These No Bake Cookies are soft, chewy and make the perfect healthy treat to curb that sweet tooth craving. They’re made with a vegan chocolate coconut cookie and topped with a gooey coconut pecan frosting! Oven free, gluten free, egg free and dairy free.
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Updated July 2020
Easy No Bake Cookies
Craving something sweet but don’t feel like turning on your oven? These No Bake Chocolate Cookies are easy to make and come together quickly without having to heat up the house.
They’re soft, chewy and have all the flavors of the popular German Chocolate Cake in cookie form.
Why we love this healthy cookie recipe
This no bake cookie recipe is not only delicious, but it’s completely gluten-free, egg-free, vegan, refined sugar-free and paleo friendly.
Plus, the no bake option is perfect for those hot summer days and during the holidays when you want to leave your oven free.
Ingredients you need for no bake cookies without oatmeal
Classic no bake oatmeal cookies are made with old fashioned rolled oats, brown sugar, creamy peanut butter, milk and butter. Since we are trying to keep our no bake cookies on the healthier side, we are going to be using:
For the paleo no bake cookies without peanut butter
- unsweetened creamy almond butter – we use almond butter in place of peanut butter to keep these cookies paleo-friendly but you can sub with creamy unsalted peanut butter or sunflower seed butter if you prefer
- pure maple syrup OR sub with Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup for low carb no bake cookies
- coconut oil
- cacao powder OR unsweetened cocoa powder
- dairy-free chocolate chips – adds sweetness – we like Hu’s Kitchen or Lily’s Sweets
- unsweetened creamy almond butter – or any nut or seed butter you like – peanut butter if not paleo
- fine sea salt
- pure vanilla extract
- unsweetened flaked coconut – roughly chopped again until they resemble the size of rolled oats
- sliced almonds or chopped pecans – roughly chopped again until they resemble the size of rolled oats
For the Coconut Pecan Frosting:
- coconut butter / coconut manna
- maple syrup OR sub with Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup for low carb no bake cookies
- pure vanilla extract
- unsweetened shredded coconut
- finely chopped pecans plus more chunky pecan pieces for topping – if desired
For the chocolate drizzle
- melted dairy-free sugar-free chocolate chips OR chopped dairy-free chocolate – we like Hu’s Kitchen or Lily’s Sweets
How to make No Bake Cookies
- PREPARE THE BAKING SHEET: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper and set aside.
- MIX THE WET INGREDIENTS: Combine almond butter, cacao powder, maple syrup, chocolate chips and coconut oil in a saucepan over medium-heat, stirring continuously until it starts to boil. Allow the mixture come to a rolling boil for 1 minute (use a timer or count) and immediately turn off the heat. Do not go over 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt.
ADD THE DRY INGREDIENTS: Add chopped coconut flakes and chopped nuts and stir until completely combined and sticks together to form a dough. If dough is too dry, add more nut butter or maple syrup and if the dough is too wet, add a little bit more chopped coconut flakes or try chilling the dough for 10 minutes for the mixture to dry up.
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- SHAPE INTO COOKIES: Using a small cookie scoop or a grab 1.5 tablespoon-sized amounts and press firmly into a ball. Drop cookies onto a prepared baking sheet and press down gently to flatten and make a slight indentation in the cookies. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes, or until cookies are set.
- MAKE THE FROSTING: In a microwavable bowl or small saucepan over medium heat, melt the coconut butter then stir in maple syrup and vanilla. Add shredded coconut and pecans and stir until combined. Add more coconut butter if mixture seems too dry or more shredded coconut if mixture seems too wet. Chill mixture in fridge for 30 minutes or freezer for 10 minutes.
- ASSEMBLE COOKIES: Spread a spoonful of frosting over the tops of cooled cookies. Sprinkle with more pecans if desired and drizzle with melted chocolate using either a spoon or a zip-top bag. Enjoy immediately or chill in the fridge for 1 hour for a thicker frosting.
- Store remaining cookies in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Helpful tips for making the best no bake cookies
- Gather all the ingredients you need to make this recipe and have it ready by the stove. This helps as the mixture sets fast on the stove so you’ll want to have everything combined quickly.
- Allow the cookie mixture to come to a full boil – this helps the mixture thicken up. Set a timer or count to 60 seconds once the mixture comes to a boil. Do not go over 60 seconds, otherwise – your cookies will not set properly
- Use coconut flakes for the cookie base and not desiccated coconut. The cookies won’t set up quite the same and they won’t be as chewy.
- DO I HAVE TO USE PEANUT BUTTER? We use almond butter in this recipe but if you’re not following a paleo diet, you can swap the almond butter for creamy peanut butter
- WHY DID MY COOKIES COME OUT DRY? If your cookies turned out crumbly, this is mostly likely because you boiled them for too long past the 60 seconds. Just like the classic no bake oatmeal cookies, it is imperative that you not boil the cookie mixture for longer than 60 seconds and I highly suggest using a timer.
- WHY DIDN’T MY COOKIES SET UP? If your chocolate no bake cookies did not firm up, chances are, you didn’t boil them for the full 60 seconds. Just like the classic no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies, it is imperative that you not boil them for longer so I suggest using a timer.
Can I make no bake cookies without nuts?
We have not tried making these no bake cookies without nut butter but if you want a nut-free version, you can try subbing the almond butter with sunflower seed butter and the sliced almonds with sunflower seeds (be sure to pulse them a few times in a food processor until they resemble the size of quick oats) and stir into the cookie dough.
How to store no bake cookies with chocolate chips
The best part about these no bake cookies is that you can make them ahead and store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
How to freeze no bake cookies with coconut
To freeze the cookies, place them on a large or 2 medium baking sheets and freeze for 30 minutes. Once the cookies are hard, transfer to airtight container or large resealable bags.
More cookie recipes you might like:
These No Bake Chocolate Cookies are soft, chewy and make the perfect treat to curb that sweet tooth craving. They're made with a chocolate coconut base, a gooey coconut pecan frosting and a drizzle of chocolate! Oven free, gluten free, egg free and dairy free.
- 1/2 cup unsalted creamy almond butter
- 2 Tbsp cacao powder OR unsweeteened cocao powder
- 1/2 cup maple syrup , (can sub with any other liquid sweetener such as Lakanto SF maple syrup or honey if not vegan)
- 1 Tbs dairy-free sugar-free chocolate chips , we like Hu's Kitchen gems or Lily's Sweets
- 1/4 cup coconut oil , measured while solid
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut , roughly chopped until they resemble the size of quick oats - we like the one from Bob's Red Mill
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds OR chopped pecans , roughly chopped until they resemble the size of quick oats
- 1/3 cup coconut butter (coconut manna) , melted
- 1/4 cup maple syrup , (can sub with any other liquid sweetener such as Lakanto SF maple syrup or honey if not vegan)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans , plus more chunky pecan pieces for topping - if desired
- 2 tablespoons dairy-free sugar-free chocolate chips , melted
PREPARE THE BAKING SHEET: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
MIX THE WET INGREDIENTS: Combine almond butter, cacao powder, maple syrup, chocolate chips and coconut oil in a saucepan over medium-heat, stirring continuously until it starts to boil. Allow the mixture come to a rolling boil for 1 minute (use a timer or count) and immediately turn off the heat. Do not go over 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt.
ADD THE DRY INGREDIENTS: Add chopped coconut flakes and chopped nuts and stir until completely combined and sticks together to form a dough. If dough is too dry, add more nut butter or maple syrup and if the dough is too wet, add a little bit more chopped coconut flakes or try chilling the dough for 10 minutes for the mixture to dry up.
SHAPE INTO COOKIES: Using a small cookie scoop or a grab 1.5 tablespoon-sized amounts and press firmly into a ball. Drop cookies onto a prepared baking sheet and press down gently to flatten and make a slight indentation in the cookies. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes, or until cookies are set.
MAKE THE FROSTING: In a microwavable bowl or small saucepan over medium heat, melt the coconut butter then stir in maple syrup and vanilla. Add shredded coconut and pecans and stir until combined. Add more coconut butter if mixture seems too dry or more shredded coconut if mixture seems too wet.
Chill mixture in fridge for 30 minutes or freezer for 10 minutes.
Spread a spoonful of frosting over the tops of cooled cookies. Sprinkle with more pecans if desired and drizzle with melted chocolate using either a spoon or a zip-top bag. Enjoy immediately or chill in the fridge for 1 hour for a thicker frosting.
Store remaining cookies in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Francine -
Mmm, we all loved these! Thank you!
Emma -
What great cookies Kelly.