These no bake cookies are super easy to make with only 2 ingredients and no cooking or baking required. They also don’t contain flour, refined sugar, eggs or butter. They are sweet, nutty and make a healthy treat or snack.
I’ve been experimenting a lot with no bake cookies recently and am excited to share this newest creation. It’s hard to believe these cookies are just 2 ingredients. They are simple but also very tasty. I couldn’t stop tasting bites of the dough when I was making them.
Ingredients
- Peanut Butter (or other nut butters)
- Medjool Dates
Yes you can make a cookie by combining these two ingredients and it won’t just be sweetened peanut butter paste. When the ingredients are mixed together they will form a cookie dough.
Peanut Butter
This recipe works best with natural creamy peanut butter though other nut butters will also work.
Medjool Dates
Medjool dates are softened and processed into a thick paste that provides natural sweetness for the cookies and also acts as the binder for the cookies. I don’t recommend using other types of dates for this recipe. Medjool dates have a lot of soft flesh which is what is needed to create the sticky date paste.
Substitutions
- Peanut butter can be substituted with most other nut butters like almond butter or cashew butter. If you need a nut-free alternative, you can most likely use sunflower seed butter.
- I do not have a substitute for dates for this recipe. If you don’t want to use dates, I recommend checking out my 3 Ingredient No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies which do not use dates.
More No Bake Cookie Recipes
- 3 Ingredient No Bake Chocolate Cookies
- 3 Ingredient No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
- 3 Ingredient No Bake Oatmeal Cookies
- 2 Ingredient No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
2 Ingredient Healthy No Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter unsweetened
- scant 1/2 cup (75 grams or approximately 3 extra large) pitted medjool dates soaked in warm water for 30 minutes (see notes)
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Drain dates from water and place into food processor. Pulse until they become a thick sticky paste.
- Add in peanut butter and mix until ingredients are completely combined and mixture forms a cookie dough ball. If your mixture is too wet and still like a paste, add about 1/2 tbsp of water and pulse again until thickened to dough consistency.
- Use a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop and scoop out dough balls. Roll dough ball between palms to further compact the dough. Use the back of a spoon or the palm of your hand to press down on dough ball and form a thick round disk. Use a fork to make criss-cross indents on surface of cookies. Repeat with remaining dough balls. You can eat cookies right away or place into fridge for about 1 hour to firm up more. Uneaten cookies should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature.
Notes
- The measurements for the dates are for after they are pitted and before they are soaked. I prefer weighing my dates for this recipe. If you don't have a scale, it is approximately 3 extra large date or a scant 1/2 cup. The dates should just fill a 1/2 cup but with some gaps inside.
- Soaking the dates in warm water will make them extra soft and easier to pulse into a paste. However, if you are short on time, I've found that you can skip the soaking and just add a little extra water into the mixture (about 1/2-1 tbsp while you are pulsing the dates). But this will only work with a newer package of dates that are still soft and not too dry.
- For ingredient substitutions please see the substitutions section of the post
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Has anyone tried this with regular store bought peanut butter?
Tried these last nights. They are DELICIOUS! Swapped.Mejdool with Fard dates which are a bit harder to begin with, so they made a great batter. My husband was super suspicious about “healthy” cookies haha – but he loved them!
Thanks for the tip about the dates! So glad you both enjoyed them.
First time did not work. I was really looking forward to these. I was so disappointed. Followed instructions precisely: All natural peanuts and salt only peanut butter, 75 gm mejdool dates (without pits) soaked and drained. Pureed dates to a paste in food processor, then added and processed peanut butter, got sweet sticky peanut butter tried adding a half tbsp of water and processing more, still only a sticky mess, tried another 1/2 tbsp still not formable. Tried another 1/2 tbsp got less sticky peanut butter, never anything I could shape or squeeze into a ball without sticking to my hands.
Decided to try again without soaking dates (I used less peanut butter too because I did not have another whole half cup), but it worked that time, made a dough, they were meh. Might appreciate more later when I don’t have to go through as much trouble.
We’re sorry you had trouble – as mentioned in the post, if the dates are fresh and soft you shouldn’t need to soak them first. Maybe they were too wet the first time you tried it?
I have yet to try them but I’m glad to know about the two ingredient cookies and fudge. Thank you.
You’re welcome! We hope you love the recipes.
This recipe sounds great ?. Honestly, though, I’m astounded by the rude feedback. But I’m lightened by your gracious handling it. xx
Thanks! We appreciate your nice comment!
Hi, Am I suppose to take the pitt/seed out the the dates, first, before pulsing??? Please let me know, thank you!
yes. The recipe calls for pitted dates, which means the seed is already removed. If your dates still have the pit then you need to remove the pit.
Question…do I remove the seed from the Date before I put it in the food processor??
Thanks!
yes. the recipe calls for pitted dates, which means the seed has been removed.
I’m missing something. It works! Especially with organic pb with the oil drained off, but…
What makes this a cookie, as opposed to a sandwich spread without the bread? Seriously, I’m not seeing a big difference between this recipe and eating the mixture straight out of the jar. Why not just call the mix a spoonable treat?
Fluffernutter one ingredient cookies anyone?
This needn’t be published. It’s a rhetorical question.
Your end result shouldn’t be a spread. If it’s still a spread then you need to add some water and mix again. You should definitely have a dough that you can shape into a cookie.
Going to try
Hope you enjoy!
Am diabetic , dates has a lot of sugar . Is there substitute for dates ?
Sorry I don’t have a substitute for dates
I like this reciepi and I want to follow your procedure… Thank you..
hope you enjoy!
No butter or sugar, WTF do you think peanut butter is made from…
FFS.
Looks like maybe you don’t know what peanut butter is made from? Natural peanut butter is made from peanuts. That is it. Next time you’re at the grocery store go ahead and check the label on a container natural peanut butter. There is also no sugar added to unsweetened peanut butter which is what this recipe uses.
Haha. Got him!
Just plain rude. Not to mention uneducated. Ugh
I did not know that dates could be used instead of flour. I was doubtful! But they were very tasty! Thank you!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
My mixture became too wet and I used medjool was short on time and so added 1/4 cup water when mixing/ pulsing the dates..
Very good
I’m so glad you liked them!
Try tahini (sesame paste) with dates and see the difference…
Lightly toasted and crushed pecans…ooo ooo ooo
sounds good!
Kirby, i’ve haven’t heard of Medjool Dates around South Dallas, do you need a Dr. Prescription for them? Lol!
Thanks for the recipes, will keep looking!
RS
medjool dates are pretty common. they are the very large dates sold at grocery stores
Medjool Dates you may find in Costco.
I’m going to try this, need to fill up my cookie jar!
We hope you enjoy them!