Healthy no bake cookies made with cacao powder and peanut butter. You will love this dairy free no bake cookie recipe made with easy ingredients!
If there is one thing that I could always eat for dessert and never get sick of, it would be these healthy no bake cookies.
They are the perfect dessert: easy to prepare, naturally sweetened, chewy, and full of rich fudgy, chocolatey flavor.
I have been making these healthy no bake cookies for years and they do not disappoint.
I make them every Christmas, and all throughout the year.
These aren’t just for the holidays!
They were a lifesaver when I had my son, and I had my husband make me some for an easy snack that was also a great lactation cookie!
How to make healthy no bake cookies
First, you will add honey and cacao powder to a medium sized sauce pan.
Use a whisk to combine the cacao powder and honey over medium heat until it resembles chocolate sauce.
Next, add in the coconut oil and almond milk, whisking to combine.
This won’t take long, as the mixture is already hot.
Add you peanut butter, salt, and vanilla and stir until it is all mixed up.
This is the point that I usually switch from a whisk to a stirring spoon.
Once you add in the oats, a whisk would just get all clogged up with oats and not mix well.
Any spoon you would cook with will work here!
Remove your pan from the heat, and stir in the rolled oats until everything is combined.
Tip for easy cleanup
Line baking sheets with wax paper and drop cookies by spoonfuls onto the wax paper.
This helps a lot when cleaning up!
Transfer the cookies to the fridge until set (at least an hour).
Once my cookies are set, I will remove them from the wax paper and place them in a ziploc bag in the freezer.
The wax paper really helps cut down on the mess, and can just be thrown out once the cookies are set.
I love how easy it makes getting the cookies off of the sheet!
For a softer cookie, you can store these no bakes in the fridge.
But my favorite way to keep these no bake cookies is in the freezer.
They taste like a fudgy cookie heaven.
I love the texture this way!
You could try it both ways and see which way you prefer.
These cookies are so healthy but taste like a rich treat.
I have definitely maybe eaten these for breakfast before! No regrets!
Hungry for more?
Check out my roundup of 25 Gluten Free Dairy Free Desserts!
Making these no bake cookies vegan
If you want to make these cookies vegan, substitute pure maple syrup for the honey.
more no bake recipes
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Cups
- Healthy No Bake Peanut Butter Truffles
- Vegan Peanut Butter Cups
- Healthy Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
- Almond Butter Cups
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I recommend this recipe to anyone looking for a healthier dessert – you won’t believe how addictive these are and they won’t leave you feeling tired and in a sugar coma.
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Healthy No Bake Cookies
Healthy no bake cookies made with good for you ingredients!
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup honey (or maple syrup)
- ½ cup raw cacao powder (can substitute unsweetened cocoa powder)
- ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- ½ cup coconut oil
- ¾ cup peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 4 cups rolled oats
Instructions
- Add honey and cacao powder to a medium sauce pan
- Heat pan on medium low heat (do not boil), stirring with a whisk, until honey and powders mix to form a sauce that resembles chocolate syrup
- Add coconut oil and almond milk
- Stir with a whisk until coconut oil melts and combines (less than a minute)
- Stir in peanut butter, sea salt, and vanilla extract, whisking until the sauce is smooth
- Add in oats and stir to combine
- Drop by large spoonfuls onto baking sheets covered in wax paper (ease of cleanup)
- Allow to harden for at least an hour in the fridge, or until set
- Store in fridge or freezer (I love mine in the freezer for a fudgy texture!)
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 30 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 144Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 67mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 3g
Dana
Sunday 24th of April 2022
I modified these a little.. I used half cocoa half chocolate protein powder and I mixed PB2 with the coconut oil before adding instead of peanut butter. I noticed after 2 cups of oats that my batter couldn't take any more. I realized later that I forgot to add my almond milk so that's probably why but the cookie was still good and held together well. And my cookies ended up higher in protein, and lower in fat and carbs. No bake cookies were a favorite when I was a kid so Im super happy I found this recipe!
Linda
Saturday 29th of January 2022
Bottom line: a huge hit in this gf, dairy-free, low-sugar household! My husband loves them. Pretty much... that’s the most important thing about these cookies. Rich flavor. Trying to provide him with fresh & healthy grab-n-go foods in order to have fewer less-healthy processed food items in the house.
Super easy to make! That’s the next-important thing! Easy clean-up. Love that there aren’t a guhzillion ingredients, and no obscure ingredients, either (for our household, at least). Found a huge bag of organic, fair trade cacao as well as huge bag of glysophate-free, organic, gluten-free rolled oats at Costco, so I can now make these cookies on a regular basis for pennies per serving! Much less pricey than similar processed snack foods. I used Maranatha brand raw organic almond butter and Kirkland real maple syrup. Because one commenter used butter successfully, I used 1/2 butter & 1/2 coconut oil because my husband prefers butter over coconut oil.
A wonderful treat! Thank you, Joy!
Jason
Monday 9th of August 2021
Is the cacao powder just for flavor or is it necessary for binding the cookie together? I’m wondering if I can leave out the cacao and put raisin or cacao nibs in instead.
Joy Shull
Thursday 12th of August 2021
It is what will give it the chocolate shape and color.
Kelli
Sunday 15th of November 2020
I’ve made these twice now and love them! I used ghee the first time and butter the second, it’s what I had, and they were great! I highly recommend using maple syrup as it compliments the chocolate flavor!
Rachel Wieringa
Thursday 5th of November 2020
There's are the best!!! Thank you!!!