Healthy No-Bake Cookies

Healthy No-Bake Cookies Recipe

When I was first learning to bake and cook, no-bake cookies were one of the first recipes I tried–with a recipe written in my math textbook, of all places.

That recipe had gobs of sugar. It was super sweet, but also left me feeling the sugar overload afterward.

When I was a teenager and craved chocolate, no-bake cookies were my companion.

And as a mom, no-bake cookies are an easy dessert and snack to serve my family.

If you know me, you know that there must be something secretly healthy about these cookies if I’m still whipping them up in my kitchen and serving them to my toddlers and husband.

And you’re right.

These healthy no-bake cookies are not just a healthier version of this treat–they are actually full of nutritional value.

Let’s make our roll call of the ingredients so you can see what I mean, shall we?

Dairy-Free No-Bake Cookies Without Butter

Healthy fats hold the power of satisfying our bodies for longer periods of time.

They also provide us with fat-soluble vitamins–nutrients that fat helps our bodies absorb.

There are so many options for consuming healthy fats: avocado, nuts, chia seeds…

Recipes for no-bake cookies traditionally rely on butter for this element of fat.

And while I love butter (and wholeheartedly believe that raw butter can be excellent for you!), sometimes you need some other healthy fats in your life. Am I right?

In addition, with the high cost of butter where we live (and probably in the USA, as well), coconut oil is actually a cheaper option for baking recipes right now.

Thus, the coconut oil in this healthy recipe for no-bake cookies.

I suppose you could call this a recipe for keto no-bake cookies because of its high content of healthy fats.

Here is a list of the fats we use (and eat) in these healthy no-bake cookies:

• nut butter (we use peanut butter in this recipe)
• ground flaxseed
• coconut oil
• dark chocolate

Healthy No-Bake Cookies with Desiccated Coconut

If you are a coconut-lover, you might add shredded coconut to various dishes without any prompting.

If you are like my little children, however, then coconut isn’t a natural favorite.

So one of the ways I “sneak” coconut into recipes is by using desiccated coconut. Because it has a finer texture than shredded coconut, its presence isn’t as noticeable.

But it still adds great nutritional value. In fact, according to the article “The Nutritional Richness of Dry Coconut and Its Health Benefits“:

“While low in carbohydrates and sugars, dry coconut is rich in essential nutrients. It contains important minerals like manganese, copper, and selenium, which play a role in various bodily functions, including bone health, immune support, and antioxidant defense.”

Important Notes about Ingredients

When making this recipe, use these guidelines to optimize the nutrition and minimize unwanted toxins:

• Use only organic quick oats to avoid pesticides.
• Try using a natural peanut butter. (You may need to add a bit more sweetener, depending on how the peanut butter is processed.)
• Stir in organic desiccated coconut.
• Use only cold-pressed virgin (unrefined) coconut oil. (You can read more on this here.)
• For a potential higher content of antioxidants, use raw cacao powder rather than dutch-processed cocoa powder.

Recipe Variations

• Use another dried fruit in place of the dried cranberries. Some favorite options are dried cherries, dried blueberries, or even raisins.
• Substitute another nut butter for the peanut butter. Because we enjoy the flavor of peanut butter so much, our family has yet to try this recipe with almond butter or another nut butter. If you do experiment, be sure to test the final result and add more honey, to taste, as some nut butters are sweeter than others.
• Exchange the honey for maple syrup. Because some types of honey are thicker than maple syrup, start with a smaller measurement of maple syrup to ensure that the no-bake cookies are not too runny. Then add more sweetener, as desired.

Tips and Tricks for Best Results

• Do not burn these cookies! There isn’t much of a chance of salvaging burnt chocolate (or peanut butter, for that matter). If you overcook these cookies, you lose them to the wastebasket. I always just bring my peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil to melting for this recipe, never boiling. And there is truly no need to make the ingredients hot.
• I like to mix the raw cacao powder into the heated mixture before adding the quick oats. This seems to result in a more even chocolate flavor.

What You Need to Make This Recipe for Healthy No-Bake Cookies

• a medium-sized saucepan
• a spoon
• a spatula (for scraping all the cookie dough out of the pan)
• a reusable silicone baking mat (parchment paper can work, in a pinch)
• a cookie sheet

Ingredients for Healthy No-Bake Cookies

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup raw honey (can use maple syrup for a vegan option–see note)
• 1/4 cup cold-pressed virgin coconut oil
• 1 cup organic quick oats
• 2 Tbsp. organic ground flaxseed
• 1/4 cup organic desiccated coconut
• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder (non-alkalized)
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

How to Make Healthy No-Bake Cookies (Without Sugar)

1. Line a cookie sheet with a reusable silicone baking mat (for best results). You can also use parchment paper, if necessary.
2. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the peanut butter, coconut oil, and raw honey over low heat just until melted. Do not bring to a boil!
3. Remove from the heat. Add the cacao powder and mix until fully incorporated.
4. Stir in the flaxseed, quick oats, and desiccated coconut. Add the dried cranberries.
5. Drop by rounded tablespoons on the prepared silicone baking mat. Cool in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes, or until firm.
6. Remove from the refrigerator and serve. Or store in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator.

Storage Instructions

Keep these healthy no-bake cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I recommend separating layers of the cookies with a sheet of parchment paper so that they don’t meld together.

If you wish to freeze these cookies, you can totally do that! Simply layer them with reusable silicone baking mats between them. (I prefer these mats to parchment paper because of how parchment paper tends to disintegrate when wet and/or oily, which can definitely happen with these cookies in the thawing process.)

Remove from the freezer at least two hours before serving.

Craving something sweet? Don’t sacrifice healthfulness in the process! Try these amazing healthy chocolate snacks:

• High-Protein Dark Chocolate Marshmallows
• Chocolate Covered Raspberry Bites (with Chia Seeds)
• Healthy No-Bake Double Chocolate Granola Bars
• Healthy Double Chocolate Walnut Brownies with Almond Flour