Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

I've never been scared off by the risk of salmonella in raw cookie dough. I will undoubtedly be the incredibly rare case of someone who becomes violently ill from cookie dough because of this. Death by cookie dough. I used to buy rolls of Pillsbury sugar cookie dough at the grocery store and snack on it with friends. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Who needs cookies when you can just eat the dough and call it a day?

Along with the many perks of living at home before I move in a few weeks (more space, bigger TV, my dog...my parents, obviously) I've also found that I can't get away with quite as much. For example, the other day when my mom walked in and saw me making these she looked at me, only half surprised, and said, "Again?!" I acted like it was completely normal to have made these twice in three days and said, "Yes?" Only about five percent of the things I do on a daily basis are remotely normal. Sometimes it just takes being called out to realize it. Alas, I made them again anyways.

These are going to be my new go-to party dessert. They're easy, delicious, cute and egg-free for anyone worried about salmonella. I like the chocolate drizzle on them, but if you want to make it simpler just roll them in some mini morsels and voila! Bite-sized, amazing cookie dough bites.

Bring these to a party. Share with strangers. Make friends. It's that easy!

Also, I've noticed the dough is much easier to form if you pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes or so after making it.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
Recipe from Cooking Classy

Yields about 30

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips, chopped (the idea is to get them to be about 1/2 - 1/3 their original size)
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped

Optional Topping:
1/3 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Directions:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip together butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and salt until pale and fluffy about 3 - 4 minutes. Stir in cream and vanilla extract. Add in flour and mix just until combine (dough will seem dry at first but it will come together). Mix in chopped chocolate chips. Scoop dough out 1 equal tablespoon at a time and roll into balls. Place on parchment or wax paper.

If drizzling with chocolate, place 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe container and microwave on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Pour melted chocolate into a small ziploc bag, seal bag and cut a very small tip off the corner of the bag. Drizzle chocolate over tops of truffles. Place truffles in freezer for several minutes until chocolate sets and hardens (mine only took about 3 minutes), then enjoy! For more firm cookie dough bites, chill 1 hour in refrigerator. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.