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We have a new favorite snack in our house. Or, “nack” as my son likes to call them.
These whole food snacks are the perfect thing to have on hand when you’re craving a holiday cookie, but don’t actually want to eat a holiday cookie… and deal with all the consequences that may come with it. (Hello, 3pm slump.)
A friend of mine asked me to make these to help her avoid buying the entire stock of Snickerdoodle Larabars. They’re her favorite flavor, but since they’re only available for a limited time, we needed to come up with a knock-off to enjoy them year round. Using the Larabar ingredient label as my guide, I played around with the ratio until we came up with a a delicious Snickerdoodle flavored dough. It’s one of my new favorites!
Because these snacks are made from whole food ingredients– with no added sugar or oil– they are a holiday treat I’m happy to enjoy anytime. (Along with my son.) I hope they help get you through the holiday season without too many sugar crashes, too!
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Snickerdoodle Snack Bites (Paleo, Vegan)
Makes about 20 pieces
Ingredients:
1 cup whole raw cashews
1/2 cup raw almonds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
10 ounces Medjool dates, pitted (about 1 1/4 cup, tightly packed)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
In the bowl of a large food processor fitted with an “S” blade, grind the cashews, almonds, cinnamon and salt until finely ground. Add in the pitted dates and vanilla and process again until the dough becomes very sticky. (Mine started to become a big ball in the food processor.)
Use a tablespoon to scoop the dough and roll it between your hands to make ball shapes. Arrange the balls on a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then place them in the fridge or freezer to set for one hour.
Once the balls have firmed up a bit, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole raw cashews
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 10 ounces Medjool dates , pitted (about 1 1/4 cup, tightly packed)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In the bowl of a large food processor fitted with an "S" blade, grind the cashews, almonds, cinnamon and salt until finely ground. Add in the pitted dates and vanilla and process again until the dough becomes very sticky. (Mine started to become a big ball in the food processor.)
- Use a tablespoon to scoop the dough and roll it between your hands to make ball shapes. Arrange the balls on a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then place them in the fridge or freezer to set for one hour. Once the balls have firmed up a bit, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
Per Serving: Calories: 96, Fat: 4g, Carbohydrates: 13g, Fiber: 1g, Protein: 2g
*For those of you participating in the Warm & Cozy Winter Detox, this dessert is 100% detox-approved. I hope you enjoy it!
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite Larabar flavor? Do you have a favorite healthy holiday treat?
Any estimate or thought on the nutritional info that each bite/ball would come out to be? Just curious 🙂
just made these – OMG!!! they’re super easy to make. and delicious!!
appreciate that there are few ingredients.
this recipe is a keeper!
Do you think these would keep ( u nrefrigerated) for a week or two if I vacuum sealed them? Looking for high calorie snacks for a long hike.
I made these this past weekend. We found them to be very sweet, too sweet for us, so before we formed them into balls we made some adjustments. We added some cocoa powder and some whole gluten-free oats. Then we flattened them into cookies. My 9 year old daughter LOVES them!! Thank you so much. We will make this on a regular basis for sure!
I made these today and they are delicious! Can’t believe how easy to make, and all natural ingredients. I only added some cacao powder to make it more chocolate-y. Awesome recipe, tastes like caramels! Thank you!
These are surprisingly yummy for the simple ingredients. I may try rolling these in crushed cashews the next time so they are less sticky to eat.
Just made these and they are wonderful! Very helpful on my second whole30. My biggest weakness is sweets and these are damn good!
I laughed when I read they can last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. These never make it more than 3 days in our house, they are that delicious! Thank you so much for this amazing snack. I feel like I’m eating something I shouldn’t be,but without any of the full and laggy feelings of course 😉
Thank you! That’s also my favorite flavor, and I’m so glad to have found a good recipe so I can make them year round.
These are incredible. My three year old daughter asks for them on a daily basis. She will stack three into a snowman… and eat them all. A batch lasts us one day, MAYBE two. So very delicious!! Not to mention your cookbook is a daily staple around here as well. We are a family of six with four kids, five and under. The chocolate chip cookies and homestyle sweet potato fries are frequently requested as well! Thank you!!