Paleo No-Bake Cookies

These Paleo No-Bake Cookies are inspired by the popular peanut butter-and-oatmeal version, only this recipe is naturally sweetened and grain-free. We have one of my co-workers to thank for this idea, because nearly 12 years ago, she brought a batch of no-bake cookies like these into our office. She had run out of oatmeal and had substituted sliced almonds for oats in her classic no-bake cookie recipe. 

Everyone in our office devoured them.

I took this Paleo version one step further by using a natural sweetener. The result is a delicious treat that is also gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan—no flour or chocolate chips are required!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“Delicious! Probably the best no-bake cookies I’ve ever made. It was hard not to eat the whole batch. 🙂 Super easy to make, and the perfect blend of flavors. It kind of tastes like a chocolate candy bar, yum. I will definitely be making these again… and again.” – Christine

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Maple Syrup. Pure maple syrup acts as a sweetener and binder in this recipe. Briefly boiling it will help the cookies hold their shape when they cool.
• Nut Butter. Use almond butter or cashew butter for the most chocolate-forward flavor. (They don’t compete with the chocolate flavor the way peanut butter does, but feel free to use peanut butter if you prefer.)
• Coconut Oil. This acts as a dairy-free substitute for butter. Since coconut oil is solid when chilled, it contributes to the texture when the cookies cool. Use refined or expeller-pressed coconut oil for a neutral flavor.
• Cacao Powder. I keep cacao powder in my pantry, rather than Dutch-processed cocoa powder, so that’s what I used here. If you have regular cocoa powder on hand, that should work, too!
• Coconut and Almonds. A combination of unsweetened shredded coconut and sliced almonds acts as a texture replacement for rolled oats. You can also mix in some sunflower or pumpkin seeds, if you like!

How to Make Paleo No-Bake Cookies

Step 1:

Start by measuring the ingredients because this recipe moves quickly. (The full measurements are in the printable recipe card below.)

Add a half cup of maple syrup to a small saucepan on the stove top. Bring the maple syrup to a boil, and once it’s bubbling, set a timer for 3 minutes. 

Step 2:

When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in half a cup of almond butter, a quarter cup of cocoa powder, three tablespoons of coconut oil, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a quarter teaspoon of fine sea salt. 

Stir until the mixture looks smooth. If your saucepan is large enough, you can mix the cookies directly in the same pan.

Otherwise, pour it into a large bowl with one cup of shredded coconut and sliced almonds (or sunflower seeds).

Step 3:

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and use a cookie scoop to scoop the mixture onto the prepared pan. Use roughly 1 1/2 tablespoons per cookie.

Depending on the size of your scoops, you’ll get roughly 15 to 16 cookies from this batch. 

Step 4:

Flatten the cookies with your cookie scoop, if needed. Then transfer the pan to the fridge or freezer to chill until firm. This may take up to one hour. 

Once the cookies feel firm, they are ready to eat! Serve these chilled for the best texture; they will melt if left at room temperature for too long. 

Paleo No-Bake Cookies (No Oats!)

4.97 from 27 votes

These Paleo No-Bake Cookies taste like the traditional version, without using oats or chocolate chips. Instead, they are naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup and use a combination of shredded coconut and sliced almonds for a similar texture. The flavor is irresistible!

prep15 mins cook3 mins total18 mins

Servings:16

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ½ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup cacao powder
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil , or butter
• ½ cup nut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 cups unsweetened coconut, sliced almonds, or sunflower seeds

Instructions

• In a small saucepan, bring the maple syrup to a boil. Once it's bubbling, set a timer for 3 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the cacao powder, coconut oil, nut butter, vanilla extract, and salt.
• Once the mixture looks smooth, stir in the shredded coconut and sliced almonds. (I use 1 cup of each, but feel free to use any mix-ins you prefer.)
• When the nuts and seeds are coated in the chocolate mixture, use a cookie scoop to drop the mixture onto a large parchment-lined baking sheet. If you're using a 1 ½ tablespoon scoop, you should get roughly 16 cookies from this batch. (A smaller scoop will create more than that.)
• Flatten the cookies into your desired shape, then place the pan in the freezer to set. When frozen, they should firm up in 30 minutes. Or, place the pan in the fridge for about 1 hour. Once the cookies feel firm, they are ready to enjoy. Serve these cookies chilled from the refrigerator for the best texture. They will soften if left at room temperature for too long.

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 16 cookies, assuming you used sliced almonds. This information is automatically calculated using ingredients from a generic database, so it’s just an estimate and not a guarantee.

Update Note: This recipe was originally published in 2012 using a 1/2 cup of honey, one more tablespoon of coconut oil, and sunflower butter. Over the years, I’ve found that I prefer the flavor of these cookies with maple syrup (and many readers have reported that, too). If you prefer the original recipe, swap the maple syrup for honey and add an extra tablespoon of coconut oil. Honey needs to boil for only 1 minute instead of 3 minutes. Either way these are delicious!

Make these Nut-Free: Use sunflower butter as the “nut butter” and sunflower seeds as the mix-ins for a nut-free treat.

Nutrition

Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Sodium: 38mg | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 0.2IU | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 1mg

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: paleo no bake cookies

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If you try these Paleo No-Bake Cookies, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like them.