Healthy No Bake Cookies
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
These healthy no bake cookies are soft, chocolatey and full of peanut butter flavor. They mix up fast and set into the perfect chewy cookie.
No bake cookies have always had a special place in my heart. I grew up making them with my mom every Christmas and I still remember standing on a chair in the kitchen so I could reach the stove and help her stir the pot. They were one of the first treats she taught me how to make on my own and I loved that I did not have to wait for anything to bake.
This healthier version has the same rich chocolate peanut butter flavor I loved as a kid but is made with simple ingredients and comes together so quickly. They are the kind of cookie you can mix up on a busy afternoon or make for a quick treat when the craving hits.
Table of Contents
“these are the best healthy no bakes i’ve ever had, and that’s after multiple different tries ! they taste so much like the traditional ones i remember making growing up, and i’m definitely going to write down the recipe in my cookbook to keep.”
Why I Love These No Bake Cookies
- Healthier take – This version skips the butter and refined sugar and uses coconut oil almond milk and coconut sugar instead. It still tastes rich and chocolatey but feels lighter and more balanced.
- Perfect sweetness – These cookies use half the sugar of the classic kind and honestly I think they taste even better this way. The coconut sugar adds such a nice warm flavor.
- Quick to make – Everything comes together on the stove in just a few minutes. No baking and no fuss which makes them great for last minute cravings.
- So addictive – I make a batch and somehow they disappear fast. They are the kind of cookie you can enjoy any time of day and still want one more.
Ingredients Needed
You only need a few simple ingredients to make these cookies and they all bring something special to the mix.
- coconut oil – this is what gives the cookies that rich melt in your mouth texture. It firms up as the cookies cool so they set perfectly.
- natural creamy peanut butter – the star of the show. It adds that classic peanut butter taste and makes the cookies feel thick and satisfying. I always reach for a drippy natural peanut butter here so it stirs in easily.
- coconut sugar – my favorite part. It sweetens the cookies with a warm caramel flavor that makes these taste even better than the traditional version.
- cocoa powder – brings all the chocolate goodness. It makes the cookies rich and fudgy without being overpowering.
- unsweetened vanilla almond milk – just a splash helps everything come together. The vanilla adds a little sweetness and keeps the mixture smooth.
- sea salt – a small pinch balances the chocolate and peanut butter and makes each bite taste even better.
- vanilla extract – adds warmth and rounds out the flavor.
- quick oats – the base of the cookie. Quick oats soak up the chocolate mixture so the cookies hold their shape and set with that classic chewy texture.
How to Make No Bake Cookies
Step 1: Stir the melted coconut oil and peanut butter together in a bowl until smooth and glossy.
Step 2: Add the coconut sugar, cocoa powder, almond milk, sea salt and vanilla. If you want the coconut sugar to fully dissolve, warm the mixture on the stovetop for about 5 minutes over medium low heat.
Step 3: Pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture over the oats in a large bowl and stir until everything is evenly coated.
Step 4: Scoop the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet, gently press into cookie shapes and refrigerate until firm.
Tips for Success
- Mix while warm: Everything blends together so much easier while the chocolate mixture is still warm and silky. Once it cools, it thickens and becomes harder to stir.
- Shape before chilling: These firm up fast in the fridge, so take a moment to press them into cute little cookies before they chill. They hold whatever shape you give them.
- Give them time to set: I know it’s tempting to grab one early, but they’re so much better once they’ve chilled completely. The texture becomes fudgy, soft and perfect.
How to Store
Store in the fridge: Keep your no bake cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1–2 weeks. They stay soft, fudgy and hold their shape best when chilled.
Freeze for later: These freeze beautifully. Place the cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet to firm up, then transfer to a freezer safe container or bag. They’ll keep for about 2–3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, let them thaw in the fridge for a few minutes or enjoy them straight from the freezer if you like a firmer bite.
More Holiday Cookies to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Healthy No Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- ½ cup natural creamy peanut butter, or almond butter
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups quick oats (also called instant oats)
Instructions
- Add melted coconut oil and peanut butter in a medium mixing bowl and stir until combined. Add coconut sugar, cocoa powder, almond milk, sea salt, vanilla.
- If desired you can heat the peanut butter cocoa mixture on the stovetop over medium low heat to fully dissolve the coconut sugar, about 5-6 minutes. Sometimes I do this and sometimes I don't. Depends on how much time I have.
- Add oats to a large mixing bowl and top with peanut butter cocoa mixture. Stir until well combined.
- Using a small/medium cookie scoop, scoop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use your hands to press the dough down a bit and form the cookies into a cookie shape.
- Place baking sheet in fridge until cookies are set, then serve. Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
Video
Notes
- No oil version: I’ve also made this recipe with a mashed banana in place of the coconut oil. The cookies will turn out a little bit more dry without the coconut oil, but still yummy.
- Sugar: You can use granulated sugar instead of coconut sugar, but you will definitely want to heat the peanut butter cocoa mixture to dissolve the sugar.
- Storage: Keep these cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for 1–2 weeks or freeze them for up to 3 months. They hold their shape best when chilled.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Yum! Best part about these is they can be whipped up in literally 5 minutes. So quick and easy. Next time I’ll definitely try swapping the banana in, and oil out. Just curious to see the difference.
Woo!! So glad you loved these cookies, Emma. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
These are so good and so easy to make. The chocolate peanut butter ratio is spot on. I love the texture and there’s a perfect amount of sweetness too.
Ahh yay, that makes me so happy to hear, Meghan!! Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it. 🙂
Hello everybody!
Thank you for these recipes, it`s really delicious and useful. I tried to cook it today, all is good but it takes a lot of time. I found some simple and tasty recipes and will try it today
Wow! These were so good I ate several spoonfuls before they even got scooped and into the fridge! They were super simple to make, set up perfectly and will make a decadent addition to this year’s Christmas cookie tower. They’re in the freezer now – we left a few out to enjoy this week. Thank you for another excellent, healthy recipe!
Yay!! So glad this recipe was a hit. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Sounds delicious! I saw you tried subbing a banana for the oil, do you think half a cup of applesauce would also create a drier cookie?
Thanks for sharing all these wonderful recipes!
Hey Rachel – I’m not too sure how applesauce would work, I haven’t tried it. It might be too liquidy, but it might work ok. Definitely let me know if you end up trying it and how these cookies turn out. 🙂
Would this receipe work with steel cut oats
Hey Llora – No, I wouldn’t sub the oats for steel cut oats as they are much harder than rolled or quick oats.
So easy, and so delicious! I used Bob’s Mill gluten free oats and it’s the perfect snack for satisfying your sweet tooth if you’re a chocolate addict like me. Love these!
So glad you love these cookies, Vanessa! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it!
This is a great recipe and I love chocolate no bake drops except that I’m dairy-intolerant, and cocoa and sugar too. Ack! I know, I know. But I I made some pretty good drops anyway (I love them) when used only the Peanut Butter, vanilla extract, and instant oats, a bit of water to make it moist, and Stevia (the liquid only stevia kind, no added things). It’s really the core of the recipe! ❤️
They taste great!!
Very easy to do and well explained, loved them ♥️
Question:
The trad recipe calls for boiling the butter and sugar and milk to almost a fudgelike texture. I tried replacing 1/2 of the sugar with Truvia. The cookies did not set and I had to freeze and eat frozen. I’d like to try this recipe, Has it been tried with sugar and stevia?
Hey Lori – I know someone else has used regular sugar instead of the coconut sugar and she said the cookies turned out just fine. I’m not sure about the Truvia, but I’m sure it would work. Let me know if you end up trying these cookies and let me know how they turn out. 🙂