Healthy and fudgy chocolate oatmeal no bake cookies prepared in as little as 5 minutes! Peanut butter powder and chocolate make these delicious vegan and healthy no bake oatmeal cookies a for-sure crowd-pleaser especially if you are short on time!
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: No baking! Just 15 minutes to chill
- ⏳ Total Time: About 20 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 cookies
- ⚡ Calories: 160kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Fudgy chocolate and peanut butter with chewy oats
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, even simpler than our homemade granola bars
Quick Answer
Melt the coconut oil, then in a medium bowl whisk it together with the peanut butter powder, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Add the maple syrup and continue to whisk, then fold in the oats and a pinch of salt until well coated. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the mixture at a time onto a lined baking sheet, 1 inch apart, and put the pan in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes until the cookies harden.
Jump to:
- Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Oatmeal No Bake Cookies
- Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Oatmeal No Bake Cookies FAQs
- Other Recommended No-Bake Treats
- Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies
These fudgy chocolate peanut butter oatmeal no-bake cookies are healthy, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and take 5 minutes to make!
Watch this short video on how to make these healthy oatmeal no-bake cookies:
The kids are always having these random meltdown moments where the solution is either: A) they need a nap, B) they are bored, or C) they are Hangry. Nine out of 10 times they are just crazy hangry. Even us adults get that way too. We have been super into vegan desserts and snacks lately like this vegan banana bread and these no-bake cereal bars for kids.
Chase was asking again if he can eat the batter while making his oatmeal no bake cookies because once again, the batter is safe to eat! And kids have so much fun mixing these few simple ingredients together. There really isn't much labor except for cleaning the one mixing bowl used and measuring cups!
When browsing through our grocery store the other day I came across The No Bake Cookie Company's cookies. We loved them so much that at $6 bucks a pop I knew that is one no bake oatmeal cookie I should make at home. So off we go gathering our ingredients and making an imitation Delightful Mom Food brand of them instead. These beauties are just as easy and delicious as my no bake breakfast bars. Probably healthy enough to eat for breakfast too:-).
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Warm coconut oil is the magic step. Incorporating warm melted oil makes the dry ingredients melt into a creamy fudge-like texture, so the cookies taste rich without any baking.
- The refrigerator does the baking. As the coconut oil chills back down it hardens, setting the cookies firm in about 30 minutes with zero oven time.
- Peanut butter powder keeps them vegan. The original store-bought version calls for egg powder and milk powder. Swapping in peanut butter protein powder makes them a vegan cookie with plenty of protein.
- Oats give staying power. Packed with fiber and iron, oats fill you up longer and keep blood sugar at bay for sustainable, longer lasting energy.
- Maple syrup sweetens and binds. It whisks into the warm oil mixture to hold everything together with no refined sugar.
- The batter is safe to eat. No eggs and no raw flour means the kids can mix, taste, and scoop right along with you.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 5 minutes of prep. One mixing bowl, a whisk, and a scoop are all it takes. The refrigerator does the rest.
- Cheaper than store bought. These no bake oatmeal cookies are just as good as the bakery version at a fraction of the price.
- Healthy enough for breakfast. My boys ask for them all day and try to convince me... "because it is a healthy cookie we can have them, right?" The response... "After you eat your vegetables, then I know you are having a balanced meal." It sometimes works!
Key Ingredients
- Oats - packed with fiber and iron (and make sure to get gluten free), oats are a powerhouse energy food. They fill you up longer and keep blood sugar at bay. I usually enjoy a bowl of protein oatmeal or these orange cranberry oat cakes before a run or workout.
- Chocolate (cocoa) powder - full of iron with no added sugar! Need I say more? Kids need their iron and so do most women. And who doesn't love a good dose of daily chocolate?
- Peanut butter powder - full of protein, low in fat and light on calories! I use PB Fit Peanut Butter Protein Powder from Costco. Guess what else? Peanuts are not actually a "nut", they are a legume. Peanut powder also has healthy fiber.
- Coconut oil - full of healthy omega-3 fats, and it is what sets these cookies firm in the refrigerator.
- Maple syrup - sweetens and binds everything with no refined sugar.
- Vanilla extract - adds the best warm and comforting flavors of vanilla. The perfect addition to chocolate, peanut butter and most baked goods.
As always, please see recipe card below for full ingredient list.
Substitutions and Variations
- Peanut butter powder brands. PBfit and PB2 both work beautifully, and they now make an almond butter powder you can use in its place if you prefer.
- Make them extra special. Sprinkle a little flaky salt on top before chilling, or fold in a spoonful of chocolate chips like my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
- More no-bake treats. If this style of treat is your favorite, my popcorn marshmallow treats and even these no-bake dog treats (for the furry family members!) use the same quick method.
How to Make Oatmeal No Bake Cookies
Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
1Prepare the pan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, parchment or wax paper.
2Whisk the fudge base. Heat the coconut oil until melted, about 20 seconds in the microwave or on the stove-top. In a medium size bowl whisk together the melted coconut oil, peanut butter powder, cocoa powder and vanilla. Add the maple syrup and continue to whisk. Do make sure to melt the coconut oil, because incorporating warm oil makes the dry ingredients melt into a creamy fudge-like texture.
3Fold in the oats. Fold in the oats and a pinch of salt until well coated, then scoop out about 1 tablespoon of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet 1 inch apart from each other.
4Chill to set. Put the pan in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes or more until the cookies harden. Now the tough part: waiting! But rest assured, it is well worth it when you sink your teeth into delicious creamy fudgy cookies.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Melt that coconut oil. Warm oil is what melts the powders into a fudgy batter. Cold or solid oil leaves the mixture crumbly.
- Give them the full chill. The cookies need about 30 minutes in the refrigerator for the coconut oil to harden and set them firm.
- Scoop them evenly. A 1-tablespoon scoop keeps every cookie the same size so they all set at the same rate.
- Store them in the refrigerator. Coconut oil softens at room temperature, so an airtight container in the fridge keeps them perfectly fudgy.
- Let the kids help. The batter is safe to eat, so set each kid up with a bowl and let them dump, mix, and scoop their own batch.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These cookies are healthy enough to eat for breakfast, snacks or dessert, and they are my go-to fix for hangry kids (and hangry adults needing a good chocolate fix!). Pack them in lunch boxes next to other gluten-free and dairy-free snacks for kids, or serve them after school with a glass of homemade almond milk.
For breakfast on the go, rotate them through the week with my healthy baked oatmeal and pumpkin oatmeal breakfast cookies. Store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or freeze them for up to 2 months for treats-on-demand.
Oatmeal No Bake Cookies FAQs
The coconut oil needs time in the refrigerator to set. Give the cookies about 30 minutes or more in the fridge, and make sure you melted the oil fully when mixing so it coats every oat. If the mixture was too warm when scooped, a few extra minutes of chilling fixes it.
These ones are! These oatmeal no bake cookies are made with fiber-rich oats, iron-packed cocoa powder, protein-filled peanut butter powder, coconut oil, and maple syrup instead of refined sugar. They are vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free, and healthy enough to enjoy for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.
Peanut butter powder is what keeps these cookies light, low in fat, and perfectly fudgy, so I recommend sticking with PBfit or PB2. Powder also mixes evenly into the warm coconut oil, which creamy peanut butter cannot quite match.
Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy them within about a week. The fridge keeps the coconut oil set so the cookies stay firm and fudgy.
Yes! Let the cookies set completely, then store them in a freezer bag with the air removed for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator so the coconut oil stays firm.
Yes, as long as you use certified gluten-free oats. There are no eggs, dairy, or butter in the recipe, and peanut butter protein powder stands in for the egg and milk powders found in store-bought versions.
Other Recommended No-Bake Treats
I hope you enjoy these Oatmeal No Bake Cookies! Tried them? I'd love to see your creations! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to rate the recipe in the recipe area and leave a comment below.
Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies
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Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats (gluten-free)
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup peanut butter powder
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup maple syrup
- pink Himalayan salt pinch of
Instructions
- Prepare a baking sheet by lining with silicone baking mat, parchment or wax paper.
- Heat the coconut oil until melted in the microwave for about 20 seconds or on the stove-top. In a medium size bowl whisk together the melted coconut oil, peanut butter powder, cocoa powder and vanilla. Add the maple syrup and continue to whisk. Fold in the oats and salt until well coated.
- Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet 1-inch apart from each other.
- Put the pan in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes or more until the cookies harden. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
nichelle says
This is my new favorite no-bake cookie recipe! Better than a sugary one for sure! My husband wanted a higher protein content so I doubled the PB powder, added a little extra coconut oil and to accommodate. I also added some grapenut cereal for another texture component and oh my they turned out good! I used Dutch processed cocoa powder and it gave it a delicious slightly bitter espresso note that compliments the subtle sweetness. I’ve already made two batches in the last 3 days. Thank you for posting this recipe!
Danielle Fahrenkrug, Certified Health & Nutrition Life Coach says
You are welcome, I am so glad you love this recipe! Thank you for commenting:).
Tasha says
I'm trying to lower saturated fat in my diet, could I substitute avocado oil or some other substitute? Thanks so much, these look amazing!
Danielle Fahrenkrug says
Hi there! Avocado oil and other oils wont solidify at room temperature, and that is what works in these cookies. I will say, coconut oil is high saturated fat, however, it contains a unique form of saturated fat called lauric acid that research shows raises HDL or "good" cholesterol levels, which may lower overall heart disease risk. I wish I had a substitute though you can try making them without the oil. You might be able to substitute it for more peanut butter (although I have not tried that to say if it would for sure work).
Marie says
What can I use in place of peanut butter powder?
Danielle Fahrenkrug says
You can use vanilla or plain protein powder, or 1/4-1/3 cup extra oats (or a little more) until the right consistency.
Karly says
Now these look dangerous. All the chocolate lovin' and no oven.. I mean, what's stopping me from whipping these up every day!? Can't wait to try them out!
Danielle @ Delightful Mom Food says
Thank you Karly! I am so glad you like these. They are amazing with so much chocolate going on - we do whip them up every day!