour?? I don’t even know what almond pulp flour is. 🙂
Please see my comments above if you’d like to use almond meal/flour instead of the almond pulp.
We made these similar, but added oats and used the pulp still wet. I refrigerated it over night. Maybe used a bit more coconut oil. Worked really well. So yummy. My kids liked it just as well as regular cookie dough.
When you say you make a big lot of almond milk each week, how much do you mean? And how long does it last without going off?
I make 5 cups for myself, which lasts a week. Sometimes I have to make double that, if my husband is interested in almond milk that week, too.
You are brilliant!!!!!!!! Thanks for taking the time to keep us all happy and answer all our questions and think of amazing recipes!!!!!!! This is my favorite food blog and believe me, I follow a TON of them!!!!!!!!!
Thanks, Holly! Hope you enjoy them. 🙂
I made these last night! Perfect timing–they were delicious! I added some flax seed meal to make them even healthier. Yum!! Thank you!!
How can you determine the nutrition fact of almond pulp? I presume it is different than almond flour. THanks!
I would assume to calculate it accurately, you’d need a science lab! I wouldn’t even know where to begin…
I’m a fan of anything cookie dough related, and this looks like a perfect healthy alternative to the regular butter and sugar laden cookie dough. I’ve been planning to make some almond milk, so I know where my almond pup will be going!
These are so tasty, judging by what I licked off my spatula. 🙂 The batter is setting in my freezer right now. I make coconut/almond milk blend and I use the pulp in my daughter’s oatmeal, and to make chocolate cookies. Thank you for another delish recipe!
How long do you dehydrate your almond pulp to get it dry? Would squeezing it really well be sufficient? Looks yummy. Love your paleo cc cookies. I usually make almond pulp flax crackers with my leftover almond pulp using this recipe – http://www.therawtarian.com/raw-almond-pulp-pizza-crust-recipe
Squeezing it is definitely not sufficient, it has to be very, very dry. If you have a dehydrator, I just spread the crumbled almond pulp onto a teflex sheet and crank the temperature to 120, leaving it there until I remember to check on it again! With the dehydrator, you don’t really have to worry about over-drying it, so you could let it dry overnight if you wanted to.
Can you use almond meal instead of leftover pulp? I don’t make my own almond milk. But I am dying to try these.
If you’re going to use almond meal, I’d actually recommend using my recipe for Vegan Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies instead: https://detoxinista.com/2012/06/paleo-chocolate-chip-cookies-vegan/ (Just don’t bake them for the cookie dough bites!)