Peanut Butter Oatmeal Butterscotch Chip Cookie Dough Bites

It is still summer.  Therefore, I still am boycotting my oven.  And, I am trying to eat a little healthier.  And I still have a sweet tooth.  Fortunately, I have found an awesome recipe that meets all my needs, especially my need for delicious!

This is one of those Pinterest posts I pinned thinking I might make it "some day."  It had peanut butter, oatmeal, and butterscotch chips, and is eaten in it's delicious cookie dough form.  And it doesn't have any butter or white sugar.  I had to pin that!  When it started getting hot outside, my "some day" finally came.  So I tried it out, and it was absolutely delicious!

These have the tastiness of an oatmeal cookie, but without the need to bake them.  Let's all be honest with ourselves.   Cookie dough is the best part of making cookies.  That makes these an awesome summer treat.  I kept mine in the freezer to keep them firm.  The fact that they were eaten cold just made them even better.

Another nice thing about this recipe is that it can easily be customized for your taste.  I used butterscotch chips as the original recipe instructed.  They were great, but if you are not a butterscotch fan, you could make some substitutions.  I'm thinking chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, nuts, or even dried fruit would be good swaps.  The raisins would even cut more calories!

These cookie dough bites aren't 100% healthy, but they are healthier than a standard cookie.  And they are just as good, if not better!  One more side note is that I was skeptical about adding the cinnamon, but it really was a good flavor enhancer.  You can probably omit it if you want, but I thought it was good.

So if you are needing a great summer snack that doesn't require an oven, or a 10 mile run, try out these delicious peanut butter oatmeal butterscotch chip cookie dough bites?

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Butterscotch Chip Cookie Dough Balls
Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup light maple syrup
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 Tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butterscotch chips
Directions:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside.
Cream the peanut butter, applesauce, syrup, honey, and vanilla in a large bowl until well combined.
Add the oat mixture and stir until combined.  Add butterscotch chips and stir well.
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball.  Repeat with the rest of the dough.  Refrigerate or freeze to firm.
Makes 15-20

Recipe from Bake Your Day