No-Bake Nutty Cookies made with seven simple ingredients (and no oats)! These wholesome cookies are perfect for warm weather when you’re craving a treat but don’t want to turn on the oven.
My classic 6-Ingredient No-Bake Cookies have been a staple in my household for years, and for great reasons!
They only require a few minutes of preparation, a handful of ingredients, and result in the dreamiest lumps of joy.
Plus, there is no baking involved, so there’s no need to add heat to the household and of course, no baking experience is needed.
Well, I’m back with a grain-free no-bake cookies recipe without oats!
If you eat a grain-free diet and have been sitting on the sidelines when it comes to no-bake cookies, you can now join in on the fun!
These nutty no-bake cookies are made with chopped nuts instead of oats for an equally delicious treat that’s suitable for those who don’t eat grains.
I love how versatile the recipe it! You can use virtually any nut or seed butter, any kind of nuts, and yummy goodies like dried cranberries or raisins can be added in too.
Replacing the quick oats with nuts, we end up with the most delectable chewy peanut butter crunch cookie that’s bursting with peanut butter and chocolate flavor.
The best part is the whole ingredients list can be found at any grocery store, and all you need is a saucepan (small pot), and a few minutes of prep time.
If you prefer lower sugar treats, consider making my 3-Ingredient No-Bake Banana Oatmeal Cookies using chopped nuts instead of oats.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for this delicious no-bake cookies recipe.
Nutty No-Bake Cookies Ingredients:
Unsweetened Peanut Butter or Almond Butter: Pick your favorite nut butter or seed butter and go wild with this easy recipe!
I prefer almond butter or creamy peanut butter because I enjoy the flavor of both, but sunflower seed butter, cashew butter, or any kind of mixed nut or seed butter will work.
Just be sure that whatever you use is thick and well-stirred without a lot of oil separation. This ensures the cookies solidify nicely without melting. Natural peanut butter thrives here.
Unsalted Butter or Coconut Oil: While the butter or coconut oil is optional here, it adds a rich creaminess reminiscent of classic cookies that is just so hard to beat.
It also provides a silky texture, which most people find to be divine. For the best results, keep it in!
Honey or Pure Maple Syrup: To sweeten the cookies, we need a liquid sweetener like honey or pure maple syrup.
I prefer the flavor of pure maple syrup over honey, so that is what I usually choose.
Pure Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla brings warm flavor to the cookies. If you don’t have it on hand, no sweat. The cookies still taste great without it.
Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder brings a chocolatey richness and also helps bind all of the ingredients together.
Raw or Roasted Nuts: Pick your favorite kind of nuts, give them a rough chop in the food processor, and toss them in!
I always have raw almonds on hand so I typically use almonds. Pecans and walnuts taste delicious too!
We need two cups of nuts, so you can stick with one type of nut or mix it up with several kinds. I personally think roasted nuts make the best texture, but go with what your heart wants.
Chocolate Chips (optional): While chocolate chips are optional, they add that delightful chocolate essence to complete the chocolate peanut butter profile.
You can skip them or go with your favorite kind of chocolate chips. Semisweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, sugar-free chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips are all great options.
Sea Salt: Add a pinch of sea salt to enhance all of the delicious flavors! If your nuts are roasted and salted, you likely won’t need to add salt. I use raw nuts so adding salt is a must.
Use this great recipe as a blank canvas for all your cookie adventures!
Looking for ways of customizing this no bake recipe? Here are some ideas.
Recipe Adaptations:
- Add 1/2 cup of dried fruits such as raisins, dried cranberries, freeze-dried strawberries, or dried blueberries.
- If you prefer oats over nuts, make my classic no bake oatmeal cookies using quick-cooking oats instead of chopped nuts.
- For a dairy-free option, use coconut oil (and dairy-free chocolate chips).
- Mix in 1/2 cup of coconut flakes or shredded coconut if you’re a coconut lover.
- Crunchy peanut butter works here too for some added crunch.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s make this delicious peanut butter no bake cookie recipe!
How To Make Oat-Free No-Bake Cookies:
Place the nuts in a food processor and pulse until they are roughly chopped.
Note: If you don’t have a food processor, you can carefully chop the nuts on a cutting board using a sharp knife.
I like the nuts to be chopped fairly small but you can go for any consistency you prefer.
Add the peanut butter, unsalted butter, and honey to a medium-sized saucepan and heat over medium heat.
Stir as the wet ingredients heat up, until everything is melted together and completely smooth. Be careful not to heat the mixture to a full boil. It only needs to be warm enough to melt.
Stir in the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and sea salt until well-combined.
Add the chopped nuts to the wet mixture and stir well until combined.
If you’re adding chocolate chips, you can do so at the same time as the chopped nuts if you want the chocolate to melt, or you can wait for the mixture to cool off before mixing in the chocolate chips.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper and use a spoon or a cookie scoop to drop mounds of dough onto the sheet.
The cookie dough will stay the same shape, so you can use your hands or the spoon to form any kind of shapes you like (I stick with round cookie shapes).
I like to make medium-sized cookies but you can form any size cookies you like.
Transfer the cookie sheet to the freezer and freeze for at least 1 hour, or until the cookies are completely set up. Note that if the mixture was hot going into the freezer, the cookies may take longer to set up.
Once the cookies have set up, remove them from the freezer and serve!
How to Store No-Bake Cookies:
The cookies need to be stored at a fairly cool temperature (65 degrees or lower) or they will soften or even melt.
Store the cookies in an airtight container or zip lock bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
While the cookies can stay out at room temperature for long periods of time, note that if your house is warm, you should check to be sure the cookies aren’t getting too soft.
I’ve taken these cookies camping and kept them in a large ziplock bag in the ice chest, so they are fairly versatile once they have fully set up.
The next time you’re craving peanut butter flavor, whip up these amazing no-oat peanut butter chocolate cookies. It’s the perfect treat for the summer months, ideal for grab-and-go situations and an after school snack.
Nut lovers, I have a feeling you’re going to go wild over this simple recipe!
If you enjoy no-bake dessert recipes, also try out these reader favorites.
More No-Bake Desserts:
- No-Bake Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cups
- 5-Ingredient No-Bake Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies
- No-Bake Kitchen Sink Cookies
- Crunchy 4-Ingredient No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
- No-Bake Paleo Lemon Bars
- No-Bake Vegan Cheesecake
Peanut butter crunch cookies, let’s GO!
No-Bake Nutty Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter or almond butter
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup honey or pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 4 Tbsp cocoa powder
- Pinch sea salt
- 2 cups raw almonds or mixed nuts, chopped
- ½ cup chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Place the nuts in a food processor and pulse until they are roughly chopped. Note: If you don’t have a food processor, you can carefully chop the nuts on a cutting board using a sharp knife. I like the nuts to be chopped fairly small but you can go for any consistency you prefer.
- Add the peanut butter, unsalted butter, and honey to a medium-sized saucepan and heat over medium heat. Stir as the wet ingredients heat up, until everything is melted together and completely smooth. Be careful not to heat the mixture to a full boil. It only needs to be warm enough to melt.
- Stir in the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and sea salt until well-combined.
- Add the chopped nuts to the wet mixture and stir well until combined. If you’re adding chocolate chips, you can do so at the same time as the chopped nuts if you want the chocolate to melt, or you can wait for the mixture to cool off before mixing in the chocolate chips.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper and use a spoon or a cookie scoop to drop mounds of dough onto the sheet. The cookie dough will stay the same shape, so you can use your hands or the spoon to form any kind of shapes you like (I stick with round cookie shapes). I like to make medium-sized cookies but you can form any size cookies you like.
- Transfer the cookie sheet to the freezer and freeze for at least 1 hour, or until the cookies are completely set up. Note that if the mixture was hot going into the freezer, the cookies may take longer to set up.
- Once the cookies have set up, remove them from the freezer and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
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These cookies were good but the cocoa powder completely over powered everything else. Also they have to be stored in the fridge or freezer because they are gooey once taken out. I followed the recipe as written and used chopped pecans for my nuts and a mix of sunbutter and chunky peanut butter. The flavor is very chocolatey with the texture of thick sticky peanut butter.
That’s interesting, because the primary flavor I get is peanut butter instead of chocolate. What kind of cocoa powder did you use? I imagine Dutch process cocoa powder could be a bit strong…
Recipe was thoroughly enjoyed. It was a nice change from baked cookies
I’m happy you enjoyed them, Bonnie! We love the peanut butter crunch 🙂