Healthier Chocolate No-Bake Cookies
This reinvented healthier no-bake cookies recipe is as delicious as the old-school original with coconut oil and no refined sugar.
Impossible to resist, these decadent little no-bake cookies are, unfortunately, completely banned from my home starting now. Um, actually, can I take that back? Starting tomorrow.
Despite being a bit healthier than the classic no-bake cookie that’s been around for decades, I’m pretty sure they still don’t justify eating the entire batch.
And I’m not kidding, I cannot stop snitching these things out of my refrigerator every time they somehow seem to appear again.
I brought a couple dozen of these delectable cookies when we spent several blissful days catching up with dear Minnesota friends last month. Devoured within hours.
I made some more when my dad came to visit a few weeks ago. Gone. Quickly.
My kids have also made them during long summer days when a quick, chocolatey cookie is in order.
Best decision ever (the cookies and delegating the making of to the kids).
Basically, we love, love, love these healthier no-bake cookies.
They are fast and easy, and they provide the perfect amount of sweetness when you just need a little something to finish off a meal or provide a mid-afternoon pick me up (or mid-morning for all I care; no judging here).
But be warned, if you take to them like I have, you might have to stop making them completely or else try to find your missing self-control ASAP.
I’ve included several notes in the recipe so be sure to read through those if you have lingering questions and as always, feel free to adapt and change as inspiration hits (at your own risk of course; don’t want anyone suing me over failed no-bake cookies).
After making the recipe millions of times, I’ve found I prefer to make the cookies and portion the dough into a mini muffin tin (lined with mini muffin cup papers).
It’s kind of like a miniature peanut butter cup with lots of other yummy goodness thrown in, and let me tell you, the bite-size form makes these healthier no-bake cookies absolutely impossible to resist.
One Year Ago: Good Morning Power Muffins {Full of Whole Grains and Superfoods!}
Two Years Ago: Salted Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Cookies
Three Years Ago: Cheesy Zucchini Rice
Healthier Chocolate No-Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (255 g) natural peanut or almond butter
- ½ cup coconut oil
- ½ cup (170 g) honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (170 g) bittersweet chocolate chips
- 2 ½ cups (250 g) quick cooking or old-fashioned oats (see note)
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup coarsely chopped almonds, toasted is optional but awesome
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, melt the peanut or almond butter and coconut oil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Off the heat, stir in the honey and vanilla until combined.
- Immediately stir in the chocolate chips until melted (if the mixture is too cool to melt them completely, return the saucepan to low heat to help it along without bringing it to a simmer).
- Add the oats, cocoa powder and almonds and stir until well-combined.
- Drop by heaping spoonfuls (the medium cookie scoop works great) onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until set.
- The cookies will keep in a tupperware-type container (layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment) in the refrigerator for a week or more.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from a recipe my Aunt Jeanette sent to me by way of my cousin, Mel Y, who is famous for these cookies among our family
Made this for the first time and loved the taste. Wondering if they can be shipped without icepacks?
I’m honestly not sure…they do tend to melt easier than other types of cookies.
I have never liked no bake cookies because they lack texture, but these have changed my mind!! So amazingly good with old fashioned oats and the chopped lightly salted almonds took these to a whole new level with some crunch . I threw whole almonds in a ziploc bag and pounded them with a meat tenderizer until they were the size i wanted .Thanks for sharing this recipe !
I love these cookies! I only make half a batch, but I do it in a glass measuring cup in the microwave. I put them in my silicone muffin liners on a tray and freeze them for 15 minutes. Then I pop them out and put them in the zipper baggie in the fridge. Thank you for a great recipe.
I know honey is stickier, but could maple syrup or agave be substituted, in this recipe?
Thanks…
I think it probably could – maybe use slightly less?
Thank you so much for this recipe, my granny made these and I wanted a more natural version for my kids. A great way to get fiber in them
The best Chocolate no bake cookies! Love using the coconut oil, gives it the best chocolate coconut taste!! I keep mine in fridge the whole time in zip lock bag and I love it!
Wow! Fantastic cookie. This is my first time making no-bake cookies, and I will probably not ever try another recipe for it! What a masterpiece. In the words of a family member, it is a “wonderful, scrumptious treat that will make your taste buds smile, laugh, and jump for joy!”
I have a similar recipe I’ve been making for years with added goodies like unsweetened shredded coconut , chopped walnuts, and sunflower seeds. (I found the ‘chewy granola bars’ recipe from Laura Coppinger @Heavenly Homemakers and have tweaked it a little)
>> An essential snack or breakfast item for our family. They would definitely enjoy the full measure of chocolate chips!
Getting ready to make these a second time, super yummy. You are my most favorite food blog, thanks for sharing your talents.
Wow! This is the best no bake recipe! I can’t stop eating them lol. Thanks for making my life a little sweeter ❤
Yummy! These are even tastier than the originals. Did anyone ever notice that that original recipe hardly has any cocoa/chocolate in it???? If you have a chocolate craving that needs satisfied, make these.
This is the best tasting cookie I have ever tasted. The chocolate chips give it such a better flavor and it’s not too sweet like the others. Thanks this is a keeper
These are the best! I found this recipe years ago and it is still a favourite – thank you!
Made these and they taste great , BUT they are not healthy. With all that oil and nuts your looking at 400 calories a cookie!!!!!!
Wonderfully chocolatey and creamy. I used semisweet chips as they were what I had, and no almonds. Also, I did soak the oats in a bit of milk as someone in the comments recommended. Very, very good.
I made these but I used Schmuckers peanut butter instead of Jif. I think the flavor would of been better if I had. Next time I’ll use Jif.
Wish this came with nutrition facts since it is listed under low calorie no bake cookies
I added it up to be 6,400 calories for the batch. I made 16 cookies and ended up with 400 per cookie.
Please consider switching to Guittard baking chips. Guittard is the only readily available chocolate brand committed to sourcing slave-free chocolate.
Chocolate is more palatable when we know it’s production is slavery-free. ❤️
These were very delicious. I did add about a cup extra oatmeal and no nuts.
I just made these and they are delish. I used pecans rather than almonds. A really great recipe. Thank you!
Haven’t made this recipe just yet, but felt the need to comment that I can’t believe that the pastry-chef|nutritionist lady is complaining about your half-cup of honey, Mel. Traditional no-bake cookie recipes call for two cups of sugar (and milk, at least a half cup). Your recipe tips the balance towards fat a little more, but if I replace the honey with maple syrup, I can have a vegan recipe. Will make soon! Thank you!
I made these almost as written, as I did not have bittersweet choco. chips. They were amazing actually a little sweet with the semi-sweet chips.
I just made these for the first time and would make again.
I used jif natural crunchy peanut butter, old fashioned oats, almost a full cup of Ghirardelli bittersweet chips, and high quality cocoa powder. I omitted the almonds to cut down on calories—and they seemed unnecessary—but they’d work really well with the texture.
They smell delicious while preparing, and the warm batter is heavenly.
Once cool, the peanut butter flavor is present, but not as robust as expected. I might adjust the coconut oil to peanut butter ratio next time.
They’re very chocolatey, and very filling.
A new family favorite! When I took some to my parents, my dad loved them so much he started making them weekly!
Made this just now, and they’re very yummy. I screwed up on the sweetener front, however, and used Truvia in place of the honey…which was a biiig mistake since it didn’t dissolve in the fat (duh), so now every bite has that annoying crystalized crunch.
Apart from that, they’re really tasty, and I plan to make another batch this week, only using honey. Will also add a pinch of salt, since I felt that was needed, and would help the flavours pop a little more.
These cookies are UNREAL amazing! I would not have tried them if they weren’t in your favorite section and if it wasn’t for my MIL who doesn’t eat refined sugar, but BAM! These are good. I ran out of oats so I did 1.5 cups rolled oats and 1 cup flax meal and I loved the texture! I feel like they could sell these cookies at Magnolia Farms. That’s how good and classy they are.
These are fabulous with the dark chocolate cocoa powder!!
Oops! I forgot to ask, how many calories per cookie? Thank you
I’m also curious about calorie/nutrition info.
Thank you!
My husband who has to have his refined sugar and white flour loved them! He thought the almonds were different but he liked the change (omg!) My grandson who loves my cooking loved them! He loves almond butter over peanut any day! I haven’t made no bake cookies for close to 14 years. Thank you for sharing your recipes. I am disabled and don’t get to bake/cook often. Your recipe was easy to read, understand and use. I make my own oat “meal” so it was a lot like old fashioned oats so they were very chewy. I think next time I will add a little coconut milk to the honey warm the honey to just warm. Add water and quickly add the oats gently, cover let sit while I finish the recipe from start and then add the liquid mixture to the oats. The oats were dry and you either chewed forever or you swallow. You have to drink a lot of liquids with your cookie
What can I substitute for the coconut oil in this recipe that is non-dairy?
You could experiment with another type of oil or margarine maybe?
I’ve made these cookies several times and we’ve tried many different substitutes. Butter, semi-sweet instead of dark chocolate, corn syrup (no honey that day but NEEDED my chocolate pb fix) we’ve even used coconut or oats instead of almonds. One time I discovered in the middle of making them I had no cocoa so in went about a half cup more chocolate chips and those turned out well too. I can honestly say we prefer this recipe to the standard no bake cookies.
Edible cocoa butter, available on Amazon. It upped the chocolate taste/aroma and kept them firmer at room temperature.
This is my go-to no bake recipe. It is perfect as is but it’s also incredibly easy to change up (just slightly, like exchanging a portion of the almonds or oats with stuff like flax or chia seeds, or other nuts/seeds). This last time I made it without the chocolate chips (husband’s trying to stick to only natural sweeteners) and it was still so good! Obviously the chocolate was a little less intense but still a total winner of a recipe
These are so good! To be honest, I don’t follow the directions exactly; I put the oil, cocoa powder, chocolate, almonds peanut butter and honey in a pot and melt then add the oats and vanilla off the heat. I then spray a 9 x 13 pan/cookie sheet and put the mixture in there. This recipe is also delicious if you put some sea salt on the cookies/bars before you refrigerate.
I like doing them in bars because then I can cut into smaller or bigger chunks. I keep a container of them at work. I work retail so on those rough days I can run to the back and eat one and get back to work in a better mood!
Yummo!!
Was looking for a sweet treat I wouldn’t feel guilty about and came across your site and this recipe. These are delish! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
These are so great! I made them using crunchy almond butter and flakes coconut instead of almonds. Loved it!
I made this recipe this morning and it was so good. I used half honey and half coconut sugar, because I’ve had a bag of coconut sugar in my pantry for a while, but was afraid to use it, but the cookies turned out fantastic. My husband even liked them.
Thank you for the healthier version idea.