These no bake cookies are sweet, chewy, chocolatey and nutty. They are only three ingredients and don’t contain any flour, eggs, butter or refined sugar. They take only a few minutes to make and store well.
I’m starting off cookie season with these easy no bake cookies. I love snacking on these so that I don’t go overboard on eating too many traditional cookies. They also store well and are great for gifting.
Ingredients
- Almonds
- Dates
- Cocoa Powder
Almonds
Almonds can be replaced with other nuts like cashews, walnuts or pecans. I like using almonds because they add a crunchy texture to the cookies.
Dates
These cookies are naturally sweetened with Medjool dates. I highly recommend you use Medjool dates. Medjool dates are very large and have a lot of soft flesh, which becomes a sticky sweet paste. Small dates like deglet noor won’t work because they are firmer and don’t have as much flesh.
Cocoa Powder
You will want to use unsweetened cocoa powder for these cookies. You can also use cacao powder to make them even healthier. If you are using cocoa powder, you can use either dutch process or natural. I used dutch process.
Cookie Decorating Ideas
These cookies are fine without decoration but they are not the prettiest. To make these cookies look a little more visually appealing, I drizzled some melted dark chocolate over the cookies. You can also dip them in melted chocolate, add frosting, or add chocolate chips.
More Healthy No Bake Recipes
- 3 Ingredient Healthy No Bake Oatmeal Cookies
- 3 Ingredient Healthy No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
- 3 Ingredient Healthy No Bake Chocolate Cookies
- Nut-Free No Bake Cookies
- 2-Ingredient No Bake Cookies
3 Ingredient Healthy No Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 1 (lightly packed) cup pitted medjool dates
- 2-3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder
Instructions
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Add almonds to food processor and pulse until nuts are very small, about the size of large crumbs. Add dates and 2 tbsp cocoa powder. Pulse until dates are fully blended and the mixture becomes sticky and clumpy. If your mixture appears to be too dry and doesn't stick together, add 1 tbsp of water and pulse again. Taste and adjust as needed. If you want a stronger chocolate flavor, add 1 more tbsp cocoa powder. If you want something sweeter, you can add more dates.
- Using a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough and release onto prepared cookie sheet. Roll each dough ball between your palms to compact it further. Place cookie balls back onto sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart. Press down on balls to form round disks/cookie shape. If you find your dough is too sticky, place cookie balls into fridge for about 30 minutes or until dough becomes a little firmer and less sticky. If desired, you can drizzle melted chocolate over cookies. Let chocolate set before storing cookies.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at either room temperature or in the fridge.
Notes
- The cookies don't need the chocolate drizzle, but it does make them prettier. If you want to add a chocolate drizzle, it is just melted chocolate. I recommend extra dark chocolate (which has low sugar) or unsweetened chocolate if you want to keep them refined sugar free. The cookies were sweet enough that my family didn't even notice the chocolate on top was unsweetened except when eating it by itself.
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.
After bragging about no refined sugar, you sabotage the goal by putting icing made with sugar on them.
There is no icing. it’s melted chocolate which is stated several times. And you can use unsweetened chocolate.
Exactly. People really need to read.
Haters gonna hate…! Quite the unnecessary comment from Solel. Thank you for your recipe!!!
thank you! Hope you enjoyed!
READING DOES WONDERS!!
Solel- I had a similar thought- “After efforts to go the healthier route, why would I put refined sugar in them?”
But, Kirby is kind enough to share ideas & upon reading your response, it rubbed me the wrong way more than adding the sugar. All I kept thinking was “#Be Kind” with your responses.
-Rob
Hi Rob, I hope you enjoy the cookies! You can definitely leave out the chocolate drizzle! I did it to make them more visually appealing. And you can use unsweetened chocolate too. Hope you enjoy!
1. “Press down”, needs more explanation. Using what & how (technique)?
2. “Let chocolate set” is also unclear. Bake? Air-dry? Chill?
Recipe is simple and easy. I might add a dash of vanilla & a sprinkle of flakey sea salt could be nice.
There’s no special technique. You just press down on the balls to flatten them. You can use the palm of your hands, your fingertips, a heavy glass or whatever else you wish as long as you can flatten the balls into a cookie shape. Melted chocolate will cool and set on its own. You don’t need to do anything except wait.
The title says No Bake, I would presume you would just let them set, probably in the fridge so the drizzled unsweetened chocolate could cool. Have fun with the recipe, it’s only a guide.
The melted chocolate will set at either room temp or fridge. It is definitely faster in the fridge. If you are adding the drizzle right after removing the cookies from the fridge, the chocolate will also set pretty fast.
I could be missing this, about how many dates make a cup? Or, do you chop first to make a cup?
Looking forward to trying these.
You don’t need to chop them. You just need to pack the whole pitted dates into the measuring cup.
I haven’t tried these yet, but have made your peanut butter cookies. Instead of cocoa, I’ve been using carob chips and powder. I added the chips and chopped nuts to them. you can also roll them in almond flour or chopped nuts after you make the balls. Keep up the good work!! Sincerely, Shalom
thank you for sharing!
Nice! I made them and they’re easy and taste great.
Made a minor variation by adding a bit of egg yolk and butter too, kids love it.
I’m glad you got them to work for you and your kids
Thanks, these look fab! Will be sure to try soon:)
I hope you enjoy!
Any substitutions for the dates?
I don’t have a substitution for the dates. Perhaps you can try one of my other easy no bake cookie recipes that don’t use dates.
Kirbie! You are brilliant!
Thank you
(from Australia)
aww, I hope you enjoyed!
Looks like delicious
I hope you enjoy!
Really good, although had to add quite a bit of water to make the mixture moist. Well recommended recipe to make. Delicious.
I’m glad you got it to work for you. It may be your dates were a bit drier.
We just recently started going gluten free (my youngest has celiac), so I’ve been searching for healthy and delicious treats that don’t need a lot or any GF flour. Just made these and they were a hit for all, with my pickiest child giving it a 9 out of 10! Will be making these regularly. Thanks so much for a great recipe!
I’m so glad they were a hit!
Wow…thanks for the recipe! Sorry about people and the way they try to tear you down. I think it is a great idea and the recipe really is simple…thanks again!!
I hope you like the cookies!
Can I use almond flour instead of almonds? Thanks!
That should work but the amount needed may need to be adjusted.
It seems to be very easy and healthy
I hope you enjoy!
I love this recipe and I love alot of vegan recipes but a have a sever tree nut allergy and I know I can omit tree nuts from the recipe but I have fine that and feel as if it missing something. Can you recommend substitute for tree nuts?
you can try it with peanuts
Do we bake this?
Thanks
no
I FINALLY got the ,3 ingredients…..and the overly long elaboration on each..AND how to decorate them….. . But NOTHING on HOW to MAKE! I’ll Do you just smash as 3 ingredients together in bowl and shape it into a cookie….or what?!?
there is a recipe box at the end of the post that has the full recipe including instructions.
5 stars for my expectation of a great vegan cookie. My wife has been making no bake cocoa cookies for years, ingredients unknown, but definitely no dates or almonds. After I make these once, I expect she will retire her sad recipe in shame.
I hope they live up to your expectations!
Wow…thanks for your FREE recipes. They sounds easy and delicious. After reading comments, I think people need to learn manners.
Thank you for your kind words!
This is such a happy morning! I love cashew date cookie bars by larabar!!! Thank you for a home made version! You are wonderful ? ?
I haven’t had the larabar cookies but I hope you enjoy these!
Gosh the first comment is a bit aggressive!!! Don’t see how you were ‘bragging’…. someone’s at tad grumpy, and needs to make these delicious cookies to cheer them up!! They came out really well. Thankyou so much Kirbie xx
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for taking the time to leave a nice comment =)
Love these cookies!! So easy & healthy.Thank you so much
I’m glad you liked them!
I agree with Rob. It was a very snotty remark. She is free to move along and not make it. I, however, plan on making it, icing and all. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I hope you enjoy!
I made these cookies today for the first time and they are delicious.
I’m so glad you liked them! Thank you for sharing!
Mahalo!!! Please people, show some Aloha!!! We have enough going on now days..Even if you think you could do better keep it to yourself and keep everyone happy!!! Mele Kalikimaka
Thank you! I hope you enjoy!
Great recipe. The family loves these cookies.
I’m so glad your family enjoyed them!
These were so good. I might add a little salt next time. Thank you.
I’m so glad you liked them!
Hi, Do you roll them then flatten them twice? Or just one time of flattening? I was confused… But I’m making them tomorrow! Can’t wait!
You should only need to flatten them once. If you find it too hard to flatten because your dough is sticky, you can refrigerate the dough and then flatten after. But really, it’s not a big deal how many times you flatten them. If you flatten one and you don’t like how it looks, you can re-roll and then flatten again. Or you can not flatten them at all.
Awesome recipe!My sincere apologies for bastardizing it for my own tasty delights! I’m just leaving it in balls, roll it in ground chili pepper powder them rolling it in ground up nibs then cover chocolate. Last but not least, this recipe allows experimentation without great cost. Thank you very much for sharing.
that sounds awesome! I’m so glad you got it to work for you
Great and easy recipie! My husband, who “hates dates”, LOVED these! As commentor MITCH mentioned, we can experiment with whatever suits us in the moment (salt, chili pepper, differnt nuts, etc) but so happy to have found this as a base for a healthy snack! Thankyou so much!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed them! And I love hearing that your husband loved them too
Hi, Do you re-flatten them only if you put them in the fridge, if you need to do that?
Not sure what’s up with guys named Mitch who leave these in ball form, but I’m another! I dig the chili pepper powder idea, but didn’t read that until after I made my first batch. Next time – maybe chipotle powder, or smoked paprika. Or… bacon bits. Mmm.
For those keeping score but struggling with the measurements, I suggest investing in a small kitchen scale. I made double the recipe and used the following weights:
150 grams raw whole almonds (a full cup, but it weighed 20% more than the nutrition label said! That’s a big calorie differential.)
240 grams pitted Deglet Noor dates (about two cups.) Deglet noor are slightly smaller and darker than Medjpoor dates; to my taste buds they are more like brown sugar to the Medjpoor’s white.
30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (about 5 tablespoons.)
I did not use the drizzled chocolate.
With a small ice cream baller I got 24 servings from the recipe, at just over 70 calories each.
These are dangerously delicious!
Lol, that is so funny! I think you two would get along. Thank you for sharing your results!
Just the right cookie to curb cravings AND make you feel like you’ve indulged. So easy to make!
I’m glad you liked them!
So delicious. A keeper for sure. Moist and flavorful. I made into small balls for one bite cookie.
I’m so glad you liked them!