Healthy No-Bake Cookies
Posted Aug 15, 2016, Updated Jul 14, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Healthy no-bake chocolate peanut butter cookies! Made with 8 nutritious ingredients, these healthy no bake cookies are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan & refined sugar free!
I remember the first time I ever tried no bake cookies…I was in heaven. I hunted down the maker of those cookies and begged for the recipe. They were easy to make, but I 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 healthier version! I’ve made this recipe more times than I can count, which means I’m very glad that these healthy no bake chocolate peanut butter cookies are gluten-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar free and vegan-friendly!
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!
Healthy No-Bake Cookies: Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are a few potential substitutions for this recipe!
- Peanut butter. Any nut or seed butter works 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.
How to Make Healthy No-Bake Cookies
These healthy no bake cookies are so easy to make! Start by melting together the coconut oil, peanut butter and honey!
Stir or whisk the wet ingredients together over medium-low heat until the mixture is smooth.
Add the dry ingredients – cocoa powder, quick-cooking oats and coconut.
Stir until the mixture is homogenous (uniform throughout).
Then, use a 1 TBS measuring spoon or cookie scoop to portion out the no bake cookies, and place them onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Let them harden at room temperature or in the refrigerator or freezer.
Serve
These healthy no bake cookies are best served cold because the coconut oil is soft at room temperature.
Store
Store these cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Healthy No Bake Cookies FAQs
If you over-cook these healthy no bake cookies, simply add a TBS of each: honey, peanut butter and coconut oil by melting them together and then mixing them into the dry cookie batter. This should help. If you burnt them, you will have to start over.
If your no bake cookies don’t harden it means you didn’t cook the mixture long enough.
If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup honey (or maple syrup)
- ¼ cup coconut oil (or butter)
- 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut (shredded)
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!
Video
Notes
- Peanut butter. Any nut or seed butter works 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve made this twice. The second time I used half honey and half maple and added a mashed ripe banana. Love this recipe. Will definitely make again!
Thank you so much Theadra!
Can I make these without coconut?
Seriously so good. I have made these many times using the recipe exactly as stated.
These are to die for!
Had a sweet tooth but I didn’t feel like turning the oven on. These are delicious and so easy to make! I didn’t have coconut oil so I used unsalted butter. The coconut pieces add an extra crunch! Will definitely be making again!
Thank you so much Christa!
Made these with maple syrup and butter. I liked them but they seemed salty to my family. We don’t use a lot of salt so not sure if that’s why or if it was because I used butter and not coconut oil. I will cut back on the salt or eliminate it altogether next time. Otherwise my family likes the taste and they are easy to make on a hot day when you don’t want to start the oven.
Try with coconut oil, so creamy! Then try refrigerated or frozen. I’ve made these so many times and my whole family loves them!
Can I use monkfruit sweetener instead of honey?
Excellent!!! I was worried that they were too crumbly when I was rolling them together but after cooking in the refrigerator they are the perfect texture! What a great treat!
LOVE BAKING GRANDMA BORN 1886 BECAME A CHEF OWNED OWN INN IN 54 AND MOM AND ALL OF US LEARNED EVERYTHING FROM HER TY LOVE YOUR PAGE GOING TO VAKE SOMETHING TODAY YUMM
WHEN I BAKE LEARNED OLD SCHOOL AND FROM GRANDMA’S AND ALL AUNTS PUT A PIECE OF WHITE BREAD INSIDE WITH COOKIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT KEEPS THEM SOFT AND ALWAYS HAVE FRESH SOFT COOKIES AND BAKE GOODS
How long should I cook it on the stove?
Made these delicious cookies with our daughters 7 & 10. They were was so easy to make and so yummy!!!
My husband and are watching what eat to prepare for a spartan race so to have a sweet treat like this, every so often is a lifesaver. 😊