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I love these no-bake cookies.
I actually need to thank one of my co-workers for giving me this grain-free idea.
A few years ago, she wanted to make a batch of traditional no-bake cookies– the kind made with chocolate, peanut butter and oatmeal. While preparing the cookies, she realized she had run out of oatmeal! Instead of making a quick trip to the grocery store, this clever co-worker decided to use some slivered blanched almonds that she had sitting in her pantry instead. The result was fantastic! She brought them into the office to share, and they were all gone by lunch time.
Ever since, I’ve never felt the need to use oatmeal again.
I’ve also kept this recipe nut-free, using sunflower seed butter for my readers with nut allergies. If you haven’t tried it, sunflower butter tastes very similar to peanut butter! For the chewy filling, I tried a few variations, including sunflower seeds, slivered almonds, and coconut flakes– all with delicious results. My taste-tester, Austin, found the coconut filling a little too distracting (“too coconut-ty”), so he preferred the sunflower seed batch the most. Personally, I prefer the coconut flakes, since they have a similar texture to traditional rolled oats.
Whichever variation you choose, I hope you’ll enjoy them!
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No-Bake Chocolate Cookies (Grain-free, Nut-free)
makes 2 dozen
Adapted from The Food Network
Ingredients:
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup coconut oil, or butter
1/2 cup Once Again Sunflower Seed Butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups sunflower seeds (slivered almonds, or coconut flakes may be substituted)
Directions:
Combine the honey, cocoa powder, sea salt and coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, and boil for one minute, stirring occasionally. Remove the mixture from the heat, and add in the vanilla and sunflower seed butter, stirring well until smooth.
Add in the 2 cups of sunflower seeds, slivered almonds or coconut flakes, and mix well to coat. Use a spoon to drop the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and transfer the cookies to the fridge or freezer to set.
When the cookies are solid, they should be easy to remove from the parchment paper. Serve immediately!
*Note: Despite my best efforts, these cookies will soften a bit when left at room temperature for too long. I’ve tried making batches with honey, maple syrup and coconut sugar, all with the same softening results. For a firm texture, keep them chilled before serving.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup coconut oil , or butter
- 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups sunflower seeds , slivered almonds, or coconut flakes
Instructions
- Combine the honey, cocoa powder, sea salt and coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, and boil for one minute, stirring occasionally. Remove the mixture from the heat, and add in the vanilla and sunflower seed butter, stirring well until smooth.
- Add in the 2 cups of sunflower seeds, slivered almonds or coconut flakes, and mix well to coat. Use a spoon to drop the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and transfer the cookies to the fridge or freezer to set.
- When the cookies are solid, they should be easy to remove from the parchment paper. Serve immediately! These cookies will soften a bit when left at room temperature for too long, so for a firm texture, keep them chilled before serving.
Nutrition
Calories per cookie: 140, Fat: 10g, Carbohydrates: 10g, Fiber: 1g, Protein: 3g
Substitution Notes:
- Vegans can replace the 1/2 cup honey with 1/2 cup maple syrup OR 1 cup coconut crystals (add 1/4 cup water for the crystals), for a more complex brown-sugar flavor.
- Sunflower butter can be replaced with any other nut butter, such as almond, peanut or cashew– keep in mind that any changes will affect the flavor.
- The cocoa powder can be left out is chocolate is not tolerated.
- Sunflower butter varies a LOT depending on brand, so using a brand other than Once Again may affect the results. For example, Trader Joe’s sunflower seed butter is much sweeter in comparison, so you may want to reduce the honey to compensate.
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Reader Feedback: Are you a fan of no-bake cookies? What’s your favorite easy cookie recipe?
Absolutely delicious! I didn’t have any almond butter or sunflower seeds so I substituted for pumpkin seeds and peanut butter. I also used 1/4 cup of maple syrup and 1/4 of almond milk in substitute of the honey. They turned out fabulous! Uh! So scrumptious! With peanut butter they kind of remind me of muddy buddies (: Thank you for the great recipe!
These were just what I have been looking for. I did change a couple of things, but perfect!
I have tried a couple of other recipes, but they were often oily. Not yours. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
OMG! I literally woke up read the recipe and made them, after I brushed my teeth. They are awesome! I substituted almond butter because it’s what I had and HEMP SEEDS! I used 1 3/4C hemps seeds and 1/4c coconut! THANKS for the recipe!
These were awesome! I didnt have the sunflower butter so I used natural peanut butter. I actually used a mix of gluten free oats and sunflower seeds. AMAZING treat! 🙂
I LOVE these no bake cookies and many more of your recipes, THANK YOU!
I varied mine using cashew nut butter, 1 cup raw sunflower seeds, 1/2 cup shredded coconut and 1/2 cup slivered almonds. This is a GREAT combo and the cookies hold together really well.
Today I have tried 1 cup raw sunflower seeds and 1 cup shredded coconut, also with cashew nut butter, very good but version 1 gets my Number One vote so far 🙂
Thank you Megan for all you share, it is deeply appreciated xoxo
Wow my 3 boys and husband ate them like crazy. Wanted to tell you my husbands Armenian and were all from Glendale, Ca. I’m Italian so it’s different with ALL of them their but I love their food. Thank you as I’m a diabetic 2 and I can’t thank you enough for the recipes you rebirthed in a healthy way so I can better care for my health when I’m feeling like a sweet treat thanks to you I don’t have to feel guilty. I’m going to purchase your book and since then we’ve moved to Dallas. So if you need me to get the word to diabetics here …..(I’ve joined a diabetic 2 class I’m surely going to make sure to tell them) Thank you again for saving all of us from the awful food they have to choose from that you mad a difference in all the lives…… that value a good life. Blessings to you and your family. Sheri
These are AH-mazing! Perfect for a non baker like myself. I was just short of sunflower seeds so I made up the diff (abt 10%) with shredded coconut, turned out great! Thank you so much!!!
I just made these using Quinoa flakes and they are really, really good. I ended up adding in about 2 tbls more cocoa in the first step because I didnt think it was chocolatey enough, so now the cookies are very rich and a bit dry(still yummy). So, next time, I think I will add in the 1/4 c cocoa only and add some Mini chocolate chips in with the quinoa flakes and possibly some sunflower seeds.
Thanks for a great and versatile recipe!
Thanks so much for the recipe. Tried it last night and was fantastic. I used a combo of all the fillings: thus, divided the 2 cups into even 1/3 ration: raw sunflower seeds, slivered almonds and shredded coconut. Taste a little sunflower heavy so maybe next time since I used the sunflower butter I will balance out with the filling omitting the sunflower seeds and using 1 cup shredded coconut and 1 cup slivered almonds. Thanks again for this genius creation.
My husband and I love these, we make them as is and we have also used a sunflower/pumpkin seed combo (excellent!). I make these every other week that is how much we love them. This recipe is so quick and easy to do. Thank you for such a solid recipe!