If you are looking for a simple and sweet treat that has few ingredients and is fast to make, then try out these no-bake cookies which are a healthy, no fuss dessert!
These no-bake cookies are sugar-free, gluten-free, and can be dairy-free as well!
I love having no-bake cookies on hand in the freezer because they make a quick treat for your family.
They can also be pulled out in a jiffy if the neighbor’s kids or other guests arrive that you weren’t expecting.
What I love about this recipe is that not only do they taste good, but these cookies are also healthy for you!
Can No-Bake Cookies Really Be Healthy?
If you are using this recipe, then yes!
As mentioned above, this recipe is sugar-free and gluten-free.
This is beneficial because sugar and gluten are considered to be some of the top inflammatory foods you can eat.
We want to avoid causing inflammation in the body since it can lead to poor health and disease.
Another thing to note is that this healthy recipe uses shredded coconut instead of the standard quick oats used in most other recipes.
Why does the switch matter?
Quick oats contain a very high amount of carbs (which your body turns to sugar) compared to shredded coconut.
Let’s compare 100 grams quick oats to 100 grams shredded coconut.
The quick oats contain 68.2 grams of carbs with only 9.4 grams of fiber.
Quick oats also have 13.7 grams of protein and 6.87 grams of fat.
Now look at the shredded coconut.
The shredded coconut on the other hand has 26.67 grams of carbohydrates with 13.3 grams of fiber.
The reduced amount of carbs along with the increased fiber will reduce the sugar load entering your blood stream, keeping your blood sugar levels from spiking (which is what gives you a sugar crash).
The shredded coconut also has 6.67 grams of protein and an impressive 66.67 grams of fat.
Now don’t be scared by that fat number!
Remember, fat is not the enemy.
Foods containing lower carbohydrates and higher amounts of fat and protein are also going to satisfy you faster and keep you feeling more full.
That means you will consume less!
So shredded coconut has a lot of things going for it over the standard quick oats used in traditional no-bake cookies!
And as we discussed in my Easy, Healthy Pancakes Recipe, coconut itself has a lot of other great health benefits!
How to Make No-Bake Cookies
I said this recipe was easy, and I meant it!
With only 4 ingredients and just as many steps, these cookies take about 10 minutes of effort.
To start, put the butter (or coconut oil for paleo and vegan), peanut butter (or nut- or seed-butter for paleo), and the chocolate chips into a medium sized saucepan.
Melt everything together on low until it is smooth.
If your pan is large enough, add the shredded coconut to the saucepan.
Otherwise, add the chocolate sauce and the shredded coconut to a bowl and stir everything together.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and yes this step is totally worth it, otherwise the cookies could really stick!
Now, using a spoon, make small piles of the chocolate coconut.
If desired, use the spoon to flatten them to look more like cookies, or leave them in little piles if you don’t care!
Once all of the cookie “dough” is used, place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes or until the cookies are frozen.
They should be firm and easily peel off the parchment paper.
Store the no-bake cookies in the freezer in an airtight container until you are ready to eat them.
I have never had no-bake cookies “go bad” on me in the freezer.
They would probably taste best if eaten within 3 months of making them.
But as with most things in the freezer, they are safe to eat indefinitely.
So don’t worry if you lose a jar full (like I have) and find them who knows how long after you’ve made them…oops!
Troubleshooting No-Bake Cookies
While no-bake cookies are a pretty easy recipe, there are some things that could still go awry.
If you are like me, I tend to see simple recipes like this and think that I can get away without measuring any of the ingredients.
Sometimes it’s great and I save some time washing dishes, and other times, well, it’s a mess!
So let me share some tips in case you are a “dump and go” person like me.
What to Do if My No-Bake Cookies are Too Soft, Runny, or Sticky
First, I just want to call out that you probably don’t have to do anything unless something has gone WAY wrong.
Since these cookies are firmed up and stored in the freezer, everything should freeze solid and you should be ok.
But if you are trying to get spoonfuls onto the tray and everything keeps sliding off your spoon and is not forming “piles”, then small adjustments might need to be made.
The first thing I will do if the cookie “dough” seems soupy is add more shredded coconut.
But sometimes I head to grab another bag of shredded coconut and I realize I’ve used my last bag – now what?
You need to add more dry ingredients to firm up your “dough”.
Try using protein powder, collagen, cacao powder (or cocoa powder), or coconut flour to do the trick!
Start by stirring in 1 Tablespoon and keep slowly adding the thickening ingredient until it seems like the “dough” is scoopable.
What to Do If My No-Bake Cookies Don’t Harden
I have to be honest, you should not have this issue with this recipe.
The chocolate, peanut butter, and butter should freeze right up.
First of all, if for some reason they don’t harden, please leave a comment below so I know that this is an issue!
Second, try leaving the cookies in the freezer for several more hours.
You might have just made bigger or thicker cookies than what I normally make!
Third, try scooping the cookies back into a bowl and adding more dry ingredients as suggested above for the soft cookies.
Once the batter is thicker, try scooping them back out and freezing again.
Alternatively, you could also just eat the cookies in their soft state and try a whole new batch.
But like I said, I would be REALLY surprised if you had this problem using this recipe!
What If My No-Bake Cookies Are Dry
If your cookies are dry or really thick, try stirring in more melted chocolate chips.
Melt 1/4 cup of chocolate chips with 1 Tablespoon of either butter or coconut oil.
Stir into the rest of the “dough”.
Repeat as necessary to get the cookies to the right consistency so that you can scoop them and flatten them into cookie shapes on your baking tray.
Can No-Bake Cookies Be Frozen?
Yep!
In case you missed it, freezing no-bake cookies is my preferred way to store them!
Simply use an airtight container and you are good to go.
Have you run into any other problems or have any other questions about making these healthy no-bake cookies?
Please leave a comment below!
Print
No-Bake Cookies {keto, paleo, vegan}
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings (2 cookies per serving) 1x
Description
If you are looking for a simple and sweet treat that has few ingredients and is fast to make, these no-bake cookies are the perfect no-fuss dessert!
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter or coconut oil
- 1/2 cup peanut butter, nut-butter, or seed-butter
- 1 cup chocolate chips (use Lily’s for keto or Enjoy Life brand for paleo and vegan)
- 2 cups medium shredded coconut
Instructions
- Melt the butter, peanut butter, and chocolate chips in a saucepan.
- Once the mixture is smooth, stir in the shredded coconut.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use a spoon to scoop out small spoonfuls of the coconut mixture. I like to slightly pat mine down to make flat cookies, but you can also leave them piled high if you want.
- Place in the freezer for 30 minutes or until the cookies have become firm. If you made really thick cookies, it might take longer than 30 minutes.
- Enjoy right away or store in airtight containers in the freezer. Remove from the freezer for ten minutes for a softer cookie.
Notes
- Freezer: These cookies are best kept in the freezer for short and long term storage. Just remove from the freezer about 10-15 minutes before eating. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months for best freshness (although they will be safe to eat indefinitely).
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
