Healthy No Bake Cookies
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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.
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“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!
I love this recipe- thank you for sharing! I’ve made the cookies twice, once with stevia (1:1 for the sugar) and once w/ half the amount of coconut sugar. Both times the consistency was more like chocolate covered crumbled oats/ not bound together at all to drop the cookies onto parchment by the spoonful. Like another reviewer, I added more coconut oil and peanut butter and that helped, but I still had to roll each cookie with my hands to get them to bind. I would love any suggestions on how to improve my consistency- the flavor is awesome but it is time consuming to roll each cookie out. Thanks again for sharing!
Thank you so much for this feedback, Irene. Are you changing anything else about the recipe? Are you using quick/instant oats (and not rolled oats). I’m also wondering if reducing the sugar might be causing the issue? Also, what type of peanut butter are using? Is it a natural peanut butter that’s sort of drippy or one that is super thick? I think that could make a difference too!
Thanks for the thoughts, Brittany! I used Organics crunchy old fashioned peanut butter. It is more on the thick side/ definitely not drippy. Is there a PB brand you’d recommend? And I used 365 organic quick oats, but underneath “Quick Oats” it says “Rolled Oats” – could that be my problem? Also just making sure- you only melt/ liquify the coconut oil, not the peanut butter or any other ingredient? Thanks again! Irene
It probably had to do with using crunchy pb instead of creamy. The creamy peanut butter should help these cookies stay together. I’ve been loving wild friends peanut butter and if you want to try it you can use code EBF10 for 10% off. 🙂
I was craving something sweet/healthy and came across this. No bake cookies are an all time favorite of mine. I substituted the coconut oil with a ripe banana and the coconut sugar with pure maple syrup, and it turned out great!
Woo!! I’m so glad these cookies turned out for you, Rachel. Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
Hi!
I’m looking forward to trying these. I’m wondering if they can be made with old fashioned Rolled Oats (and also whether, if I use a little bit of stevia instead of the sugar, if that will throw off wet/dry proportions?) Thanks!
Rolled oats will be just fine! Other people have used stevia with no issues! Let me know if you try these and how they turn out for you. 🙂
Not sure what went wrong but these did not bind well for me. All I did differently was use monk fruit instead of coconut sugar. After adding a little extra coconut oil and peanut butter, I was able to squeeze the mixture in my hand and carefully roll them into balls. I’m sure the shape won’t matter to my teen boys, who love all the treats I make even when they don’t turn out as planned. They are tasty though, which is why I gave this recipe a 4 star. I also love the simple healthy ingredients.
Gorilla 🦍 poops are very GOOD!!!!!!!!!!
Just wanted to leave some love for this recipe! I’m about 5 years into my gf, df journey and have truly missed nostalgic desserts like these no-bakes. This recipe is even better than the traditional one! I’m not super great at sticking to a recipe and I slightly heated the PB mixture the first time out of habit. I also had to do half ghee, half coconut oil due to limited ingredients. The heat softened the oatmeal a bit for a softer texture and I really liked the flavor of both fats as well. I have since made the original recipe. Both turned out GREAT, but I do think the heat helped. Thanks for sharing this gem with us!
I so appreciate it, Sarah!! I’m pumped to hear you loved these cookies. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review and share the subs you made. It’s so helpful for other readers, so I appreciate it!
Delicious! Mine came out a bit crumbly because I used the dry peanut butter at the bottom of the jar. I should’ve used less oats since the peanut butter wasn’t providing much in the way of moisture. Tastes great either way though! 😀 Thank you for the tasty snack idea
Ahh yeah, that was definitely it! I’m glad you still enjoyed these cookies. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
I can’t stop eating them 😅 they are beyond delicious. Favorite treat of my Christmas holiday
Aren’t they SO good?! I’m glad you loved them. Thanks for the review, Ana. I so appreciate it!
Just made these. They’re really good!
I made this with about 1/2 cup of monk fruit sweetener. Thanks for the healthy recipe. I’m going to check out the rest of your blog! Meet Christmas!
Ahh yay!! So glad these cookies turned out with monk fruit sweetener. Did you just do 1/2 monk fruit 1/2 coconut sugar or just 1/2 cup in total of sugar?