The famous chocolate and peanut butter no-bake cookies can be made with better-for-you ingredients (no refined sugars). These easy Healthy No-Bake Cookies can be made in 15 minutes or less and are truly the best!
If you’re not a chocolate fan or are looking for something new to try, I have other flavors of delicious and healthy no-bake cookies, including my easy no-bake Breakfast Cookies and no-bake Cinnamon Roll Cookies.
Healthy No-Bake Cookies
I’ve featured more than a few no-bake cookies on this site, along with healthier baked cookies (these Healthy Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies are a favorite!) and it’s amazing I haven’t yet taken the classic no-bake peanut butter oatmeal cookies and made them healthier until now! My brother-in-law tried these and claimed they were the best no-bake cookies he’d ever had. “Well, for a healthy version right?” was my quick reply. And his response, “These are healthy?! I like these better than the original!”
How to make these cookies YOUR personal favorite
- Peanut butter – if you have an allergy or just aren’t a peanut fan, you can make these cookies without peanut butter by replacing it with almond butter or another nut/seed butter of your choice.
- Coconut – for less of a coconut flavor, replace the shredded coconut with an equal amount of oats.
- Chocolate – the darker the chocolate is, the healthier it is (read about health benefits here). However, if you aren’t a dark chocolate fan and don’t mind the cookies being slightly less healthy, you can replace the dark chocolate with milk chocolate.
Can you use old-fashioned oats in no-bake cookies?
Yes! For the very best texture, old-fashioned oats are the preferred oat to use in these Healthy No-Bake Cookies.
What can I substitute for butter in no-bake cookies?
These cookies don’t have any butter! Coconut oil works perfectly in place of butter — it’s a healthier fat and it melts and then hardens similar to butter.
Variations
Variation Ideas
- Try different butters: Use almond or cashew butter instead of peanut butter.
- Change the sweeteners: Use maple syrup or agave instead of coconut sugar and honey.
- Add spices: Mix in some cinnamon or nutmeg for extra flavor.
- Mix in extras: Throw in nuts, seeds, or dried fruit for crunch and more flavor.
Storage
- Store these cookies in a closed container for a week. They are good at room temperature but taste best when kept in the fridge.
- These no-bake cookies can take up to an hour to set up. If you don’t want to wait, you can pop them in the freezer for 15 minutes and they’ll be ready to go! You can also store them in the freezer in an airtight container for up to two months.
More healthy treats to try next:
- Greek yogurt Healthy Banana Bread
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread with chocolate chips
- Healthy Brownies with a fudge frosting
- Secret ingredient Healthy Ice Cream
- Healthy Zucchini Bread with nuts or chocolate chips
Healthy No-Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar (brown sugar can be substituted)
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips Note 1
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1-1/4 cups old-fashioned oats
Instructions
- Line 12 cavities in a miniature muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- Place a small pot over medium heat, combine the peanut butter and the coconut oil. (Measure the coconut oil in its liquid state.)
- Stir until smooth and then add in the coconut or brown sugar and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is about to boil. (Do not boil!)
- Remove from heat and add in the chocolate chips; stir constantly until all the chocolate is melted. Add in the vanilla and salt. Stir in the honey. Mix in the coconut and old-fashioned oats.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop out and tightly compress the mixture into cookies. If you don't have a cookie scoop these don't hold too well with your hands so try to use two spoons to form balls.
- Drop into the prepared muffin tin and place in the fridge for an hour (or freezer for about 15 minutes) until the cookies become solid. Once firm, you can remove them from the paper liner and compress them in between your hands into a cookie shape (or eat them in ball shape).
- These are best stored in an airtight container in the fridge but they can be left at room temperature.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Any suggestions to replace the shredded coconut or can I just omit it? Txs
Sorry I haven’t tested this recipe without the coconut, and not sure what to replace it with; without it the mixture will be too wet though! Maybe more oats?
Omg just came across this recipe while looking for a slightly healthier version of a traditional no bake and seriously CANT WAIT to try these!!! Thank you!
YAYYY!!! I can’t wait to hear what you think! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
My family wanted something sweet so I decided to whip these up since I wasn’t heating up the house by using our oven. They are seriously SO SO GOOD. The coconut is such a fantastic addition that I never thought of adding in before. Will definitely be making these again.
Ahh I am sooo happy you enjoyed this! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
I was wondering if u could substitute dark cocoa powder for the chocolate chips and if so how much.
I wouldn’t recommend the substitute. Also without further testing I’m unsure how much to recommend. Sorry, wish I could be of more help!
These look amazing, I can’t eat nuts though, any suggestions for alternatives please? You kid sounds adorabe btw!
Awe thank you! 🙂 I haven’t tried anything other than the peanut or almond butter, but I bet sunbutter would work as it’s a pretty close substitute!
omg HOW CUTE is Grey! I can’t believe he’s talking so much!
and OF COURSE he loved these cookies-they look so insanely delicious no one could resist!
Wow! These look amazing! Is it bad that I am craving them at 7:30 in the morning? Breakfast cookie perhaps? I will definitely be trying these soon. Amazing Chelsea!
Haha sounds like every one of my mornings! 😉 Thanks so much Jackie!
Would rolled oats work?
Yep 🙂 rolled oats and old fashioned oats are the same thing
Awesome cookie recipe ! I will soon try this 🙂
Thank you! I hope you enjoy!
ooo i used to love making no bake cookies as a kid growing up. i could eat them (almost) right away haha and not get in trouble for eating the dough. love how simple this recipe is, saving for later!
That was the best part about making them! 🙂 Thank you so much Beverley!!