Dark chocolate chip cookie dough!
My mouth just started watering as I’m typing these words.
I love cookies, I love chocolate chips, and I love cookie dough. I mean, who doesn’t?!!
Back in SF, my favorite cookie shop was, and still is, Anthony’s Cookies out in the Mission District. Their cookies are the best! They come out warm, and fresh, and they have a great selection of flavors. I make it a point to go there whenever I go back home to visit. If you are ever in town, go check them out!
So for this next recipe, I wanted to enhance the lovely combination of dark chocolate chip cookie dough, by adding in some of my favorite flavors, leaning it up with healthier ingredients, and boosting it with muscle-building protein.
And the results are nothing short of spectacular…and delicious…and addicting!
Trust me, you’re gonna wanna keep this batch ALL to yourself hehe…
Enter…my Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars!!
These cookie dough protein bars are chewy, moist, decadent—every bite, loaded with dark chocolate chips, ground almonds, cinnamon, banana, amaretto—-a unique fusion of flavors!!
A perfect “healthy” dessert to satisfy that cookie craving!!
These protein bars use a combination of almond flour and whey protein powder as its base.
Almond flour is loaded with fiber, nutrients, protein—-something all purpose flour does NOT provide. Almond flour is also WAAAY lower in carbs— 1/4 cup of your average almond flour contains 5gcarbs, 3g fiber, while 1/4 cup all purpose flour contains about 22g carbs, and less than 1g of fiber.
I also use a natural sugar alternative called monk fruit sweetener to help sweeten these protein bars.
Monk fruit is a small, round fruit found in southern China. To create the sweetener, the fruit is crushed, the juice is collected, and this becomes the monk fruit sweetener. It is similar in appearance to regular table sugar, but is about 200 times sweeter than sugar, and with ZERO calories.
I personally love this stuff! It’s a great substitute for regular sugar, and it tastes just like it. I personally feel no ill effects after consuming it. No sugar “rush” or “crashes,” nothing of that nature.
More detailed information about monk fruit can be found here.
I also use a 72% cacao dark chocolate for these cookie bars. I feel that 70%-75% cacao is the perfect balance for flavor and nutrition when it comes to dark chocolate.
The higher the cacao percentage, the more fiber and nutrients it contains—but be aware that the bitter flavor intensifies as the percentage rises.
So for me, I like to use about a 73% cacao dark chocolate, that’s the sweet spot.
Peanut butter mixed into the batter adds not just that peanut-y flavor, but adds some “healthy” fats and oils that help keep these bars moist—much better than using saturated fat–loaded butter.
The amaretto flavor, is produced by adding almond extract. This stuff is so concentrated with flavor, you just need to use a tiny bit of it to get that boost of flavor. Even so, I like to use 2 tsp per recipe just to make sure that flavor really pops.
Almond extract is my preferred extract over vanilla. It’s much cheaper, and the flavor is much more apparent versus vanilla extract.
OK, here are the nutritional benefits of the main ingredients in these Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars…
Dark chocolate has been shown to contain high amounts of antioxidants, polyphenols, and flavonoids—all of which are believed to help fight cancer, fight free radical damage, and fight disease. Certain research has shown dark chocolate to maybe help improve brain function, boost memory, and enhance focus. Also, flavonoids in dark chocolate have been shown to help improve heart circulation.
Almonds, which are basically ground up to create almond flour, are packed with nutrients, and are good sources of protein, fiber, vitamin E, riboflavin, magnesium, manganese, calcium. They contain a special kind of vitamin E, called gamma-tocopherol—studies show this antioxidant to be a powerful cancer-fighter. Their high fiber content helps support our digestive system.
Cinnamon is widely considered as the most antioxidant-rich natural spice available on the planet. The antioxidants found in cinnamon are believed to maybe help fight cancer, protect cells from DNA damage, slow the aging process, and help fightdisease. Cinnamon also contains certain compounds that have been known to maybe help fight off viruses and infections.
Bananas are fully-loaded with potassium, a very important nutrient which has been shown to help support the body’s circulatory system, help move oxygen throughout our cells, and helps to lower high blood pressure. Bananas are high in fiber, which helps to keep our digestive system running smoothly and helps to remove toxins.
OK, here’s what you’ll need…
Some quick notes before you get started…
-You can sub in 1/2 cup applesauce instead of the large banana.
–After pouring the batter onto the baking pan, add more dark chocolate chips on top! How much is up to you!
-Very important not to over-bake these! This is KEY.
Generally, you want to take it out of the oven at about the 15 minute mark. When you shake the pan, there should be no jiggle, the surface should appear to be set, and when you insert a toothpick down the center, it should come out with NO wet batter, but crumbs would be ok.
-If the surface appears set, but the toothpick down the middle still comes out with wet batter, stick the pan back in the oven and let it bake just a little bit more. Check it again after every minute or so. It shouldn’t take much longer at this point.
Keep a close eye on it. This is critical if you want that perfect, moist, and chewy texture. These cookie bars are best when taken out at just the right time. Even a minute too long will dry them out!
-If the toothpick down the middle comes out completely clean and dry—-you’ve over-baked it! The cookie bars will be dry. Not what we want!
-You want to take it out of the oven right at the sweet spot, just right before they are done.
-It is better to slightly under-bake them, than to over-bake!
-Remember, the cookie bars will continue to bake in the hot pan, even when removed from the oven.
-After taking them out of the oven, let the cookie bars rest for about 5 minutes before slicing into them! This will allow them to bake a bit more, help them solidify, and give you cleaner slices.
–Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Best if consumed within about 3-4 days. Try warming them up in the microwave!
If you like these, then you’ll wanna check out my…
- Double Dark Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins
- Dark Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodle Protein Pizookie
- Dark Chocolate Chip Blueberry Protein Pancakes
Alright then, let’s get to it!!
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 15-17 minutes |
| Passive Time | 5 minutes |
| Servings |
bars
|
- 1/2 cup almond flour (+2 tbsp)
- 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- pinch salt
- 2 1/3 tbsp monk fruit
- 1 large banana
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips
Ingredients
|
|
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Add dry ingredients to bowl. Mix well. Add wet ingredients to separate larger bowl. Mix well. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients bowl, mixing thoroughly. Fold in dark chocolate chips. (Save some for later to add to the top.)
- Grease an 8x8 square baking dish with olive oil, or line with parchment paper. Pour batter onto pan. Add more dark chocolate chips on top if desired.
- Bake in oven for about 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted down the center has no wet batter, but crumbs ok.
- Remove from oven. Let cool for about 5 minutes.
- Slice into 16 equal sized bars. Enjoy immediately! Store in an airtight container in the fridge, best if consumed within 3 days. Try warming them up in the microwave. Enjoy!
-Just in case it wasn't clear up top, that's 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp almond flour.
-You can sub in 1/2 cup applesauce instead of the large banana.
-After pouring the batter onto the baking pan, add more dark chocolate chips on top! How much is up to you!
-Very important not to over-bake these! This is KEY.
Generally, you want to take it out of the oven at about the 15 minute mark. When you shake the pan, there should be no jiggle, the surface should appear to be set, and when you insert a toothpick down the center, it should come out with NO wet batter, but crumbs would be ok.
-If the surface appears set, but the toothpick down the middle still comes out with wet batter, stick the pan back in the oven and let it bake a little bit more. Check it again after every minute or so. It should be done after about a minute, but keep a very close eye on it.
-If the toothpick down the middle comes out completely clean and dry----you've over-baked it!
-Better to slightly under-bake them, than to over-bake!
-Remember, the cookie bars will continue to bake in the hot pan, even when removed from the oven.
-After taking them out of the oven, let the cookie bars rest for about 5 minutes before slicing into them! This will allow them to bake a bit more, and give you cleaner slices.
-Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Best if consumed within about 3-4 days. Try warming them up in the microwave!
Did you try this recipe? How did it work out for you? Any questions about my method? I would love to hear from you! Sound off in the comments section below or use the social media links above or throughout the blog. Thanks guys!!
