Old Fashioned Chocolate No Bakes (2024)

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ByLauraPublished onOctober 27, 2022January 4, 2024Updated onJanuary 4, 2024

These old fashioned no bakes are made with an easy to find mystery ingredient that makes them nut-free. Their chewy texture and chocolate flavor are everything you want in a No-Bake!

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Who needs a nut free no bake cookie recipe??? If you do then THIS is the Old Fashioned Chocolate No Bakes Recipe you need!! No one ever guesses what the secret ingredient in these tempting chocolatey cookies is, but they sure do love them!

And you’ll love that you can make them from simple pantry ingredients most people have on hand, now that’s convenient!

These chocolate no bakes were the first recipe I was allowed to make on my own when I was a little girl AND I LOVED THEM SO MUCH. Not only could I make an easy after-school snack or girl scout treat on my own but these easy treats were always met with happy faces and requests for “one more cookie please!” They’re an old family favorite, and I’m so happy to be sharing the recipe with you.

These are NOT chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies, they are:

No bake cookies without peanut butter or almond butter or ANY nut butter
no chopped nuts either!
they’re ALSO egg free cookies
And they’re gluten-free cookies too!

They are gluten-free as long as you use gluten-free oats. Now oats are typically gluten-free but sometimes they’re processed on machines that ALSO process glutinous products so you want to be sure to use GF oats if you need a gluten-free cookie.

Be aware that making a gluten-free cookie also means having a gluten-free kitchen or at a bare minimum gluten-free tools you can use. These are tools that have never been used with a gluten product. All of this really depends on if their intended recipient has an intolerance, an allergy, or if they’re a true celiac. Find out before baking for them!

What holds them together?

So if these chocolate no bakes DON’T have creamy peanut butter what holds them all together?? GREAT QUESTION! The secret (or not so secret) ingredient in the easiest cookies is MARSHMALLOWS.

Now I know that you’re thinking marshmallows have EGGS in them how can these be egg free?? I was surprised to learn that most commercial marshmallows do not in fact have any eggs in them. They use some sort of commercial replacement.

What you Need, guaranteed NO FANCY INGREDIENTS :

semi-sweet chocolate chips
butter -room temperature works quicker
large marshmallows (can sub minis if you need to, see recipe card for subbing instructions)
rolled oats AKA oatmeal
sweetened moistened coconut
vanilla extract
salt
medium saucepan OR dutch oven
baking sheets
spoons OR two forks or a medium cookie scoop
parchment paper OR wax paper
wooden spoon or silicone spatula

About the Oats

For these no-bake oatmeal cookies you can use Old-Fashioned Oats, Thick Rolled Oats, or even Quick cooking Oats/ quick oats. Each kind of rolled oat will work a little differently in the cookies. The oats and coconut make up the bulk of the chewy texture of the cookie, and the different kinds of oats just change that a little bit.

What kind of oats not to use

Do NOT Use Steel Cut Oats, they are not rolled oats. And instant oatmeal packs with flavor are not your best. But if you have plain flavored packets and that’s ALL you have, you could try it. I mean now you’re a recipe tester!

FAQ

Can I use all oats?

Yes, you can SWAP OUT the coconut for rolled oats. The cookies will taste and feel differently but if you can’t have coconut then this is a great swap for you!

Can I use less oats than coconut?

Reverse the amounts of ingredients and make it 1 cup oats and 2 cups coconut.

Can I use white chocolate chips instead?

You can make them white chocolate no-bake cookies, they’re some of our favorite cookies!

Can I use unsweetened cocoa powder?

I don’t know, I haven’t tried but you could try following the replacement suggestions on the back of a can of cocoa.

Can I use milk chocolate chips?

Try it! I bet it’s amazing, I like milk instead of semi-sweet in most recipes! I might just try that the next time I make these. It’s a personal preference for sure!

To store

These cookies should be stored in the refriegerator in an airtight container. They get soft if your store them at room temperature so keep them in the fridge until ready to use.

Chocolate No Bake Cookies

5 from 42 votes

These old fashioned no bakes are made with an easy to find mystery ingredient that makes them nut-free. Their chewy texture and chocolate flavor are everything you want in a No-Bake!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes

Cooling Time: 3 hours hours

Servings: 36 Cookies

Calories: 67kcal

Author: Laura

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter softened butter melts quickly
16 marshmallows or 160 mini marshmallows
1 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch salt maybe two if your butter is unsalted
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup sweetened and moistened coconut flakes

Instructions

line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
in a heavy bottom sauce pan or dutch over melt the butter, marshmallows, and chocolate chips together, if your stove runs hot turn down the heat you don't need a rolling boil
keep stirring with a wooden spoon until melted and smooth
remove from the heat and add the vanilla and salt
mix in the oats and coconut
drop by spoonfuls on the prepared baking sheets, making 36 cookies, you can ALSO make them bigger, just know the calorie count will be different per cookie
chill 2-3 hours until set, then store in an airtight container in the fridge