Healthy No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies

These naturally sweet no-bake oatmeal cookies are made with healthier ingredients like cashews, dates, oats, and dark chocolate or cacao nibs, and without refined sugar. 

With an active family of 4, it seems like someone is always in need of a snack. Whether it’s the kids after school, hubby after work, or myself after the gym. School is back in session so I’m getting back into stocking the house with plenty of fresh produce as well as protein-rich snacks like nuts, energy balls, make-ahead smoothies, and homemade energy bars.

Yummy Hubby and the girls love store-bought bars and crackers, and lately I’ve been noticing just how much waste comes along with them. At Whole Foods last week I absentmindedly agreed to individual pita chip bags. As we go through them I’m noticing SO much packaging. There’s the outer box which is wrapped in plastic and then the inner bags. This week I made a batch of healthy no-bake oatmeal cookie energy bites to keep in the fridge and pack in lunch boxes. If anyone in your family or children’s classes have a nut allergy, I recommend this Nut-Free No Bake Energy Ball recipe instead.

I had a hard time naming this recipe. Are they no-bake cookies? Those are usually made with lots of sugar. Are they bliss balls? Energy balls? Who knows!

The inspiration for these tasty little no-bake cookie balls came from a local Santa Barbara brand called Sun and Swell (isn’t that name cute?). We grabbed a bag of their Clean Cookie Bites from Backyard Bowls on a busy day over the summer and they were the perfect slightly sweet, natural, whole food snacky treats.

How to Make No-Bake Cookies

The ingredients here are so very simple. These no-bake cookie bites are made with cashews, and oats, sweetened with dates (and a little maple if you’d like). They get an extra cookie-flavor boost from vanilla extract and a pinch of pink or sea salt.

As you can see, these aren’t your average no-bake cookies. These are more like energy balls and packed with fiber and plant-based protein, and sweetened naturally with dates.

I grind the cashews and dates together in a food processor first. This is a lot like the crust I use for my no-bake Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake recipe. You’ve got to try that one too!

Then, I pulse in the oats and chocolate. I like to use dark chocolate but you could use cacao nibs for an even more natural option.

Once all the ingredients are blended together they should hold together when pressed. Not all batches come out the same, as dates can be dry or sticky. If the mixture doesn’t come together easily, add a splash of maple syrup or a little water.

Press the mixture into balls and store your no-bake cookies in the refrigerator.

More No-Bake Treats:

• No-Bake Chocolate Macaroons
• Nut-Free No Bake Energy Balls
• Trail Mix Energy Balls
• Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls 
• Superfood Energy Bars
• No-Bake Brownie Energy Bars
• Granola Bars
• Cacao Bliss Balls 
• Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake