This chewy, chocolatey no bake cookie recipe is made with a base of oats and peanut butter, making it wholesome, satisfying, and naturally vegan! They’re easy to make, with a short refrigeration time replacing the baking.
When it comes to no bake cookie recipes, it’s important to go into it with the right expectations. No baking means you’re not going to get the same crispy edges and golden brown exterior as you would with a traditional cookie. Instead, these no bake cookies have a soft, chewy texture that is different, but delicious in its own way!
These cookies remind me of peanut butter cups in cookie form thanks to the combination of cocoa powder and peanut butter. Cinnamon adds a bit of warmth, while the oats make the cookies chewy and satisfying. I love no bake cookies as an afternoon snack, but I think they even work as a breakfast—and when you can have cookies for breakfast, you know it’s going to be a great day! (Try my pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal breakfast cookies too.)
Why You’ll Love This No Bake Cookie Recipe
- Perfect chewy texture . The oats and peanut butter in this recipe create a chewy, satisfying texture that’s impossible to resist.
- Wholesome ingredients . The oats and peanut butter also make these cookies fairly healthy and naturally gluten-free.
- Easy to make . With no baking required, these cookies only require a few minutes of prep time and refrigeration. They’re so simple!
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Coconut oil – Coconut oil is key here because it solidifies when refrigerated.
- Plant milk – Any kind you like, as long as it’s unflavoured and unsweetened.
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar – Light or dark brown sugar both work.
- Cocoa powder
- Creamy no-stir peanut butter – Don’t use the natural peanut butter that needs stirring before you use it. You really need regular peanut butter for this recipe!
- Vanilla extract
- Quick cooking oats – If you have old-fashioned oats on hand and want to use those instead, you can blitz them in a blender or food processor to chop them up a bit, then measure what you need.
- Ground cinnamon
How to Make No Bake Cookies
- Make the liquid mixture. Warm the coconut oil, plant milk, sugars, and cocoa powder in a pan set over medium heat. Once the oil melts, bring to a boil and cook for 90 seconds, whisking constantly.
- Keep whisking . Remove the saucepan from the stovetop and keep whisking until there are no more bubbles. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until the peanut butter melts.
- Put it all together. Fold in the oats and cinnamon until the oats are all moistened.
- Form the cookies. Drop 2-3 tablespoon portions of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten with the back of a spoon.
- Rest and chill. Allow the cookies to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate until solid.
Tips for Success
- Use plates for refrigerating if needed . If your cookie sheets don’t fit in your refrigerator, you can place parchment paper on plates or a large platter and use that instead.
- Double the recipe . This no bake cookie recipe can easily be doubled to make more cookies for larger gatherings or parties. Just note that the liquid ingredients will need a little more time on the stovetop to account for the larger volume.
- Be patient . It’s important to allow the cookies to set in the refrigerator before enjoying them. This will ensure they have the perfect texture and hold their shape. You don’t want them falling apart on you!
Variations
- Make them peanut-free . Use almond butter , pecan butter , or cashew butter to make these no bake cookies peanut-free, or swap in sunflower seed butter to make nut-free no-bake cookies.
- Add in some crunch . For added texture, mix in some chopped nuts or crispy rice cereal to the cookie dough before refrigerating.
- Make them more decadent . Chocolate chips would be a fantastic addition to this no bake cookie recipe! Because the mixture will be warm, I recommend pressing chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies after they’ve set for 15 minutes rather than mixing them into the dough.
How to Store
Refrigerate your no bake cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. I recommend letting them come to room temperature before enjoying them.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Yes, this no bake cookie recipe can be frozen! Layer parchment paper between the cookies in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag; they will keep for 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let the cookies thaw at room temperature.
More Vegan Cookie Recipes
- Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies
- Chai Sugar Cookies
- Kitchen Sink Cookies
- Gingersnap Molasses Cookies
- Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut oil , 105 grams
- ⅓ cup plant milk , 78 ml
- ¾ cup granulated sugar , 150 grams
- ½ cup brown sugar , 95 grams
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder , 26 grams
- ⅔ cup creamy no-stir peanut butter , 181 grams
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract , 7 ml
- 2 ¾ cup quick cooking oats , 245 grams
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , 2 grams
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut oil, plant milk, sugars, and cocoa powder. Heat over medium heat on the stovetop until the coconut oil has melted and all of the ingredients have combined, stirring frequently.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 1 ½ minutes, whisking consistently. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk until you no longer see bubbles.
- Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla. Keep stirring until the peanut butter has fully melted into the coconut oil mixture. Stir in the oats and cinnamon until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Drop 2-3 tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1 ½ inches of space between each portion. Lightly press each cookie down with the back of a spoon.
- Allow the cookies to set at room temperature for 30 minutes, and then pop them in the fridge* until hardened.
Notes
- If your cookie sheets don’t fit in the fridge, you can stack the cookies on a plate lined with parchment paper with additional sheets of parchment paper between each layer.
- To store : Refrigerate your no bake cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. I recommend letting them come to room temperature before enjoying them.
- To freeze : Layer parchment paper between the cookies in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag; they will keep for 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let the cookies thaw at room temperature.
No Bake Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut oil 105 grams
- ⅓ cup plant milk 78 ml
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150 grams
- ½ cup brown sugar 95 grams
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder 26 grams
- ⅔ cup creamy no-stir peanut butter 181 grams
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 7 ml
- 2 ¾ cup quick cooking oats 245 grams
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 grams
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut oil, plant milk, sugars, and cocoa powder. Heat over medium heat on the stovetop until the coconut oil has melted and all of the ingredients have combined, stirring frequently.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 1 ½ minutes, whisking consistently. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk until you no longer see bubbles.
- Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla. Keep stirring until the peanut butter has fully melted into the coconut oil mixture. Stir in the oats and cinnamon until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Drop 2-3 tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1 ½ inches of space between each portion. Lightly press each cookie down with the back of a spoon.
- Allow the cookies to set at room temperature for 30 minutes, and then pop them in the fridge* until hardened.
Notes
- If your cookie sheets don’t fit in the fridge, you can stack the cookies on a plate lined with parchment paper with additional sheets of parchment paper between each layer.
- To store : Refrigerate your no bake cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. I recommend letting them come to room temperature before enjoying them.
- To freeze : Layer parchment paper between the cookies in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag; they will keep for 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let the cookies thaw at room temperature.
Nutrition
No Bake Cookie Recipe https://jessicainthekitchen.com/no-bake-cookie-recipe/ September 3, 2024
These vegan apple pie pancakes are made with ground oats, making them naturally gluten-free, and every bite is packed with tender caramelised apples. So delicious and so easy!
Oat flour might just be magic. You don’t even need to buy it—add oats to a blender and boom, you’ve got flour. And when it comes to gluten-free pancakes, oat flour is the BEST. These apple pie pancakes are the perfect example.
They come out soft, fluffy, and tender, plus the oats add a mildly nutty flavour that’s fabulous in this recipe. And let’s not forget the apples, which get caramelised during the cooking process, making them deliciously tender and sweet.
Why You’ll Love These Apple Pie Pancakes
- The best way to make gluten-free pancakes . Instead of buying expensive gluten-free flours, you can easily make your own oat flour at home by blending oats in a blender. Not only is it budget-friendly, it produces the tastiest pancakes!
- Perfect for heat-and-eat breakfasts . These apple pie pancakes are great for meal prep, as they can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge or freezer. Simply heat them up in a toaster oven or microwave for a quick and delicious breakfast.
- Cozy apple flavour . These apple pancakes are the epitome of fall comfort food. The combination of warm spices, caramelised apples, and fluffy oat pancakes will make you feel like you’re indulging in apple pie for breakfast. (For more cozy apple breakfast recipes, try my apple streusel muffins or apple pie overnight oats .)
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Oat flour – Make this by grinding old-fashioned rolled oats in a blender or food processor. If you’re not gluten-free, you can use regular all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Flex egg – Here’s how to make a flax egg .
- Sweetener – I recommend agave nectar or maple syrup.
- Vegan milk – Any variety you like, as long as it’s unsweetened and unflavoured.
- Vegan yogurt – Unflavoured Greek yogurt is best.
- Ground cinnamon
- Apple – I like using a firm variety with a nice balance of sweet and tart, like Braeburn, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, or Fuji.
How to Make Apple Pie Pancakes
- Mix the dry ingredients . Whisk together the oat flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Finish the batter . Whisk in the flax egg, agave, vegan milk, vegan yogurt and cinnamon.
- Prepare . Heat a griddle or a skillet over medium heat, then coat it with oil or cooking spray.
- Cook . Add 1/4 cup of batter to the griddle for each pancake, pouring it into a circle. Once bubbles form, add some apples, cook for 2 minutes more, then flip and cook another 3 minutes.
- Serve . Plate the apple pie pancakes and add your desired toppings.
Tips for Success
- Swap out the apples if you’d like . I’ve made these pancakes with pears, plums, and peaches.
- Don’t flip too soon . Avoid pancake catastrophe by making sure the pancakes are set before flipping. Bubbles will form, pop, and leave small holes on the top and the edges will be set when it’s time to flip them.
- Adjust the temperature of the stove . Making any pancake recipe (and this apple pie pancake recipe!) requires some adjustment as they cook. If you notice that the outsides are getting dark before the insides are set, you’ll need to turn down the heat.
Topping Ideas
- Add more caramelised apples . Just add more apple slices to your griddle, sprinkle with cinnamon, and cook until they’re tender. Use these to top your apple pie pancakes.
- Give them some crunch . Toasted walnuts, pecans or pumpkin granola add another layer of texture to this pancake recipe.
- Kick up the protein . Drizzle the pancakes with warm almond butter , pecan butter , or peanut butter .
- Add something creamy . Coconut whipped cream , cashew whipped cream , or vegan yogurt give these apple pie pancakes some decadence.
How to Store
Store these pancakes for up to 4 days stacked with wax or parchment paper in between the layers in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, in a 325ºF oven or toaster oven, or in the microwave.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Yes! Store your apple pie pancakes in a freezer-safe zip-top bag with wax or parchment paper in between the pancakes to keep them from sticking. Freeze for up to 3 months and reheat from frozen.
More Vegan Pancake Recipes
- Buckwheat Pancakes
- Protein Pancakes Recipe
- Silver Dollar Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Vegan Gingerbread Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups oat flour , or oats ground in a food processor or in a coffee grinder OR regular flour if not gluten free
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 flax egg , how to make here
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar or maple syrup
- 1 cup vegan milk
- 2 tablespoons vegan yogurt , vegan greek yogurt is best here
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 apple , thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the oat flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the flax egg, agave, vegan milk, vegan yogurt and cinnamon (everything except the apple) and whisk until just combined. Heat a griddle pan or a cast iron skillet over medium heat and grease with oil or cooking spray.
- Pour the batter into a liquid measuring cup, then pour about 1/4 cup’s worth for one pancake OR use a ¼ cup measuring cup and scoop out this amount of batter than pour into a circle onto the griddle pan/skillet. Wait until some bubbles start to form and then add a few apple slices on top. Allow to cook for 2 more minutes and then flip the pancakes over. Cook for about 3 more minutes until batter is cooked through.
- Serve pancakes hot and drizzle maple syrup on top and some caramelised apples.
