Delicious No-Bake Cookie Dough Bites
These allergy-friendly no-bake cookie dough bites are gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, and just plain delicious!
I know I’ve said it time and time again but I honestly bow down to each of you who deal with food allergies on a personal level and also for those of you who work around food allergies on a small- or large-scale family level.
You are amazing! Seriously, so amazing. I have heard from hundreds of readers over the years who are cooking and baking gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, everything-free; the list goes on and on.
I personally don’t have to work around any food allergies (yet, at least!), but I want you to know how much I admire and respect those of you who do.
Even if my blog is not dedicated to any definite niche of eating, I try to post a wide variety of allergy-friendly recipes on this blog.
In the past, this gluten-free chocolate cake has been one of my most popular recipes for that given year, and here are the categories for allergy-friendly recipes (gluten-free, gluten-free adaptable, egg-free, dairy-free) that hopefully help those of you who desperately need recipes like that!
I have extended family members and lots of dear friends who deal with food allergies each and every day.
Learning more about their experiences has been eye-opening and quite honestly, a little humbling. It totally makes me grateful for our lack of food allergies – something we totally take for granted most days.
My friend, Megan, reminded me that this week (May 8-14) is National Food Allergy Awareness Week and it didn’t take me even three seconds to know that I wanted to post a delicious, easy, allergy-friendly recipe in tribute to all of those who live with food allergies day in and day out.
You know me well enough to know that even given my admiration for all the above, I still wouldn’t post a recipe if it wasn’t absolutely amazing.
And these little no-bake cookie dough bites are just that. Not only do they take literally minutes to put together, they are crazy delicious.
Kind of unbelievably so, really, given there is no refined sugar, and the base of the recipe is cashews. I have nothing against cashews, but I was a little skeptical when I first made them.
Let’s see, as far as I can tell, the laundry list of allergy-friendly items in this recipe are:
Gluten-free (make sure to use gluten-free oats!)
Dairy-free (with dairy-free chocolate chips – or sub in carob chips or cacao nibs)
Egg-free
Peanut-free (but NOT nut-free)
Soy-free
Vegan (if you use Vegan chocolate chips)
What else? I’m probably missing several others but those are the ones I noticed immediately.
UPDATE: what I assumed would be obvious may not be so – PLEASE keep in mind this recipe would clearly not be appropriate, and could be dangerous, for anyone allergic to cashews (or any other ingredient in the recipe).
We loooooove these little nuggets of healthy cookie dough goodness.
I make the cookie dough bites all the time because they are such a yummy and guilt-free treat to pull out of the fridge once (ok, five times) a day, and I’ve converted several friends and family members to their amazingness.
It didn’t take much work, let’s be honest. They are seriously dreamy!
Happy Allergy Awareness Week! If you deal with food allergies on a regular basis, keep on keeping on!
You are amazing for what you do. And if you don’t have to worry about food allergies, maybe this week would be a good opportunity to take a minute and think about those you know who do – and figure out how you can support them.
A few ideas that come to mind are:
-keeping allergy-free/friendly ingredients on hand for when these friends/family members are at your house,
-being aware (to the point of keeping a written list) of what they are allergic to,
-going out of your way to talk to them about it,
-control your reactions – instead of being irritated you might have to cook a gluten-free (or any kind of -free) meal for an upcoming get-together or function, be grateful that it’s a one-time obligation and not something you have to do every day of your life.
And then! If your friends or family members aren’t allergic to any of the ingredients, you should totally make these cookie dough bites for them.
One Year Ago: Simple and Delicious Sour Cream Muffins
Two Years Ago: Skillet Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta with Broccoli
Three Years Ago: Super Simple Spicy Thai Noodles
No-Bake Cookie Dough Bites {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Peanut-Free}
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 g) unsalted cashews
- ½ cup (50 g) old-fashioned rolled oats (use gluten-free oats, if needed)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (43 g) mini chocolate chips (use dairy-free chocolate chips, if needed)
Instructions
- In a food processor, add the cashews, oats, salt and cinnamon and process until the mixture is finely ground (but don’t overprocess until it becomes a paste!).
- Add the maple syrup and vanilla, and process until the dough forms a cohesive ball; this might take longer than you think. It should do more than just “come together,” the dough should stick together in one large mass.
- Remove the blade from the food processor and add the chocolate chips, kneading them in with your hands.
- Scoop out tablespoon-size portions of dough and roll into balls with your hands. Refrigerate to firm up a bit or eat immediately.
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted ever so slightly from The Kitchn
136 Comments on “Delicious No-Bake Cookie Dough Bites”
I’ve been looking for sugar free and flour free recipes and this is amazing! I was out of maple syrup, so I tried it with honey. It was a decent sub. It did end up pretty sticky though, so I rolled the bites in shredded coconut and that turned out amazing!! Thanks for this yummy recipe!
I want to make the no bake cookie dough bites but he is allergic to nuts also. What else can I use?
It might be best to try a different recipe – I haven’t found a sub that works quite as well unfortunately.
Holy cow. I can not believe how people trashed you over this recipe. If you do not like the recipe or will not use it, move on. Not everyone is going to like every recipe.
My son has a peanut allergy. I read recipes all the time. I never have been put off by what someone else is putting on their site. The Google world has put so much at our finger tips. It is easier than ever to find recipes for someone with food allergies.
I made these with almond flour, (didn’t have cashews on hand) and a little peanut butter powder (which made the dough a little dry), so I added three tablespoons of coconut milk. All five kids who ate them declared them to be worth making again. Thanks for the recipe!
Yum! These were fantastic. My family ate them in one sitting. No wonder my sister hides them in her freezer.
I just made these with macadamia nuts–yum! I used the nuts frozen so that might have helped keep things from getting too oily.
I agree; these are dreamy!
These are soooooo good and very simple to make! My kids are tired of classic “energy bites” and granola bars. This was a welcome change!
I’m exploring vegan recipes and thought these tasted awesome! These are a delicious alternative to tide me over until I can make your double chocolate chip cookies again
These are delicious!! I have made them two times in two days. They were supposed to be for my husband’s gluten-free cousin, but they didn’t last! I think I improved my technique with the second batch. I over-processed the first batch, and they got warm enough in the food processor to partly melt the chocolate chips. For the second batch, I used a tiny bit more maple syrup to help hold them together, processed them for a much shorter time, and cooled the dough a little in the fridge before mixing in chocolate chips. These are fabulous!
These are unbelievably good!!! I made them for my vegan niece then realized that the chocolate chips I used weren’t vegan so I happily ate them and will make some more for her! I was really surprised that they actually taste like cookie dough. Yum!!
Very yummy! Did yours turn out more nutty or creamy?
I would say a little of both.
I am excited to try these! If I use salted cashews would it be salt overload? What if I cut out the salt in the recipe? Thanks for your help! These sound so yummy!
I do think the overall taste might be too salty. You can rinse the salted cashews and dry them very well – that helps, too!
I’m wondering if these would work with almonds. My son is allergic to peanuts AND cashews, but otherwise they look delicious!
I think it’s definitely worth a try!
Ack! Almost got my mixing bowl out but sigh, cashews. My son is 10 and has serious peanut and all tree nut allergies. We found out when he was 2. It’s not easy but keeping him safe is worth it. Thanks for peaking into our lives a little and validating the struggle. You are awesome!
Darn, sorry, Amanda!
We have dairy and soy food intolerances at our house so these fit well into our lives. Super yummy. I made them twice this week. Thanks!
While these look delicious its unfortunate this was posted on Allergy Awareness week. Peanut/Tree nut allergies are one of the bigger more common allergies out there (and can also be incredibly dangerous and schools), many schools across the country now go so far as to be totally nut free because it is such a dangerous allergy. While the recipe looks delicious it s sad to me this is the recipe you choose to highlight for this cause. Would love to see a re-do without the cashews.
I’ve seen recipes like this use chickpeas with great success.
Hi Mel! Thanks for this recipe. I just made these and similar to the comment above it did not come together as a ball so I let it keep running for several minutes and my food processor got very hot and I could smell something burning. So I stopped it and the dough was really, really greasy (like puddles of grease). Maybe because it processed too long? Any ideas on what went wrong? Thanks!
Hmmm, that’s weird, Sarah. What brand/type of cashews did you use?
Hi Mel. I used Planter’s. The person who commented just before me said something similar about grease. Wonder if I processed them too long?
That might be the case – probably due to all food processors being a little different in power and speed. Right when it forms that ball you can turn off the processor. I hope they work out if you try them again!
Made these today and they are SUPER yummy! I’ve made other energy bite/lara bar recipes and I have an issue with them coming out very greasy. An in they look like I rolled them in oil after I was done which makes them rather messy to eat. My only guess is I’m over processing them? Any input? I’d love to make more of these for an upcoming trip but the grease factor makes these less than ideal for traveling.
Hi Miranda – are you saying these cookie dough bites were greasy or the other recipes you’ve tried are greasy?
I’ve made these a couple times and they’ve come out beautifully. The last batch I made, however, came out very greasy and messy. Any idea why this may have happened?
Did you use the same brand of ingredients as the other times?
I have now tried to make these 3 times and they always turn out too dry. The dough is a little crumbly but when I work it together with my hands it stays in balls fine but taste very dry. Do I just need to run it in the food processor longer?
Are there bits of chunky cashews in the dough or is it fairly smooth? You might try adding just a bit of water if the dough is that crumbly.
It’s fairly smooth. I will try adding a little water next time! Thanks!
These look amazing. I can’t wait to try them out!
I only had 1 tbsp of syrup, but I wanted these right now, so I did a 1/3 size in my tiny food processor and these are awesome! They hit the cookie dough craving for an 8 month pregnant woman, and they were healthier to boot! Thanks for your hard work on this fantastic site. Next time I make this, is there any reason I can’t use my vitamix blender instead?
Someone commented in the thread above they tried it with their blender and it didn’t work (but it might not have been a vitamix). Worth a try, I think!
I have tried every type of nut /oat ball out the and this is hands down the best recipe! ! It really tasted like cookie dough! I’m so excited, thank you thank you Mel!!
I have to admit that I was very skeptical. A recipe that takes minutes to throw together and uses ingredients i already have in my pantry?!? I should know by now- never doubt Mel. These were like a party in my mouth. So excited to feed these to the kids for breakfast this morning. They’re nutritious, simple and delicious. Thank you so much for yet another recipe to put in my repertoire.
Thanks so much for everything. I use your recipes multiple times a week and have so many people fooled into thinking I’m a kitchen genius when really i just have incredibly reliable recipes from you.
As for the angry commenters, well haters gonna hate. You’re amazing.
Thank you for taking the time to share a recipe during this important week. Allergy awareness is so important and the fact that you found a recipe that could be used by many families is wonderful. I can tell you have a kind heart and appreciate your willingness to recognize the struggle that many of us food allergy parents deal with. It is an everyday battle we fight. I enjoy your recipes and always adapt the recipes to suit our food allergy needs. Thank you again and I appreciate your wonderful recipes!
Hi Mel – just making these today and wondered if you have a rough estimate for how long it takes the dough to form a cohesive ball in the food processor? Thanks!
Hi Nancy – a lot will depend on the speed/power of your food processor, but I usually let mine run 2-3 minutes for that part of this recipe. Does that help?
Mel,
Wow, thank you so much for this post. My son has several severe food allergies (dairy, eggs, nuts, peanuts, beans, lentils, and peas), and feeding him through the years has been quite a challenge. It is so comforting to read compassionate posts like this! Thank you thank you for your awareness and concern. I have been a fan of yours for years ever since I lived in your stake in Wisconsin and love LOVE love your recipes. You have changed the way I cook and feed my family…I’ve converted several of my sisters and sisters in law to your site! I’ve adapted many of your recipes to fit our allergy needs and I’m excited to adapt this one! I’ve seen the comments suggesting sunflower seeds, and I also want to try using hemp seed hearts.. we’ll see how it goes! Sorry for the mean comments about this recipe, I’m amazed by your graciousness in your replies. Thank you for thinking of others and bring so aware!!! Also, just a side note, I really look up to you as a mother. I can just tell that you are such an involved, organized, careful mom and that you really teach your kids well. Thanks for your example! And again, thanks for your allergy awareness and compassion and for posting this recipe!
Thank you for a delicious, sugar-free, allergy friendly recipe! These are dynamite! I am loading up on maple syrup and cashews next Costco visit so I can make these all summer long for us and our friends with allergies.
Can’t wait to try these!
I made these yesterday, and boy are they delicious. I made mine a little bigger so I got 9 out of the recipe. Definitely doubling the recipe next time as they are almost gone already. A great snack to take on the go. Thanks Mel.
Yes!! So excited to make these!! Thank you!
Hi Mel, how long did you process before the ball formed? I did about 10 mins and no ball. Plus my processor started to smoke. Wondering if it’s my machine or if it needs even longer than that?
Oh dear, that doesn’t sound good. It shouldn’t take that long. If that happens, you might need to add a bit of water or a tad more maple syrup to help it come together (or make sure the ingredients in the first step are finely ground). It should only take a couple minutes. Sorry about that!
I am amazed by how many people are complaining about this recipe. Of course not all recipes will be friendly to all allergies there are too many. just be happy that there is someone like her out there trying and letting you view her recipes for free! quit complaining and get over yourselves.I have dairy allergies dye allergies cashew allergies and gluten allergies in my family and I am just happy she is trying
Thank you. Our gluten free house appreciates finding recipes that taste like real food.
This recipe looks awesome. While I have a kiddo that is allergic to tree-nuts, I still think it’s great that you are aware of food allergies and posted a recipe that is safe for some that suffer from allergies. Great job!
Ok, I don’t have any allergies. Can I throw a bunch of allergy-non-friendly ingredients in this just to be rebellious? Mel, you are my hero. Your responses to these comments have been level-headed and so fair. Blogging must be a frustrating world sometimes, but you handle it with kindness and grace. You can’t make everyone happy 100% of the time. But your recipes usually make my family’s tummies happy, thank you for all that you do!
Thank you to everyone who has chimed in with your thoughts about food allergies and for all of your kind words. I do sincerely apologize, again, for any hurt I may have unintentionally caused today. Hopefully Wednesday’s post will be a little less exciting. 🙂
Take a deep breath. 🙂 You are awesome!
Can I just ask whether the cashews should be raw or roasted?
I use raw cashews but as long as they are unsalted, it doesn’t really matter (I think the original recipe was developed to officially be “raw” which is why they used the raw cashews).
Mel, I was shocked to see the backlash in the comments! I have life-threatening food allergies myself, and I appreciate you even addressing the subject. I have been met with more than my share of insensitivity concerning my food allergies, so I hate to see you attacked for being sensitive and considerate in a way that most people are not.
Yes, many of your recipes call for ingredients I am severely allergic to, but I do not take offense. I either pass on the recipe or adapt it to my needs (this has made me a much better cook, by the way). PLEASE keep on keepin’ on. Thank you for all of your hard work and your wonderful recipes.
Looking forward to trying this one Mel. I asked Brian for ramekins for Mother’s Day so I can make your molten lava cakes. I’m making your Beef with Broccoli tomorrow with baked brown rice. And my cinnamon chips just arrived from King Arthur so as soon as I get my hands on my favorite buttermilk I making the scones! Don’t know what I’d do without you. I definitely would not be the kitchen Rockstar that I am. I pray you will be encouraged and blessed this week. 🙂
Thank you for sharing with all of us allergy peeps. Isn’t Megan amazing and you must be to since you were so willing to share your recipes for Allergy Awareness Week. Can’t wait to try these.
Insert huge eye-rolling emoji here. Some people are seriously crazy. I hope you know that and don’t take their comments too seriously. My son is allergic to cashews, but thankfully that is an easy allergy to work around. You have hundreds of recipes on here that are cashew-allergy safe. When you post one that isn’t (but is safe for many other allergies), they go all crazy on you. I’m sorry you have to deal with that. Thank you for all your hard work. Your recipes are staples at my house!
Thanks for posting! It is definitely hard to find one recipe that works for everyone! I have several friends who stay away from gluten, so this would be a winner to make for them (and for me for general yumminess ☺️) !
While I have followed your site for a few years and regularly make your recipes, this is the first comment I have ever posted. Like you, I don’t have food allergies myself, nor do I have any immediate family members with food allergies. Nevertheless, I appreciate and acknowledge the thought and effort you are putting in to supporting those who do (even when it is not received well by some). Your kind, level-headed responses to certain comments are as much of an example of Christ as anything. Thank you.
Mel, bless your heart. Who could have known that people would choose to take offense to such a kind and thoughtful post? I also have a son with a severe cashew allergy, but as I read through the comments to see if anyone had tried it with almonds, I started to feel defensive on your behalf. THANK YOU for posting a recipe that is free of so many common allergens. This recipe truly IS allergy friendly. It is easy to find cookie dough recipes that are nut free but it is NOT easy to find good cookie dough recipes that are gluten-, dairy-, and egg-free. Of course it is impossible to post a recipe that is totally allergen free. I would think that would be common sense. As I read through the ingredients I realized I would not be making it as written but I was far from being offended. I’m going to try it with almonds. Thanks again!!!
Thanks, Julie! Let me know how it works out with almonds!
Love this post Mel! We have multiple food allergies and have used a few of your recipes which have all tasted great! Thank you for being aware of the food allergy community. Happy baking
THANK YOU for this! It means so much to see someone setting a great example, showing compassion for those of us with food allergies and dietary restrictions even when it doesn’t personally impact you.
Finding more allergy-friendly recipes (which is different than a Top 8 allergen-free recipe) is so helpful. I often make goodies for a friend who must avoid cashews and substitute sunflower seeds or watermelon seeds. I’m trying the latter with your recipe. Thank you again.
Oh Mel, you are amazing. You are sensitive and kind- and I’m sorry that the online world is sometimes so rough. I too maybe underestimate the hardness that families have to struggle with worrying about their child dying because of an allergy, but thank you for trying to be so kind still to those who expressed their frustrations. I can’t wait to try these! You are amazing!
These look delicious and I’m so excited to make these for my boys! Thanks for your great ideas for being mindful of others with allergy restrictions. Also for your great example of responding with kindness to comments. You are basically my hero 🙂
Thanks for posting these, they look delicious! I also don’t eat any of the top 7 food allergens. But I’m grateful I can eat nuts!!
Just have to add my two cents worth! Having dealt with food allergies (peanut, soy, and basically all legumes) with my son for the past 8 years I want to say thank you for bringing awareness to this issue! I am so sorry that people are choosing to be angry over this post. As a food allergy mom I have always felt it is my responsibility not the author to read ANY and ALL ingredient lists on ANYTHING I feed my son, no matter what the title is or if it “allergen free” or “allergy friendly.” Thank you for posting a recipe that will very helpful to many (not all) allergy families. As a side note for those that might be interested, my son is allergic to peanuts but can now eat as many as he wants thanks to Dr Douglas Jones at Rocky Mountain Allergy Asthma and Immunology. My son has completed Oral Immumotherapy for peanuts and is half way through the program for soy. It’s really life changing! Check out his website for all the info! http://rockymountainallergy.com/food-allergy-treatment/
Thanks Mel for working so hard to post recipes that will work for all of us!
On the subject of allergies….Have you ever tried making German pancakes with oats instead of flour? I discovered quite by happy accident that it still works, and our family prefers it, even. I think with flour they are rubbery and dense, but with oats they are lighter and the bottom gets crispier in the butter, which I love. And gluten free! My preferred recipe is:
1/2 c oats
1/2 c milk
2 eggs
1/8 tsp salt
Mix in blender, pour into pie pan with 1.5 T melted butter, bake at 450 for 15 minutes.
Yum, Kirstin! I can’t wait to try that.
Totally trying this. Thanks!!
I make this at least 4 times a week! Feels like a treat, but is quite a healthy breakfast! I have always blended the oats first into flour but I’m going to try it next time adding it all at one!
Mel, these look so good! My son has a milk allergy so I’m excited to try these for him. I love that you shared fantastic information about how others can show compassion toward families who do live with food allergies, even if they don’t themselves.
Oh and your decadent chocolate cake recipe is AMAZING and one of my all-time favorites! 🙂
These sound amazing!
People need to be more kind in the comments. It’s their responsibility to always ask what is in something if they have an allergy in their family, so they shouldn’t be lashing out at you for making something that is allergy friendly for a huge group of people! Good for you!!
Mel,
I just want to say THANK YOU for being so aware of allergies in many of your recipies. My family deals with severe food allergies and your recipies are many of my go to’s. Don’t let all the negative comments bring you down. If someone has dealt with allergies for any amount of time, they know what is acceptable to eat and have a few substitutions in their back pocket. Some recipes will never work for us, lots need a few adjustments and some are perfect just the way they are written. You can never please everyone. Your awareness and sensitivity is appreciated by many.
These look awesome! I love little energy ball bites. Coming from someone with food restrictions and having grown up with terrible (life-threatening) food allergies, I am SO grateful for any awareness people bring to the table.
I didn’t have cashews or oats. I did have hazelnut meal and oat flour though! Halved the recipe, and it came together nicely. It wasn’t as hazelnutty as I was hoping, but still a nice, sweet-ish treat. Small enough portion that I didn’t feel too guilty eating the entire serving…
I don’t have food allergies in my immediate family but I was still touched by your caring and compassionate post. I’m so sorry you were taken to task by some disappointed readers. I understand the disappointment but holy cow, let’s not shoot down someone clearly trying to be an advocate for the cause!! I just wanted to let you know that there are scads of out here that appreciate what you do every day. My family would be very bored by the meals I prepare if it weren’t for you giving me new inspiration every day. Love and hugs, Mel!!
I did get a chuckle when I saw this recipe as cashews are one of the two foods that can kill my son. HOWEVER, I love the spirit of the post. Allergy families can take one look and know this recipe will or won’t work for their families, but it is more for all the other people who do not have allergies, to take a minute and think about how they can help an allergy friend out. We do incredibly appreciate when people go above and beyond to make sure my son can safely eat at their house/party/activity. While we don’t expect it, it does make our 7 year old incredibly happy to be able to be included like a “regular” kid. Thank you for bringing it up, and don’t stress for one minute that anyone may be upset. Recipes that are free from all 8 top allergens are few and far between and often use ingredients that are not common in typical pantries. It is simple enough for allergy families to adjust a recipe or pass on it. Thank you again for your helpful tips!
This looks like a delicious snack! I basically live off of your No-bake healthy granola bites, but some of my (crazy) children don’t like them. Everyone here loves cashews though, so this could be a happy medium for all of us. Thank you for another wonderful recipe! You are a daily life-saver in my kitchen!
Just made these twice – once with the cashews and once with sunflower seeds. I do lean towards the cashews, but the sunflower seed ones were very good too. Had my kids try both, and all of them loved both versions. In fact, the teenagers have almost finished off both batches! I made both batches in my twister jar in my blendtec (no food allergies here so I am not concerned with cross contamination) and it was super easy! Thank you!
Thank you so much for reporting on the sunflower seed batch (and the cashew one, too!) – and also that the twister jar worked for pulverizing everything. That is super helpful for those avoiding the cashews for allergy reasons. Thanks, Shelly!
When I saw this recipe + post this morning I was so touched! Though not safe for us (blasted kids’ tree nut allergies–I personally love cashews and just have to eat them when I’m out with my husband), it means so much to me and my family that you show such compassion and are helping spread food allergy awareness. Of course it’s hard to cater to every allergy, but the fact that you care and try and use your platform for good is just so wonderful! I’m going to share this with my allergy group. Sorry you’ve taken some heat for it. You’re the best!
These look amazing! We’ve been playing with a few different ‘energy bite’ recipes lately (with varying levels of success) and I’m excited to try this one out. I love that I can always count on your healthy recipes to be a great blend of nutritious but still delicious — that’s a hard balance to strike (as I have learned through quite a few healthy recipe failures!) so I appreciate that you always find that sweet spot that’s healthy but totally family-friendly.
My kiddos would LOVE these. 🙂 Good job on a delicious and allergy-friendly recipe! 😉
We have a nut allergy in my family, yet I see nothing wrong with this post. You were very clear in what the recipe does and does not contain, and even clarified which ingredients need to be checked or bought specifically free of gluten/milk/whatever. This recipe is fantastic as another idea for a yummy treat that my extended family members (who have celiac, as well as milk and egg allergies) can enjoy without a problem. Reading a recipe carefully is always needed when cooking for those with allergies, so I didn’t find any of your post misleading. I appreciate you, Mel, and recognize the compassion and understanding you were showing with this post. I visit your site daily and very rarely use anyone else’s recipes because yours are the best! Try not to be discouraged by a few, when so many others of us applaud you on a regular basis. Thank you!
Thank you Mel! We are constantly using your recipes and people think I’m the best cook ever, especially when I make your recipes!:) Your tres leches cupcakes were a total hit this weekend. My daughter and I are going to make these cookie dough bites this afternoon together. Thank you for all you do and for sharing your recipes with us. I’m sorry people have been upset with this recipe, it is obvious your intention was to help. I hope you know you really are helping so many families with your delicious, wholesome recipes. Thanks again!!!
Mel, I agree. You do a have a kind heart! I think that is one reason why so many of us visit your site……many of us, EVERY SINGLE DAY. Thank you for all you do. PLEASE don’t throw up your hands in frustration and say, “I quit.” I would cry. Really! AND, those cookie dough bites look great!
Thank you, Mel, for posting a recipe that I do, indeed, think of as allergy-friendly. I understand the sentiment that others have expressed about what they considered a misleading original title to the recipe. But I do question the anger freely expressed by some. You have handled this as you do everything else. With kindness and love. Oh, and I posted a flourless, cashew-based recipe today as well. I’ll have to give yours a try! Sounds delicious.
very yummy and i like sweet dishes. I will try this recipe soon. I like your blog. Good work !
Bless you Mel and your kind heart. Thank you for all that you share with us.
Thank you for your sweet post. I just want to denfend your choice in that is it not hard to make a nut-free cookie from scratch at home. There are several options out there for that. It is, however, harder to find good gluten, egg, and dairy free recipes. And you were careful to clearly indicate cashew presence. It was a great post, especially when there are so many out there that think we are overprotective and hypersensitive about food allergies. Always loved your blog. Thank you.
About 3 years ago, I started the autoimmune protocol to deal with health issues and allergies but that has never stopped me from visiting and using your recipes (with adaptations). Your food is always simple and tasty. Thank you for the time that you put in to this. I will make these delicious cookie bites for my boys using sunflower seeds rather than cashews to make them nut free and I know they will be delish.
I love that idea of sunflower seeds subbed for the cashews! Will you let me know how it turns out?
I tried it with sunflower seeds and with pumpkin seeds. My three young boys preferred the pumpkin seeds. Also, it did not work in my Blendtec but did in my food processor. They are asking for more and it was so quick to make these. This is a summer treat I will make a lot.
Cool, Sheila! Thanks for reporting back!
I’m sorry for all the stress with this – it seems to me that allergy FRIENDLY is an appropriate way to describe a recipe that covers many food allergies. I think this might be great for a camping snack – do you think it needs to be refrigerated?
Actually, I think these do quite well at room temperature if they’ve been chilled first.
These look good, I’ll have to try them! Thanks for thinking of others that normally get passed by. It’s too bad when your efforts to try to help people are met with anger. I have a special diet but don’t expect anyone else to understand because they truly can’t unless they try to eat that way themselves. So, please don’t be discouraged. You do a good job, and we appreciate you!
My hubby is gluten sensitive so I appreciate when I find more yummy sounding recipes. I don’t have a food processor, though, so could I use my blender?
I appreciate you mentioning allergy awareness week and sharing this recipe.
And you DID mention in the beginning of your post that this was NOT a nut friendly
recipe. Your heart is in the right place. You will continue to be one of my go to
recipe sites!
Hi Char! I think if your blender was pretty good at processing nuts (and things like bread crumbs), you’d probably be in good shape to use it for this recipe.
Mel, these look scrumptious. We have no allergies either, and I wondered if you’d ever made these with a different nut. I have peanuts and pecans on hand.. I know cashews are softer so it probably makes a difference in the texture. Just curious. Thanks for the recipe! You’re so thoughtful with your recipes
Hi Holly – I’ve only ever made them with cashews.
Mel never said allergy free, just allergy friendly. If this recipe is not for you, then move on. Mel was trying to be very kind, so take it for what she was trying to do and be kind back. My son has a deadly allergy, but thank goodness I don’t get offended by recipes that are friendly for some but not for him. Move on people. She has some great things to say in this post that ALL ALLERGY FAMILIES should be grateful for. I will say nothing else on this except Thanks Mel!
Thank you!! I have some dear friends with food allergies that this will work for. Even though we are blessed to not have food allergies in our house, I love to try new things and have options for things to offer to people I know that have to deal with difficult allergies.
Thank you for posting this. I was disappointed to learn that it does use cashews, as my son is deathly allergic to ALL nuts, both peanuts and tree nuts. I thought that miraculously theremight be a miracle recipe that did not include nuts as a base ingredient, as we were just discussing this last night. That would be awesome! However, I do not understand the anger in many responses to this recipe. The fact is, if your child has an allergy then it is your responsibility to find and filter recipes that will be suitable for your family. There is no need to spew anger just because your child’s allergy doesn’t happen to be included in the “friendly” list. Is it tough? Sure it is! Is it the creator’s fault? No! While I won’t be making these (), I’m sure there are many people with allergies and sensitivities that are happy to have this recipe at their disposal!
I’m sorry about the cashew factor, Kim! I really am. I wish I had a recipe up my sleeve that was safe for absolutely everyone dealing with a dangerous food allergy. In my effort to bring awareness to food allergies, I guess I underestimated what a sensitive topic this is for some. It’s a good educational opportunity for me to understand where others might be coming from.
I hope I didn’t come across as annoyed or upset. Definitely not!! I just feel sad for my son (and that I can’t make these)! There is really no reason for people to feel angry!
These look great Mel! Kim I just had a thought and I’m not sure if it will work for your son, but maybe try using sunflower seed butter if he can do seeds? I’ve made cookie dough bites with the sunbutter and have had great success! That is if he can do sunflower seeds though 🙂
This is a great recipe, that avoids so many typical pitfalls of baking for allergies–eggs, gluten and dairy. I think these are definitely allergy friendly, seeing as not everyone is allergic to nuts. Thanks for bringing attention to food allergies, especially when you don’t have to eat a certain way and that you’re willing to try new recipes for us! I also love that you have categories to help us find things we need. I’ve been a loyal fan for years and years and will always be! Hugs–Megan
I was so touched by your list of ideas for people to keep in mind for families dealing with food allergies. My son has a deadly peanut allergy and it’s so hurtful when some members of my husbands family look at it as an inconvenience (we only see them 4-5 times a year) or like it isn’t a big deal. I wish more people were this kind and considerate. Thanks for making my day with this helpful and thoughtful post!! Can’t wait to get some peanut free cashews and make these!!
Your title that this is allergy free is misleading as there are cashews in it. Gluten free yes but Definitely not nut free. Cashews can be just as deadly as peanuts for those that have tree nut allergies. Please change the title accordingly.
I understand that, Neera, but my title did not say “allergy-free” it says “allergy-friendly” and I indicate in the post which food allergies this recipe might be appropriate for. I’m sorry this recipe is causing much more upset than I ever intended!
No allergies here, but I love the use of oats for this. I’ve read too much about raw flour issues to ever make “edible” cookie dough with it and this not only replaces the flour but adds the fiber and flavor of something we love. Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you for this post. While this specific recipe is a no-go due to a nut allergy in the family, it is always refreshing to have someone who typically doesn’t deal with food allergies show such compassion. (It isn’t always easy to ignore the eye-rolls!)
Thank you thank you. We also love the chocolate cake recipe and I make it for my dad all the time who is celiac. I’ve been dairy free for about 8 months while I am nursing my daughter who has a milk protein allergy. I am excited to try these! Also I love love the cinnamon dusted vanilla coconut muffins on your blog and make them ALL the time. Even when I can have dairy again they will be a staple in my diet. 🙂 Thanks for all your wonderful recipes.
I LOVE you mel but this is NOT allergy friendly! why would you put that? tree nuts are as deadly as peanut allergy, my son is highly allergic to cashews! I was so excited to see an allergy friendly recipe and then my heart sunk when I read it. For your sake I would remove the allergy friendly title as this is certainly not allergy friendly and you wouldn’t want someone to think that and then harm someone…you just made me super sad. I would send you a pic of what my son looks like after eating cashews but it’s early and I am sure you understand that cashews kill as well???
Hi Susan – thanks for your comment; my intent with today’s post was certainly not to offend anyone (quite the opposite actually). The recipe IS allergy-friendly in many aspects; I didn’t mean the term “allergy-friendly” to indicate that it would be ok for 100% of the food allergies out there, and I tried to be clear in the post when I listed the ways this recipe is allergy-friendly (I didn’t put on there nut-free as it clearly isn’t). I can’t imagine how frightening it must be to have a son that has a serious food allergy like you do, and I’m sorry that this recipe and post caused you to be upset when it was only meant to bring awareness to those who have food allergies.
maybe a title like gluten free or something is a better choice, if someone told my son a recipe was allergy friendly don’t you think that implies that it’s safe for the top 8 allergens? it’s hard enough to get people to take food allergies seriously but calling a recipe made with cashews allergy friendly is misleading. I applaud your trying to bring awareness to food allergies but you missed the mark on this one…tree nut allergies kill just like peanuts (gluten allergy is less common to cause death). still sad that even you don’t get it…sorry 🙁 as adults we need to keep all kids safe not just the gluten and peanut allergic ones…
Allergies are so tough!! But these are allergy-friendly to many other people, just not those with a NUT allergy. There probably is not ONE cookie that would work for every allergy, so we all pick and choose what works for our families. 🙂
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/thick-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Assuming your son doesn’t have other allergies, these cookies (link above) are the best chocolate chip cookies out there! 🙂
Thank you. Our gluten free house appreciates finding recipes that taste like real food.
and by the way my other son is peanut allergic just so you know that I know what I am talking about, we’ve lived this life for 15 years.
instead of being upset why don’t you try to adapted to what you can eat and then share with others 🙂
Susan, I certainly sympathize with your difficulties in finding recipes and foods free of the allergens that are dangerous for your children. However, your replies in this thread are absolutely ridiculous and histrionic. Surely, if you have been living this way for 15 years, you understand very well by now that you must read recipes and ingredient lists thoroughly. The cashews are clearly listed. That means you can’t use this recipe. A bummer for sure! I too have experienced the let-down that comes with the hope that a recipe will fill my requirements, only to discover it won’t work after all. What you do is find another recipe. What you do is live your life and take care of your kids. What you do NOT do is threaten to show pictures of your son after ingesting cashews! What you do NOT do is screech about the “Allergy-friendly” title/tag. Again, being that you have dealt with these life threatening issues for a decade and a half, you surely understand the difference between “allergy-friendly” and “allergen-free?” Time to put on your big girl panties.
I’m so with you on this, Mel! I’m always so grateful that no one in my immediate family has a food allergy! I definitely have more GF friends in my life than any other allergy, and your monster cookies (made with GF oats) are a go-to recipe that is enjoyed by all the eaters 🙂
That chocolate cake is to die for!! And I don’t have anyone who is GF in my family, but it’s fab. I’ll have to try these.
I can’t wait to make these babies…so excited to have all the ingreds in the pantry!
This could not have come at a more perfect time! We just found out two days ago that my son has Celiac’s disease, so we are being thrown into the gluten-free world. I’m sure he’ll love these! Thank you!
Looks delicious but I’m allergic to Cashews 🙁
so is my son and a zillion other people, this whole recipe and title makes me so upset!
My husband has several food allergies and I don’t whine when someone posts a recipe using one of those foods. I either modify the recipe, substitute the ingredient, or don’t use the recipe at all. If every recipe were truly allergen-free for every possible allergy there wouldn’t be any recipes.
Amen LOL petty people my daughter can’t have gluten which is in 98% of food. I myself am grateful for a simple, healthy alternative. Find a recipe that works for you 🙂
Can’t please everyone!
Upset that Mel so sincerely offers a recipe that many people will be thankful for? Upset that she sincerely empathizes with those dealing with food allergies, even though she does not? Wow. Just – wow. She can’t possibly post a recipe with ingredients that NO ONE would be allergic to. And that no one would complain about. I guarantee it. But I for one appreciate her.
LOL