Truly bliss in a bite, these healthy no bake cookies are made with chocolate and peanut butter. Easy and delicious, they are an all-time fan favorite!

Healthy no bake cookies

This post developed in partnership with Roxbury Mountain Maple. All opinions expressed are our own. 

You know that feeling when you’re in a season of waiting and you’re literally squirming in the uncertainty? Maybe you’re waiting for news of a promotion, a new job, entry into university, or how you did on a big test. Alex and I are in that season, waiting to be matched with a baby who will be our forever child. And we could get the call at literally any time. It’s the weirdest thing, waiting for a baby to fall out of the sky. We wait with a boxed crib in an empty room, trying to keep ourselves from wondering, who will this little one be? Is it really true that he or she will have a name, a spirit, a humanity that will be etched indelibly on our hearts?

So we distract ourselves with work and margarita nights and weekend trips to Santa Fe, and making chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies. Because well, what else do you do when you’re waiting for a baby to fall out of the sky? Keep reading for our healthy no bake cookies recipe.

Update: We had a baby! His name is Larson and his story is pretty darn amazing.

Related: 10 Vegan Desserts Everyone Will Love

healthy no bake cookie in paper wrapper
healthy no bake cookies

How to make no bake cookies

Here’s our take on chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies, inspired by a sweet visit from our dear friend Ashlae of Oh Ladycakes. Our version features a soft peanut buttery drizzle topping, so they’re almost an inside-out peanut butter cup. Made with maple syrup, coconut oil, and oats, they’re all natural and a play on a healthy no bake cookie. Even better, make the mini version for a smaller serving size.

They’re also naturally sweet, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free, and while all those adjectives might sound alarming, the taste is just plain bliss. We just served them as a sweet treat at the end of a meal, and when asked how they tasted, our guest pronounced “heaven”. True story, and even without coercion!

Since we first posted this recipe, these healthy no bake cookies have since become our most popular recipe! There’s a version in our cookbook, Pretty Simple Cooking. We’ve even served them on TV!

Related: 10 Easy Recipes for Kids

grades of maple syrup
grades of maple syrup

Maple syrup grades

We created this chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies recipe for our favorite family-owned maple syrup company, Roxbury Mountain Maple. Maple syrup is our current natural sweetener of choice, so to work with a family business who’ve devoted their lives to high quality maple products is a dream. Roxbury has just received their organic certification (hooray!), which is a big deal for a small business.

Roxbury also let us know about a recent change in the terminology for maple syrup grades! Here goes: what used to be called Grade B syrup is now called Grade A Dark, and the term Grade B is no longer used. Now, there are three types of Grade A: Golden (the lightest, most delicate flavor), Amber (richer taste), and Dark (full-bodied flavor, which used to be Grade B). We taste tested them back to back, and appreciated them each for their distinct flavors. This recipe calls for Grade A Dark, but you could easily substitute Golden or Amber as a variation.

We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Related: Easy Vegetarian Recipes for Beginners | 12 Gluten Free Desserts Everyone Will Love

holding a bottle of maple syrup

The maple syrup we used in this recipe is made by Roxbury Mountain Maple, a family business run by the Holscher family out of the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. We cook with a lot of maple syrup and this is one of our favorites.

healthy no bake cookies

Looking for healthy dessert recipes?

These healthy no bake cookies is one of our top chocolate desserts and easy cookie recipes! If you’re looking for more great dessert recipes, here are some others:

This healthy no bake cookies recipe is…

Vegetarian, gluten free, vegan, plant based, dairy free and naturally sweet.

Print
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Bliss Bites (Healthy No Bake Cookies)


  • Author: a Couple Cooks
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 9 (18 mini bites) 1x

Description

Truly bliss in a bite, these healthy no bake cookies are made with coconut oil and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. A fan favorite!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 tablespoons refined coconut oil, divided
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons peanut butter, divided
  • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon Grade A dark maple syrup, divided
  • ¼ cup dutch process (or dark) cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch kosher salt
  • 1 cup rolled oats

Instructions

  1. Place 9 cupcake liners into a muffin tin (or 18 liners in a mini-muffin tin).
  2. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 5 tablespoons coconut oil and stir together 2 tablespoons peanut butter, ¼ cup maple syrup, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 pinch kosher salt. When fully combined, remove from heat and stir in 1 cup rolled oats. Spoon into cupcake liners. Refrigerate while making the peanut butter topping.
  3. In a small saucepan over low heat, stir together ¼ cup peanut butter, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Spoon the warm peanut butter mixture over the chocolate oat mixture. Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes until set, or refrigerate until serving. Store refrigerated.
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: No Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: no bake cookies, healthy no bake cookies

About the authors

Sonja & Alex

Meet Sonja and Alex Overhiser: Husband and wife. Expert home cooks. Authors of recipes you'll want to make again and again.

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169 Comments

  1. I have all the ingredients to make this recipe, yay! Happy to have found your blog. I hope and pray your dreams to adopt come true, soon! That’s so exciting.

    1. I’m sure they would be fantastic with almond butter as well! Just make sure it has a very creamy texture (some are very chunky and might have a different result here).

  2. These look delicious! I’m always searching for healthier desserts, will definitely have to try these. Reese’s peanut butter cups are my weakness so I’m sure I’ll love these!

  3. Congratulations on adopting! I love all the healthy and yet delicious recipes you provide! You’re one of my favorite blogs. And I love pure maple products.

  4. I know it sounds odd to have anything other than southwestern cuisine in Santa Fe, but it you have a free evening, I highly recommend Jambo Cafe. It’s a smallish restaurant with to-die-for North African cuisine, and the place is always packed, always delicious.

    Also, on adoption: I’m SO excited for you! My parents adopted a sweet baby girl before I was born, and I love their “news” story. A call one day, a road trip to pick her up the next day. So sweet, so rewarding.

  5. Recently discovering that my favorite blog is created by two Christians, who are adopting, has been truly inspiring! I knew there was something beautifully different about you. I am praying that your hope would not be swayed and that you would trust that God’s heart is for the orphans, too. His timing is absolutely perfect.

    PS- Thank you for this recipe. I have been scouring the internet for a healthy version of a no bake cookie (my husband’s favorite). This is just what the doctor ordered!

    1. What a kind comment — thank you so much, Erika! You are so sweet and encouraging. Thank you for the kind sentiment — and I hope your husband likes the cookies!

  6. The waiting period does take time, but all that is forgotten when your mom, dad, and baby makes three family happens. Go ahead and set up the baby room! Don’t be superstitious! Do what will bring you joy, and if that means unpacking that crib, then by all means do it. Paint, decorate, nest!! We did all that through our adoption process and it made the journey fun for us. All expectant parents, no matter the route, need the time to prepare. So, if you really want to leave that crib in the box, do that, but if you decide to unpack it and have some fun setting it up, then do that. All my best to you both!

    1. Good point, Chris! I do kind of feel like it would be more fun for us to just do it, instead of waiting with an empty room. So, maybe we’ll go for it! Thanks for that encouragement :)

  7. Healthy and sweet recipe !! This is very easy and less time consuming recipe. Specially, it eliminates to bake the cookies. Thanks Sonja for sharing this recipe :)

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