These no-bake cookies are fast and simple to prepare with just 6 ingredients and no eggs, flour, butter, mixer, or oven. Gluten free, vegan, and refined sugar free, this is a terrific dish to prepare with the kids.

I grew up baking (and consuming) an inordinate number of no-bake cookies. I was practically powered by peanut butter and chocolate until I completed high school, thanks to these and buckeye balls.

The difference between the ones I prepared as a kid and the one I’m sharing with you today is that the former was laden with melted butter and sugars.

Certain foods cause my teeth to pain as I’ve grown older, so I wanted to be able to enjoy them as an adult without harming my sweet tooth.

When I was a youngster, we didn’t buy raw or organic foods; I’m fairly sure our grocery store only had Hershey’s brand cocoa powder, and I don’t believe there was a single dish in our house that didn’t use butter.

I make no apologies for being the acme of Midwest culture.

And, before you ask, yes, I did smother everything with Ranch dressing.

The original no bake cookie recipe

Growing up, these were the components in our go-to recipe: all basic stuff that we always had on hand:

• Melted butter
• Peanut butter
• Milk
• Hersheys cocoa powder
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Rolled oats

It included heating all of the ingredients in a pot on the stove, except the oats, and stirring until everything was incorporated. Then we mixed in the oats and let it rest for a few minutes, off heat, so that it would maintain its structure when we portioned out the cookies on a prepared baking sheet.

The whole procedure took just about 15 minutes, but the cookies required to rest in the refrigerator for about an hour to firm up.

Why this version is my go-to recipe now

• It’s simple to substitute melted butter for coconut oil. They are both solid when cold and have a similar structure, so they may be used interchangeably. Coconut oil is a dairy-free and somewhat healthier substitute for butter. Just be sure you use refined coconut oil, which has a neutral taste as opposed to unrefined coconut oil, which has a distinct coconut flavor.
• Raw cacao powder (affiliate link) is another simple 1:1 substitution for cocoa powder. It has a lot of antioxidants, isn’t processed, and I really love the taste. Darker, more bitter chocolate tastes have always appealed to me.
• There are no refined sugars. Instead, I sweeten with maple syrup or honey. The only disadvantage is that since you’re using a liquid sweetener rather than a solid one, the finished result becomes a bit melty to the touch as you’re eating it. But, to be honest, they don’t stay long enough for it to matter with me!
• It’s easier to create, which means I can enjoy cookies sooner! It everything goes into the bowl together (no hand or stand mixer (aff link) required) and only takes 30 minutes to set and be ready to eat. I’ve been known to put them in the freezer to speed up the process, and I’m not sorry.

How to make the best no bake cookies

• Prepare your baking sheet and ingredients in advance. Measure out all of your ingredients and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick silicon mat. All of the ingredients are combined in a dish at the same time, and it comes together rapidly.
• For the correct size, use a medium cookie scoop (affiliate link). That size cookie scoop (affiliate link) contains around 1.5 Tablespoons, and one batch of this recipe yields about a dozen cookies.
• Before storing the cookies, shape them. Whatever form you place them on the baking pan will be the shape they will be. There is no spreading of the dough since you are not baking them. I prefer to use my cookie scoop (aff link) to place them on the baking sheet, then push down on the tops with the heel of my palm to make them more disc-shaped (rather than mounds).

Recipe Substitutions

• Oats: You may use steel cut oats, rolled quick oats, old fashioned oats, or gluten free oats. Steel cut oats absorb less moisture and have a more solid, almost nutty taste.
• Refined coconut oil has a neutral taste, however unrefined has a coconut flavor. Melted butter may also be used in a 1:1 substitution.
• You may use your preferred nut butter instead of peanut butter, such as almond butter (aff link) or cashew butter, as long as it’s creamy and properly mixed. If it’s too greasy, you’ll get a huge chocolatey, nutty mess.
• Raw cacao powder (affiliate link): You can also replace unsweetened cocoa powder for a 1:1 exchange; you’ll only lose some of the nutritious advantages raw cacao powder (affiliate link) offers and the taste will be somewhat different.
• You can use honey or agave syrup for maple syrup (although you’ll require significantly less agave, so start with a little quantity and taste test). To make a 1:1 substitution, mix the same quantity of granulated or light brown sugar with the melted coconut oil or butter before adding it to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
• Vanilla Extract: You may make a 1:1 substitution using vanilla bean paste (affiliate link) or vanilla bean powder.

Storing your no bake cookies

Store the cookies in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Three of them are in the freezer to ensure that I have some reserves for when the urge strikes.They may also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. I’ve been known to make three batches and keep two.