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.
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
- ⅛ 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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