Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies! Made with only 8 good-for-you ingredients & ready in 30 minutes, they’re a delicious treat you can feel great about eating!
I remember the first time I ever tried No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies…I about died. I hunted down the maker of those cookies and begged for the recipe. They were super easy to make, but I definitely wasn’t a fan of the nutritional profile.
Since my first encounter with these little bits of chocolate/peanut butter heaven, it became my mission to create a much healthier version! I’ve made this recipe more times than I can count, which means I’m extra glad that these Healthy No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies are gluten-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar free AND vegan-friendly!
No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
For some, summer is coming to a close…but I live in Utah where it stays hot well through September. I still try to avoid using my oven as much as possible, which is why this recipe is perfect! Delicious no-bake treats help us fall-lovers survive the extended hot weather!
These Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies are made with only 8 good-for-you ingredients, all of which you probably have on hand right now {yay}!
These cookies are a fantastic after school snack to make for your kids too! They’re fast, easy, and taste like a treat {but are really healthy}! Your kids will think they are having dessert before dinner, when in fact they are fueling their bodies with protein, fiber, and healthy fats! #bossmom
If you don’t have kids, they are the perfect treat to refuel and reenergize your body after a great workout! Quick note: these cookies are best served cold. Coconut oil becomes soft at warm temperatures!
Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies: Substitutions
Here are a few potential substitutions for this recipe!
- Peanut butter. Any nut or seed butter should work well in this recipe!
- Coconut oil. Butter or ghee are great substitutes for coconut oil!
- Honey. Use maple syrup for a vegan version of this recipe!
- Shredded coconut. If you don’t care for coconut, simply replace it with an extra 1/4 cup quick-cooking oats. However, I think the coconut is one of the ingredients that makes this recipe extra special and delicious! 🙂
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Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies! With only 8 good-for-you ingredients, they're a delicious treat you can feel great about eating!
Ingredients
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup honey (or maple syrup for vegan)!
- ¼ cup coconut oil measured in solid state.
- 2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- ¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
Instructions
- Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper, set aside.
- Combine peanut butter, honey salt and coconut oil in a saucepan and heat, stirring continuously, until melted and well-combined.
- Stir in vanilla and cocoa powder.
- Add quick-cooking oats and mix well.
- Add coconut and stir until completely combined.
- Drop 1 TBS portions of mixture onto your prepared baking sheet. Continue until you’ve used all your cookie mixture.
- Let cool in the refrigerator or freezer until hardened.
- Serve cold or frozen!
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator!
If you’re looking for a way to make these cookies even more fun…you can turn them into nests at easter time! 🙂
If you live in a place with an extended summer…here are a few more recipes that will help you cope with the delayed onset of the best season ever…fall!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut Bars (gluten-free, vegan friendly)!
No-Bake Coconut Almond Bars (No bake, paleo & vegan)!
Any one of these energy bite recipes here, here or here! (paleo & vegan)!
Either of these delicious ice cream recipes: chocolate, vanilla! (dairy-free)
My homeschool planning went really well this weekend! I’m feeling totally ready for Gabe’s first year of preschool. Now I’m just waiting on all of Bethany’s 1st grade curriculum to arrive so I can tackle that…which is really what I’ve been nervous about!
Are you preparing for the “Back to School” season? What are you feeling great about? What’s the thing that’s making you nervous?
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine!
Jenn - a traveling Wife
No bake cookies are the best! Plus with peanut butter… 🙂
Laura
Absolutely! Everything with PB is a winner in my book! 🙂
Beverley @ Born to Sweat
it’s been a hot minute since i’ve made no bake cookies like this. and i always question why!! they’re so simple and sooo yummy and the perfect snack to take around. Pinning!
Laura
Agreed! They’re so easy and delicious! 🙂
rachel @ athleticavocado
the only thing better than a cookie is a cookie that is No-bake! CAn’t beat that flavor combo either! Pinned!
Laura
No-bake is a definite must for this late summer heat!
Jen V.
I would have never thought to make no bake cookies with coconut oil. My daughters go back to school this week so I might have to try your recipe to make for their lunches, I usually send them with an ice pack anyway so the cookies should be ok until lunch time.
Laura
I love the creaminess the coconut oil imparts on these cookies! Plus it’s so much healthier than butter! 🙂
Karly
I think I AM going to die over these! They look SO good but SO addicting!
Laura
LOL Karly!! They are addicting…but since they’re healthy no need to worry about self-control…well for the most part! 😉
Kristy from Southern In Law
I love no bake cookies – particularly when peanut butter is involved! These look perfect and I bet SO much better for you than the original! (they’re probably tastier too!)
Laura
I think they’re tastier because (in my opinion) the only thing that makes the chocolate peanut butter combo better is the addition of coconut! 🙂
Megan Hallier
I love no bake cookies! Especially if they involve peanut butter. Yay I’m so excited summer is on its way for us. We have had the nicest weather recently which has made me hopeful that summer will be here soon!
Laura
Ahh yes! I forget you are in a different season than we are here in the U S of A! 🙂 I’ll trade weather with you…you can have 100 degrees! I’m over it! 😉
Carly @ FitLiving Eats
Pinned for later! You must’ve been reading my mind. I was just thinking I needed to find a recipe to make these!
Laura
I hope you enjoy them! Can’t go wrong with the classic chocolate PB no bakes! 🙂
Jamie @ Dishing Out Health
I love how easy these are!! I happen to have all of the ingredients on hand, too. It was meant to be! Pinned!
Laura
Totally fate.
Nicole | The Professional Mom Project
These look fab! I have to give them a try – love how simple they are to make. Pinning 🙂
Laura
Thank you Nicole! Easy is necessary for us mommas!
Emily
These look like they would taste just as delicious as the regular ones; they’re almost like a chocolate peanut butter granola bar in cookie form. And it’s still pretty warm here; it usually stays warm until about mid September? Do you ski in Utah? 🙂
Laura
In my opinion they are better because of the coconut flavor! 🙂 I haven’t skied since we moved here because every winter I’ve either been pregnant or nursing! LOL! But my husband skis! I don’t have much of a desire to go downhill skiing, but I absolutely want to go cross-country skiing as soon as I’m able! 🙂
Miz Helen
Your cookies look awesome! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday, your recipe is great! Hope you have a wonderful week and come back to see us real soon.
Miz Helen
Debbie
Thank you. I can’t wait to try these. I never make the original version because I would eat them all, but I think I can handle this.
Laura
And if you eat them all at least it’s packed full of good-for-you ingredients! 😉
Briana
Can coconut flakes be omitted?
Laura
You can substitute coconut flakes with extra oats….of course I always recommend making a recipe as written (because coconut is so delicious)! 🙂
Jessica
I know the main ingredient is peanut butter, but can you substitute it with almond butter instead?
Laura
Hey Jessica! You absolutely can substitute peanut butter for almond butter!
Jess
Oh these are amazing! I eat a really strict diet and really have to limit sugar, no gluten and no dairy. Honestly i’ve made a lot of desserts but most taste ‘healthy’, but these are one of the dew that taste decadent and gorgeous like textured buttery truffles. So delicious. Ive made them three times and i always make half the recipe because otherwise i wouldn’t stop eating them till their finished. I also have subbed the cocoa powder for organic 75% chocolate, and less honey and a handful of raisins. So good! Thank you so much!
Laura
Jess I am SO glad to know that you love these!!! They are one of my favorites too! I love the idea of subbing chocolate for a nice variation (I bet they hold up a little better at room temperature too)! And the addition of raisins sounds delicious! Thank you so much for stopping by to let me know you enjoy this recipe! It means so much to me! <3
Amy
Made this yesterday delicious
Laura
Thank you Amy! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!!
Sarah
The most amazing thing I’ve made in a long time. My kids love helping as it’s such a simple recipe. I’ve made them a few times, want to try adding dried fruit next time, tried adding crushed WF cereal, chia and flax and they were wonderful. Thank you so much 🙂
Laura
YAY! Sarah I’m so glad you liked them! Thank you for stopping by to let me know! It is a super fun recipe to let the kids help with you’re so right!
Julie
What is the nutritional value on these?
R G
I made slightly larger cookies, with 16 cookies. I also reduced the coconut oil to 3 Tbsp. That said they had 122 cal., 8.1g fat, 3.8g sat fat, 38.1mg sodium, 10.1g carbs, 1.6g fiber, 4.8g sugar, and 2.9g protein.
Jason N
These no bake cookies are great. Although they don’t seem to make about 2 dozen cookies as the recipe suggests. I only ever seem to get 13-15 cookies and that is if they are made small. I’ve also substituted the cocoa for carob and they are equally as great!
Jeannie
Can you use rolled oats instead of instant?
Sarah
Has anyone tried these without coconut? I don’t mind the coconut oil but I really don’t like the taste of coconut at all. 🙁
Josie Stonestreet
can you please post the nutritional value with this recipe?
Laura
Hey Josie! I just did that for you based on the recipe making 24 cookies! Hope it’s helpful!
Linda
Hi !
Is it possible if I use butter instead of coconut oil?
Does the recipe turn out to be crunchy or chewy?
Laura
Hey Linda! YES! Butter is a great substitute for coconut oil! They are soft and chewy kind of like a hearty fudge!
Tom
Hi, great recipe, thanks for sharing. I increased the quick oats from 1 to 1.5 cups, and it eliminated the runny texture you talked about. Hope to see more recipes from you. Tom
Breanne
These are delcious 🤤!! Totally satisfies my sweet tooth while staying on plan! THANK YOU for posting, I’m so happy to find these!!
Tricia
Just made these with natural peanut butter, GF oats and sugar replacement and they were auick and awesome! Made 12 medium cookies though. Yummy
Eleanor Simmerer
I made these and they are sooo good! The only problem is that I have a hard time stopping myself from eating them all! I love how there is no refined sugar too! I also have a blog where I try to eliminate all sugars — Its called No Sugar, No Problem! 😉
Amy B
These are AMAZING. I added a few dark chocolate chips to the top for fun. My whole family loves them. So so so good! I just made another double batch tonight.
Vanessa
Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?
Laura
Yes! You can freeze them!
Ashley
Holy cow! These were way more delicious than I would have ever imagined. I’m not even a big coconut fan, but I made them as written, with coconut oil, coconut, and maple syrup instead of honey. They are so rich, peanut-buttery, chocolately and yummy. And shockingly healthy. I actually ate them before going to the gym in the morning, and I felt great. My teenage boys both loved them, and one of them doesn’t even like peanut butter (odd, I know). After polishing off the first batch, we promptly made a double batch. Highly recommend!
Laura
Thank you Ashley! Not like peanut butter?! Gasp! LOL! I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed these!
Natalie
Has anyone made these omitting the chocolate? I like chocolate but not mixed with nut butters. These sound yummy.
Rosa
So would olive oil be okay or would it change the flavor? Olive oil is so much healthier but i don’t want to ruin the flavor or texture.
Laura
Hey Rosa! No I do not recommend olive oil. It is not a solid at room temperature so the cookies will likely never set up.
Rica Gibson
I’ve had to cut out the honey too, so substituted both the peanut butter for almond butter and the honey for same quantity granulated xylitol with GF oats and it was amazing! I was beginning to think I would never taste anything sweet again. Thank you for your delicious recipes. They are opening my world.