Christmas Cookie Dough Balls + an Easy Lunchbox Idea

This gorgeous, red Christmas Cookie Dough is perfect for the holidays -- it's easy to make, easy to share, and easy to fall in love with. It's completely grain-free (which means it's also gluten-free), dairy-free, vegan, annnnnnnnnnnd it has a hidden (or not so hidden) veggie that gives it that beautiful intense color. 

The deep red color is from... beets, of course! We love beets because:

  • they aren’t expensive
  • they're one of the sweetest vegetables
  • they're super versatile

blendtec beet puree

Beets are one of those foods that most people either love or hate. They can have a distinctive taste (ehem, Dear Hubby thinks they taste like dirt), but you can minimize this by doing a few simple things: 1) make sure you peel the beets completely and 2) roast them with a dollop of coconut oil.

The roasting brings out the sweetness of the beet and removes a lot of the earthiness. Once roasted, they can be added in to so many things! (We love them in hummus, salads, tacos, and even popsicles!)

pink grain-free cookie dough

Your hands will get a little messy rolling them into perfect little balls. But, it's totally worth it! I like to store them in the freezer and take a few out whenever I'm craving something sweet. Or you can make them ahead of time for a holiday party. No one will believe they're eating beets!

naturally pink cookie dough balls

We’ve made these 3 times in as many weeks, and everyone absolutely loves them: Babycakes, her teachers, her friends, and even her beet-hating daddy. So if you don’t think you like beets, you should definitely try this recipe… and surprise yourself with how good they are!

babycakes with pink cookie dough

The Perfect Winter Lunch:

I'm finishing up my year-long project with Silk that focused on nourishing lunchbox ideas (remember this one and this one and this one?). Well, this just might be my favorite. Here's what's included:

  • Honey Smoked Salmon Bites -- 34 Degrees' Natural cracker topped with whipped cream cheese, organic apricot jam, and honey smoked salmon
  • Pomegranate -- such a perfect winter superfood!
  • Baby Carrots
  • One Christmas Cookie Dough Ball (recipe below!)

easy lunchbox idea with salmon and pomegranate

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This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions, recipe, beautiful food photography, and text are all mine.