The Best No-Bake Cookies Recipe - with Coconut! - foodiecrush.com (2024)

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These easy no-bake cookies are loaded with goodness and they’re even a little bit of healthy. Old-fashioned oats, cocoa, and the surprise addition of coconut make these classic no-bake cookies (without the peanut butter!) the very best.

No-bake cookies are a starter-cook-in-the-kitchen classic recipe that’s oh so easy to make.

That’s the good part.

So what’s the bad part?

It’s just that they’re so dang easy to make you can whip up a batch whenever the craving strikes. And then eat the whole bowl. By yourself. In one sitting.

Just ask my husband. That was his M.O. when back in the day after high school football practice he would make no-bake oatmeal cookies at least once a week. As all big brothers do (or more aptly don’t), he refused to share any of the batch with his siblings. Brotherly love. It’s real.

But here’s the best part…

Once you make these no-bake beauties yourself, you’ll see why he was so selfish. And you won’t blame him one bit for keeping them all to himself.

What’s in These No-Bake Cookies?

If I made these cookies once I’ve been I’ve made them 1,000 times. It’s likely that after my award-winning snickerdoodles, no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies were one of the first cookies I made all on my own as a kid.

No bake cookies are always popular in the summer when no one wants to turn on the oven, but for some reason fall is when I crave them most. Maybe it’s my baking cravings for comfort rearing it’s sweet toothed head.

The ingredient list for these chocolate no-bake cookies is short and simple, and it’s likely you have all the ingredients sitting within arms reach right in your pantry.

  • Old-fashioned oats (side note: why does everyone call old-fashioned oats oatmeal?)
  • Shredded coconut
  • Sugar
  • Milk or almond milk
  • Butter
  • Cocoa powder
  • Vanilla
  • Kosher salt

One thing you won’t see in the ingredient list is peanut butter, because when I made them as a kid that was never in the recipe, so you won’t see it here now, either.

How to Make No-Bake Cookies

Okay, you ready for this?

In a saucepan, bring the butter, sugar, milk, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt to a boil. Cook for a minute, then remove from the heat and stir in the oats and coconut.

Scoop the “batter” into balls and let them cool completely before diving in.

Seriously, that’s all it takes to make this easy no-bake cookie recipe.

Can I Omit the Coconut?

No-bake cookies with coconut not your thing? No worries, feel free to leave it out and make up the difference with ½ cup additional oats instead.

Can I Use Instant Oats?

Absolutely not. Instant oats are much more powdery than old-fashioned oats, and the texture of these chocolate no-bake cookies will be way off.

Tips for Making the Best No-Bake Cookies

While there’s no baking involved with this recipe, there is one step on the stove top for melting the butter and the milk together. But you can easily do this in the microwave too. Or take these guys camping and make them over the coals.

The “batter” will be pretty loose until the cookies cool and come together. I use this 56 mm or 4 ounce (¼ cup) stainless steel scoop for these cookies. That makes 12-14 cookies, depending on how much you eat before you get to the cookie portioning part of the recipe :)

I use sweetened coconut in my recipe, but you could use unsweetened if you prefer.

More Easy Cookie Recipes You’ll Love

  • Milk Bar’s Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macarons
  • Currant Cookies

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #foodiecrusheats.

The Best No-Bake Cookies Recipe - with Coconut! - foodiecrush.com (4)

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4.77 from 47 votes

The Best No-Bake Cookies—with Coconut!

Old-fashioned oats and shredded coconut are the base for these easy, no-bake chocolate cookies that any beginner cook can master.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cookies

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes minutes

Total Time 7 minutes minutes

Servings 12 to 14 cookies

Calories 288kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
  • 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup shredded coconut

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, bring butter, sugar, milk, cocoa powder, vanilla and salt to a boil and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously, then remove from the heat.

  • Stir in the oatmeal and coconut and let cool for 5 minutes.

  • Spoon 1-inch balls onto a parchment paper. Cool for 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg

More No-Bake Desserts You’ll Want to Make Too

  • Nutella No-Bake Cookies
  • No-Bake Dulce de Leche Pie
  • 4-Ingredient Pretzel Turtles Treats
  • No-Bake Cookie Bars with Chocolate, Cherries and Chia Seeds
  • Peppermint Truffles Recipe
  • 4-Ingredient Ice Cream Pie with Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Crust
  • Salted Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats

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The Best No-Bake Cookies Recipe - with Coconut! - foodiecrush.com (2024)

FAQs

What causes no bake cookies not to harden? ›

Tip #3 The No-Fail Timing Method

Boiling too long will cause the cookies to be dry and crumbly. However, if you don't boil long enough the cookies will not set and will be runny. Some folks say bring the mixture to a rolling boil and then count to 60, while others swear by counting to 90.

What is no bake cookies made of? ›

No-Bake Cookie Ingredients

Milk: Milk gives the cookies more moisture and richness. Cocoa powder: Unsweetened powder is essential for the deep chocolate flavor. Peanut butter: This recipe calls for crunchy peanut butter, but you can use smooth peanut butter if you prefer. Oats: Make sure to use quick-cooking oats.

What to do when no bake cookies don t set? ›

Most no-bake cookies have some sticky ingredient to hold it together. If you used something sticky like butter, peanut butter, melted marshmallows or melted chocolate I would pop them in the fridge, so they firm up. If that doesn't help, I would completely dip them in melted chocolate and let them harden in the fridge.

How long does it take for no bakes to set up? ›

Shaping and Storing No-Bake Cookies

Scoop the finished cookie batter into spoon-sized rounds onto parchment paper, then let the cookies cool and set for 25 to 30 minutes. You can enjoy them right away, or store for up to five days in an airtight container at room temperature.

How long does no bake cookie dough last? ›

In the refrigerator, the cookie dough will stay fresh for about 6 month. In the freezer, you can keep it for up to 1 year!

What are lady finger cookies made of? ›

Ladyfinger (biscuit)
Ladyfingers
Alternative namesSavoiardi, sponge fingers, boudoir
Region or stateDuchy of Savoy
Created by15th-century official cuisine of the Duchy of Savoy (may antedate in vernacular cuisine)
Main ingredientsFlour, egg whites, egg yolks, sugar, powdered sugar
4 more rows

Are Chips Ahoy cookies actually baked? ›

Chips Ahoy! is an American chocolate chip cookie brand, baked and sold by Nabisco that premiered in 1963. Nabisco referred Chips Ahoy! to the old naval warning of spotting other ships “Ships Ahoy!”, marketing these cookies baked with so many chocolate chips that you never take a bite without any!

Why are my cookies not hardening? ›

Here are some common reasons: Underbaking: Cookies might not have been baked long enough. Ensure you follow the recommended baking time in the recipe and adjust based on your oven's characteristics. Too much moisture: Excess moisture, either from ingredients like eggs or butter, can result in soft cookies.

Why are my cookies not solid? ›

Cookies will flatten if there is a bit of much fat in the dough, usually butter or shortening. Try adding more flour or oats or something else that will add to the firmness of your dough.

Why are my cookies not firm? ›

Using too much flour will make your cookies too cakey, so try reducing the flour amount by two tablespoons. Avoid using cake flour instead; try a mix of all-purpose flour and bread flour for a more dense and chewy texture.

What causes the cookies to not become dense? ›

Baking Powder. The type of leavening you use in your cookies doesn't just help them rise while baking, it affects their texture and structure too. Baking soda in cookies yields a denser cookie with craggy tops, while baking powder causes cookies to rise higher during baking for a cakier texture.

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