Healthy Pumpkin Cookie Dough Dip

September 8, 2019

Enjoy this Healthy Pumpkin Cookie Dough Dip, full of pumpkin flavor, but made from nourishing ingredients for a healthy snack with protein, high fiber carbs, and healthy fats! I encourage you to try it straight from the container with a spoon!

Nut Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free, Egg Free

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by SunButter, but all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make the Chelsey Amer Nutrition blog possible!

I don’t know about you, but the whole point of making cookies is to eat the cookie dough – amiright?!

Well, since it’s not always safe to do so, I love making cookie dough with the intention of eating it with a spoon… or apple slices, pretzels (salty + sweet = HELLO!), or anything else you can find to scoop it up.

The problem is that eating a boatload of cookie dough (because who can stop at 1 spoonful… not I said the fly!) can leave you feeling BLAH. And if there’s one feeling I HATE it’s when I intentionally make myself feel blah. Why would you want to do that?

I’m all for creating and eating delicious treats, but I also know when I can “healthify” a treat WITHOUT feeling like I’m missing something. And that’s exactly what I did here.

This Healthy Pumpkin Cookie Dough Dip will HIT. THE. SPOT!

It’s full of pumpkin and cookie dough flavor with hints of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg for a snack or dessert that just screams fall. AND it’s good for you.

Can you guess what “secret” ingredient I used as the base for this dip to make it 100% food allergy friendly, vegan, gluten free, AND grain free?

(No, you don’t need to follow all of those labels, but if you need to, this recipe fits the bill!)

I used BEANS!

White beans or chickpeas are blended into the perfect creamy base for a cookie dough dip. When you add the other ingredients, you have a spoonful of fall in every bite.

Here’s what you need to make this Healthy Pumpkin Cookie Dough Dip:

White beans or chickpeas

As mentioned, the base of this healthy cookie dough recipe is white beans or chickpeas. Like all beans, white beans contain filling fiber, which promotes good digestion. Beans contain SOLUBLE fiber (more on the different types of fiber here) that has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels and promote good heart health.

Even more, beans are a type of plant-based protein. Protein keeps you full (like fiber), but also helps you build lean muscle. Consuming more plant-based protein is always a good idea. Not only is it beneficial for the environment, but it’s great for your body too. Plant-based proteins are lower in fat (and therefore calories) compared to their meat counterparts.

I’m always looking for delicious and filling snacks, and the protein and fiber from beans gives these a stamp of approval.

Pumpkin Puree

Pumpkin isn’t just a basic fall necessity, it’s full of nutrients too. Most notably, pumpkin is packed with vitamin A, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which is great for eyesight (the same reason carrots are good for your eyes!), but also your immunity. As we gear up for peak flu season, it’s important to do everything you can to help boost your immune system. Eating more vitamin A is a great way to do that!

(No Added Sugar) SunButter

The beans are a great start to the creamy consistency of this pumpkin cookie dough, but SunButter adds to the silky smooth mouthfeel, thanks to all the healthy fats. Fats are filling, and definitely needed in any good snack!

Plus, by adding SunButter you’re also adding tons of vitamins and minerals, like vitamin E, selenium, and iron.

You can use any variety of SunButter that you’d like, but if you are using a sweetened variety, be cautious of the amount of maple syrup you add to avoid an overly sweet result!

Maple Syrup

There’s no better sweetener for a fall dessert than maple syrup. It just screams fall! You can add as little or as much maple syrup as you’d like. Start with 2 tablespoons (as listed in the recipe), and add more to your taste buds desires.

Cinnamon (in the pumpkin pie spice)

It wouldn’t be pumpkin pie-inspired cookie dough without the spices that make up pumpkin pie: cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and all spice. You can use pre-made pumpkin spice, or you can DIY. I love this recipe to DIY.

But let’s talk about why cinnamon is so good for you. Cinnamon has anti-microbial properties, protects the body from inflammation, lessens the impact of eating sugar on the blood sugar of diabetic patients, and more. Plus, it adds so much flavor to recipes, so why not add a little more!

What should you use to eat this Cookie Dough Dip?

My personal favorite accompaniment is pretzels. They’re not the most nutritious, but I just love the sweet and salty combo.

If you’re looking for healthier alternatives, here are some other all-star dippers:

Apple slices
Fruit kebobs (bananas and strawberries on toothpicks)
Celery sticks
Baby carrots
A spoon
Whole wheat crackers

If you’re looking for something more indulgent, try graham crackers, nilla wafers, animal crackers, or the pretzels – so good!!!

This Healthy Pumpkin Cookie Dough Dip is…

Delicious
Easy to prepare
Made with 6 ingredients
A blender recipe
The perfect after-school snack
Yummy dessert
Food allergy friendly
Vegan
Gluten free