I like dessert. Especially if it’s quick and easy and healthy… We don’t eat it every day, but some days just call for dessert.
This recipe is an all-time favorite at our house, and it has many variations, depending on what ingredients we have. It’s great for the summer, because it doesn’t require cooking and won’t heat up your kitchen. It also makes awesome travel, backpacking, or biking food, kinda like a home-made energy bar.
The Uncookie Dough
Ingredients:
- one and a half cups of almond butter
- one half cup of honey
- one cup of rolled oats
- two tablespoons of ground cardamom
- a pinch of salt
Mix all of the ingredients together and form into balls with your hands and put them in the refrigerator until firm. If you really want to go for it, throw in some chocolate chips.
You’ll have to ration them, they’re so good.
We get fresh-ground almond butter straight from the grinder at our local co-op, but it can get expensive if you get hooked on these treats. Substituting peanut butter will bring the cost down.
I’ve learned to use quick oats and not regular or thick, because these aren’t cooked and can be a bit gassy for some people. You can also just sub any flake for the oats. I like Mesa Sunrise cereal by Nature’s Path, made from flax, corn, and amaranth.
You can substitute maple syrup for the honey to make the recipe vegan, but I would start with less and then add to taste.
If you roll the balls in shredded coconut or hulled hemp seed they can pass for a gourmet dessert (and they won’t stick to your hands). These get rave reviews at parties and potluck dinners, and disappear quickly.
To be honest, when the kids are in bed, we just break out two spoons and eat it straight from the bowl…
This recipe is adapted from my friend’s creation that he calls “naughty” balls (naughty ’cause you can’t stop eating them). Thanks, Tex
More healthy desserts:
- Vegan Chocolate Cake : Eco Child’s Play
- Easy Organic Chocolate Coated Butterscotch Bars : Eco Child’s Play
- Top 10 Healthy Snacks for Kids : Eco Child’s Play
I cannot believe you posted this recipe it’s one my favorites from childhood. We used to have so much fun making it and we didn’t need any help (well cleaning maybe). Thank you, I think I’d forgotten about it.
These didn’t seem to work for us the way they’re supposed to. We couldn’t form them into balls until we put the mix in freezer for a couple of hours.
My sweet-toothed daughter thought they were almost too sweet.
And 2T seemed like a lot of cardomom so we cut it to 1/4 t. and we’re still kind or perplexed as to why that spice is used in this recipe.
The other variation we did was used Erewhom Rice Crispy cereal instead of oats. DS can’t have any kind of oats.
Feedback?!
Thx!
Michele
Michele –
I think if the almond butter you’re using is very creamy, you may have to refrigerate them first. The trick is getting the consistency right with the oats/cereal, and you may try adjusting the proportions to find what works with the rice cereal. As far as the cardamom, that’s just the way that we were taught to make it, and I rather enjoy the flavor. However, substituting cinnamon or another spice might work for you.
Let me know if you come up with a version that you really like.
Thanks, Derek!
I certainly will let you know if we create a modified version that works better for us!!
Michele