No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies (heathier)

These no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies are made with simple, healthy ingredients. They’re great for a quick snack or to help curb cravings. We hope you enjoy this chocolate oatmeal cookie recipe.

No-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies have been a favorite of mine since childhood. Normal recipes call for lots of sugar and butter that are just not needed to make this a sweet treat. I mean, it is still a cookie. So you can only expect so much on the “healthy” part, right?

What’s the difference in these No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies?

If you have looked for chocolate oatmeal cookie recipes, you have probably found ingredient lists to include butter, sugar, chocolate chips and even fillers like flour for the baked kind! This simple, healthier version boasts some of my favorite ingredients like peanut butter, honey, coconut oil, dark chocolate cocoa powder and more!

The only down-side to these no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies is they have to be stored in the refrigerator otherwise they start to “melt”. This is because they are made with yummy coconut oil instead of butter. Coconut oil hardens at lower temperatures, so these cookies firm up nicely in the fridge.

Versatility!

I also love this recipe because you can use it as a “base” and then incorporate your favorite “add ins” to make it unique and something your family will love! Does your family love walnuts or almonds? Add those? Does your family love raisins? Add those! Any lactating moms out there? Add brewers yeast or chia seeds for more galactagogue power! I will give you more tips about add-ins below!

No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies are Family-friendly!

These no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies are great to make as a family! The first step is to melt the first few ingredients on the stove top which will require adult help or supervision depending on your kids’ ages. The steps after that don’t require the stove or other potentially dangerous kitchen equipment. Even though little ones helping out may create a bigger mess, it will also create memories! This recipe is so forgiving. If you get a little too much or too little of an ingredient, I’m convinced they will still turn out great! Your kids will love getting to choose their special add-ins to make these chocolate oatmeal cookies unique to your family!

Tips for making No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

• Use all natural peanut butter. Check the ingredients on your peanut butter. Even some “natural” ones have added sugar! I aim to buy a brand that only has peanuts and salt. Don’t be fooled to think you have to buy the expensive, organic version. I have found that some of the generic store brands meet this standard. 
• I highly recommend using dark chocolate cocoa powder, but you can use whatever cocoa powder you have on hand. 
• Use gluten-free oats to make this recipe gluten-free!
• Use old-fashioned rolled oats OR quick oats to play around with the texture. My favorite is to do half and half! The rolled oats give the cookies a thick, chewy bite. If this texture is too much for you, you would be happier to use more (or all) quick oats in this recipe. 
• After mixing the ingredients from the list below, stir in any desired add-ins. I would probably try to limit your total add-in amount to no more than 1-1 ½ cups. Assess the consistency after everything is mixed together. If you included a good amount of add-ins, you are probably good to go. If you did not include any add-ins, you may want to add up to ¼ cup more oats to get the texture how you like it.
• First step: melting.  I generally wait until the mixture is about 80-90% melted then remove from heat and continue stirring. This decreases my chance of burning it.
• If you are adding brewers yeast, I recommend stirring it in just before the oats to make sure it gets spread out well. 
• Cookie shaping: you can pour your mixture into a pan and then cut them into squares, or you can drop the cookies onto a cookie sheet by the spoonful. 
• Make a double batch to enjoy! They keep so well in the refrigerator and travel well in lunchboxes or coolers, you won’t want to run out anytime soon!

Healthier No-bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 c peanut butter (all-natural is preferred for no added sugar)
• ½ c honey 
• ½ c coconut oil
• 6 tbsp dark chocolate cocoa powder
• 2 c oats (rolled or quick oats will work)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 c shredded, unsweetened coconut (optional, but highly recommended) 
• Optional add-in ideas: ¼-½ c nuts, ¼ c raisins, ¼ c chia seeds, ¼ c Brewers yeast.

Instructions

1. Mix the first 3 ingredients (peanut butter, honey, oil) in a saucepan on low-medium just until melted. Stir frequently and melt slowly so you don’t burn it! It should only take a couple of minutes. 
2. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in until well incorporated: cocoa powder, oats, vanilla extract and shredded coconut. 
4. Stir in any desired add-ins. 
5. Either pour into a greased or parchment lined 9×13 pan (or smaller if you want thicker bars) OR drop cookies using a spoon onto a lined cookie sheet. 
6. Let cool and then transfer to the refrigerator to “set” 
7. After a couple of hours, check to make sure they are hardened. Once set, you can transfer them to an airtight container to keep in the refrigerator for at least a week. But I doubt they will last that long!

What add-ins do you think your family would like to try? I’d love to hear your ideas other than what is listed above. Please leave a comment to let me know what you try!