No-Bake cookies are a no-fail crowd pleaser. They are simple to make, full of satisfying protein and fiber, and with a couple of small tweaks, a healthy dessert option!

No-bake cookies can be dry, overly sweet, and a bit grainy when it comes to texture. They can be like the B-team of cookies. The reserves. The backups. The understudies.

The cookies you make when you’re really not that great with an oven. Psst. It’s okay. We all have our strengths!

In other words, they might make my teeth hurt and usually can’t stand up to a really good chocolate chip cookie.

But no-bakes don’t always deserve such a bad reputation. These simple cookies can actually be fudgey and incredibly delicious with none of the hard, tasteless sugar overdose.

My family loves no-bake cookies, and in fact, I do, too! With just a few simple changes to the typical no-bake recipe, these cookies can be a healthier treat for everyone to enjoy. Best of all, this healthy no-bake cookie recipe is just as easy as the original.

Many healthy no-bake cookie recipes rely on honey or agave syrup to sweeten the cookie. I don’t.

Here’s why. For the most part, sugar is sugar is sugar. I enjoy sweetening some desserts with honey (like this cake, and this one, and this one), but substituting honey for sugar doesn’t necessarily make one dessert healthier than another. It’s still a sugar that should be enjoyed in moderation.

To make these cookies a more reasonable treat, I simply use about half the sugar called for in a typical recipe. I promise you won’t miss it!

A generous amount of cocoa powder adds a rich flavor. Natural peanut butter and whole grain rolled oats make them very filling, too. For an extra boost, some of the rolled oats can be substituted for shredded coconut and ground flaxseed. They’re so good (and pretty good for you), I won’t even fault you for eating them at breakfast like I did this morning!

Healthy, Fudgey No-Bake Cookies

Ingredients

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• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup unrefined sugar
• 1 cup smooth, natural peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut*
• 1/4 cup ground flax*

*The coconut and flax can be replaced by an additional 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats for a simplified version

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, butter or coconut oil, cocoa, and sugar. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for about a couple of minutes.
2. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Add oats, coconut, and flax (or just oats if using the simpler version) and stir until well combined.
3. Drop by heaping tablespoon on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 1-2 hours until firm. Store any leftovers in a cool place.

Yum, yum, yum!

You can easily double this recipe, too. If I’m making these to share with friends, I always double it. Our big family can eat a single batch pretty quickly!

Do you have a no-bake cookie recipe that you love?