Chocolate No Bake Cookies Without Peanut Butter are by far one of the easiest desserts you can make. These no bake cookies are made with peanut butter and chocolate – but no baking required! They taste delicious, and can be prepared in less than 20 minutes. This is a delicious no bake cookies recipe you could make guilt free. You don’t need peanut butter in this recipe and they are sure to please all the cookie lovers out there.
NO BAKE COOKIES WITHOUT PEANUT BUTTER
These No Bake Cookies Made without Peanut Butter are delicious and so easy to make. You can make it with or without oatmeal. There are many other variations too! They’re just as tasty as baked cookies.
When you’re craving something sweet and don’t feel like firing up the oven, no-bake cookies are a great option, and are easy to prepare. Many recipes use peanut butter, both for flavor and to help bind the cookies. But if you’re allergic to peanuts or don’t have any on hand, what can you do?
The good news is that there are many other ingredients that can be used in no bake cookies, without using peanut butter.
WHAT KIND OF OATS SHOULD I USE FOR THIS RECIPE
We like the texture of the cookies when we use quick-cooking oats. They’re soft without having too much chew. If you prefer a firmer cookie, use old fashioned oats instead.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED FOR OATMEAL NO BAKE COOKIES
- Oats
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Unsalted Butter
- Milk
- Granulated Sugar
- Kosher Salt
- Unsweetened Chocolate
HOW TO MAKE NO BAKE COOKIES WITHOUT PEANUT BUTTER
- In a large mixing bowl, place the oats and cocoa powder, and toss to combine.
- Add butter, sugar, milk, and salt to a saucepan. Whisking frequently, bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- The mixture will bubble quite a lot. Just continue to whisk. Allow the mixture to boil for a full 2 minutes, whisking frequently.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the chopped chocolate and mix until the chocolate is melted, and the mixture is smooth.
- Create a well in the center of the oats in the large bowl and pour in the sugar mixture. Mix to combine well.
- The mixture will be thick but soft. Allow it to sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes to allow it to begin to firm up.
- Using a large ice cream scoop or two spoons, scoop the cookie dough in 2 tablespoon portions onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1-inch apart from one another. Spread each gently into an approximately 2-inch round.
- Allow the cookies to set at room temperature or in the refrigerator. After about 30 minutes, you should be able to peel them off the parchment paper.
TIPS FOR THE PERFECT NO BAKE COOKIES
- Add chopped chocolate or chocolate chips to the cooked sugar and butter mixture. This will help to ensure that the sugar mixture has cooked long enough. If the chocolate doesn’t melt, the mixture needs to cook longer.
- Store your cookies in an air-tight glass container at room temperature, or in the fridge.
VARIATIONS
- No Bake Cookies with Peanut Butter: If peanut allergies are not an issue, you can add about 1/4 cup of smooth, no-stir peanut butter to the recipe when you add the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips.
- No Bake Cookies without Milk: Make the recipe dairy-free by replacing the butter and the regular milk with dairy-free alternatives like coconut oil and unsweetened almond milk.
- No bake Cookies without Oats: If you prefer to exclude the oats, go ahead and replace them with 4 cups of puffed gluten free rice cereal.
- Sugar-free Chocolate No Bake Cookies: Other granulated sugar options can’t be cooked, so your only choices are maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar, or possibly, agave syrup. You’ll need to play around with the amounts, so consider making a smaller batch of cookies until you’re happy with the results.
- No Bake Cookies with Coconut: If you love the flavor of coconut, go ahead and add shredded coconut. The cookies will be slightly sweeter and chewier.
WHAT CAUSES MY NO BAKE COOKIES NOT TO SET?
The sugar mixture may not have boiled long enough. Try cooking the mixture for a longer period of time.
WHY ARE MY NO BAKE COOKIES DRY AND CRUMBLY?
The mixture may have overcooked. Because these cookies are more similar to fudge, it’s important to understand that they’ll dry out and become harder the longer you cook them.
No Bake Cookie Recipe Without Peanut Butter
Add this delicious recipe for No-Bake Cookie Recipe Without Peanut Butter to your recipe book. It’s easy to make and allergy-friendly!
Everyone has a classic recipe for peanut butter no-bake cookies. But most of these recipes use peanut butter. This no bake cookies recipe is peanut free and uses just a few simple ingredients.
With more allergies to natural peanut butter and almond butter – it’s hard to find a no bake recipe that is allergy-friendly for people with peanut allergies. This recipe is also gluten free. So it will become one of your favorite recipes to make for a crowd and you will not miss the peanut butter flavor!
These are definitely a little different than peanut butter no bake cookies but they have a yummy chewy texture!
Tips:
- If you only have unsalted butter you can add 1/2 teaspoon butter to the mixture.
- Most no bake cookie recipes use quick oats. You could use old-fashioned oats but they are not as small as quick cooking oats.
- I haven’t tried it but next time I may try to make a chocolate version with chocolate pudding.
No Bake Cookie Recipe Without Peanut Butter
Ingredient list
- ¾ cup salted butter (12 Tablespoons)
- 1 ¾ cups of sugar
- ⅔ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 small box of instant vanilla pudding
- 3 ½ cups of quick oats
Directions No Bake Cookie Recipe Without Peanut Butter:
Line your countertop with a parchment or wax paper sheet about 2 feet long. Or line prepared baking sheets.
Combine the white sugar, milk, and butter in a medium saucepan. Mix until combined.
Heat over medium heat on your stove top until the mixture comes to a boil that you can’t break up by stirring.
Allow it to boil for a full minute, then remove from heat.
Add vanilla extract and stir.
Add 1 ½ cups of instant oats to the saucepan and stir.
Add ½ of the instant pudding and stir.
Add the remaining pudding and mix until you can’t see the pudding mix. Break up any pudding lumps that may be in the mix.
Add in the remaining oats and mix well.
Drop the cookie dough onto the parchment paper by the spoonful.
Allow to cool and dry for about 15-25 minutes before enjoying.
Store them in an airtight container.
What is your favorite no-bake cookie recipe?
No-Bake Cookies without Peanut Butter
Looking for an allergy-free cookie option that tastes great? You’ll love the flavor of these no-bake cookies without peanut butter. They’re easy to make and have a yummy chewy texture.
Cookies make delicious treats, and kids of all ages love them. However, finding a no-bake recipe that doesn’t use nut butter as a binder is challenging, but that’s what makes these no-bake oatmeal cookies so special!
While peanut butter cookies are delicious, it’s nice to enjoy no-bake cookies that don’t have peanut butter.
So if you want to make a fun peanut-free treat but don’t want to heat up the kitchen, these cookies are the perfect answer and totally cure your sweet tooth.
Ingredients
You only need a few pantry staples to make your no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies without peanut butter.
- Granulated white sugar: To sweeten up these cookies, you’ll need granulated sugar.
- Butter: The butter in this recipe helps bind all ingredients together and gives the cookies a delicious, rich flavor.
- Pure vanilla extract: This ingredient adds flavor to the cookies.
- Quick Oats: Oats are the main ingredient in these cookies. You’ll need quick-cooking oats for this recipe. You can also use gluten-free oats if you’d like.
- Milk: You’ll need milk to moisten the oats and help them stick together.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Cocoa powder gives these cookies a rich chocolate mixture flavor.
If you’d like, add a pinch of salt.
Find the measurements and instructions in the recipe card below.
How to make chocolate no-bake cookies without peanut butter
Gather your ingredients, and let’s get started.
Step 1: Line the baking sheet or cookie sheet with parchment paper or wax paper and set aside.
Step 2: Mix together the white sugar, butter, and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring occasionally, then make sure the mixture boils for 1 minute.
Step 3: Remove the pan from the heat. Add cocoa, quick-cooking oats, vanilla, and salt, and stir to combine.
Step 4: Drop a tablespoon of the cookie dough mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, and flatten slightly with the back of a spoon.
Step 5: Let sit at room temperature until cooled and hardened, about 30 minutes. To harden them faster, or if your home is warm, place cookies in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to harden.
Tips and tricks
- BOIL FOR 1 MINUTE. The cookies won’t set unless cooked for 1 minute at a roiling boil. This gets them to the correct temp to harden.
- USE A CANDY THERMOMETER to check the temperature if you’re unsure how long to boil the sugar mixture. Remove from heat as soon as it reaches 220 degrees F (104 degrees C).
- DO NOT USE MARGARINE or non-dairy spread in this recipe. The cookies will not set if you do.
Why do my no-bake cookies turn out gooey?
The most common reason no-bake cookies turn out gooey is not boiling them for long enough. (Usually, one minute once they reach a rolling boil.) The sugar needs to get to the correct temperature (220 degrees F or 104 degrees C), so it will harden once it cools.
Why are my no-bake cookies grainy?
The reason no-bake cookies turn out grainy is usually that the sugar mixture was boiled too long. If you cook them for more than one minute, once they come to a boil, they become grainy and crumbly.
Substitutions
- Instead of butter, you could use virgin coconut oil.
- You can substitute almond milk for dairy milk in this simple recipe.
Add-ins
- 1 teaspoon of almond extract is a nice add-in to change up the flavor.
- If you can have nuts, add ¼ cup once you combine everything in the saucepan.
- For more chocolate flavor, adding ¼ cup of chocolate chips (dark or semi-sweet) is a great variation. However, because the mixture will be hot, the chips will melt in and not retain their shape.
Storing a no-bake cookie recipe
- REFRIGERATOR – No-bake oatmeal cookies without peanut butter can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- FREEZER – You can also freeze no-bake cookies for up to 3 months. Freeze them individually on a cookie sheet and then transfer them to an airtight container. Thaw frozen cookies overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
Making a delicious no-bake dessert has never been easier, so don’t miss out on this easy no-bake chocolate cookies recipe! These cookies are a delightful and easy treat that everyone can enjoy—even those with peanut allergies.
Clever Ways to Make No Bake Cookies Without Peanut Butter
The idea of no bake cookies is almost too good to be true. After taking the time to measure ingredients, make the batter and scoop the cookie dough, who wants to wait the extra time for the cookies to bake- I want to eat them now!
Luckily, there are tons of no-bake cookie recipes out there however, a lot of the recipes involve peanut butter. While this may be great for some people, it can also be a problem.
So let’s take a look at how to make no bake cookies without peanut butter.
Why Skip the PB?
There are several reasons that you may want to avoid peanut butter in general, the first being allergies. Lots of people in the US have nut allergies and allergies to peanuts tend to be the most severe.
About 2.8% of kids also have peanut allergies and many schools and day cares do not even allow peanut products within the building- forget about bringing any peanut butter cookies to your kid’s school!
Peanut fields are also known to be heavily treated with pesticides. Even though peanuts have a shell, that shell is pretty thin- some of the chemicals from the pesticides can leach through the shell and onto the nut.
Organic peanut butters are typically safe, yet you should be very wary of the non organic varieties.
Peanut butter is very high in fat. While a little bit may be okay, too much may cause health problems. No bake cookies that use peanut butter tend to use lots of the ingredients making the cookies very fatty.
They may taste good but that taste comes with a consequence!
Typical Ingredients in No Bake Cookies
Many no bake cookie recipes contain about the same ingredients. Butter, sugar, milk, cocoa powder and oats can be found in almost every no bake cookie recipe- and of course, peanut butter is also very common!
Little add ins such as vanilla, salt, almond extract, raisins and chocolate chips are frequently use in no bake cookies too. But what to do about that peanut butter…
Many times, no bake cookie batter is made by mixing all of the ingredients together and then simply scooping the batter onto a tray. No baking, no cooking, nothing.
This ease is in part because the peanut butter in the recipes holds the cookies together so well. Yet, we are going to try to skip that. Time to learn how!
1 – No Bake, Just a Little Cooking
One of the easiest ways to make no-bake cookies without peanut butter is to cook some of the ingredients in a sauce pan. Boiling the sugar, butter, milk and cocoa powder for a few minutes allows the mixture to thicken and the sugar to crystallize.
This thick, hot batter is then dropped onto a sheet pan and allowed to cool. Voila! Cookies are done! No peanut butter needed! Add some oats to the mix and you’ll have even heartier cookies.
Try boiling maple syrup and then stirring in some shredded coconut and letting the mix cook until it is thick. Drop the hot batter onto a sheet tray and you will soon be eating some of the most delicious two ingredient cookies you have ever tried.
Since you skipped the oven, these cookies only take about 5 minutes to make. This is the kind of recipe I love!
2 – Try Some Dates
Dates can be soaked and pureed into a nice thick, healthy paste. Date puree, oats, nuts and flavorings are all simply mixed together and scooped to make very easy and delicious cookies.
Dates are full of potassium, antioxidants and fiber- all of which are lacking in peanut butter. Many recipes that use dates for no bake cookies have no added sugar since dates are naturally sweet.
What a healthy way to make no bake cookies!
3 – Dried Fruits
If you don’t have dates or aren’t really a big fan of the fruit, raisins or dried figs can be used in the same manner. If you use figs, just be sure to soak them well so that they are easier to puree.
I know from experience that pureeing dried figs can be sticky business (which is why they make great, no bake cookies!).
Dried apricots are another great binder for no bake cookies. Apricots add a bright, fruity flavor to no bake cookies. Apricots can be chopped in a food processor and mixed into no bake cookie batters for a sweet sticky treat.
4 – Not Really Peanut Butter…
A super simple substitute for peanut butter is Nutella. While Nutella is still nut based, it is made with hazelnuts rather than peanuts which makes it perfect for those who avoid peanut butter due to allergies.
Nutella is also made with chocolate so it adds a nice rich, chocolatey flavor to the cookies. Nutella can usually be substituted for peanut butter in a no bake cookie recipe by using the same amount.
Easy and extra tasty (not quite healthy but hey, it beats turning on the oven!)
5 – Try Other Nuts
Grinding up almonds, cashews or hazelnuts is another great ingredient to use in no bake cookies rather than peanut butter. Use a small spice grinder to make nut ‘flour’ to use in cookie recipes.
Ground nuts, powdered sugar and vanilla extract can be mixed together to make a nice cookie batter. Roll the mix into balls and then into powdered sugar for some yummy three ingredient cookie snowballs.