No bake cookies were a staple when I was a kid. I brought home a recipe when I was in kindergarten and my mum helped me make a big batch. They were so easy and had a deliciously fudgy, chewy texture. I loved them from the first bite.
I was determined to create a keto no bake cookie recipe that stayed true to the original. And I am thrilled with the results!
Almost Effortless Keto Desserts
If I have the time, I love nothing more than spending the day in the kitchen, baking up some glorious low carb dessert. But these days, I rarely have that kind of time. So I often find myself turning to no bake recipes when I want a sweet treat or when it’s simply too hot to turn on the oven.
I love creamy recipes like Keto Peanut Butter Mousse or Keto Banana Pudding. But sometimes I crave something with a little more structure, like a cookie. So you can see why I fell hard for these Keto No Bake Cookies!
Recipe Highlights
Simple method: I borrowed heavily from the classic old-fashioned recipes in which you boil the cocoa powder with butter and milk. It takes only a few minutes and creates an undeniably fudgy, chewy texture.
Not overly sweet: The conventional version of these cookies takes a full two cups of sugar. Yikes! I cut back the sweetener to half a cup and found them perfectly sweet but not cloying.
Nostalgic flavor: With the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, these sugar-free cookies taste just like the ones you loved as a kid.
Wonderful crunch: A mix of nuts, seeds, and coconut gives these treats a delightful crunchiness as you bite into them.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Nuts and seeds: This will act like the “oatmeal” in the cookies. I used pecans, shredded coconut, and pumpkin seeds. But you can use any combination you like.
- Cocoa powder: I love Dutch process cocoa for a deeper chocolate flavor. It also dissolves more easily in the butter mixture.
- Sweetener: Allulose is the best choice for these cookies, as it makes them chewy. See the Sweetener Options section for a more detailed discussion.
- Low carb milk: You can use any low carb option like almond milk or hemp milk. Or even a combination of cream and water.
- Peanut butter: Creamy or crunchy, it’s up to you!
- Kitchen staples: Butter and vanilla extract.
How to Make Keto No Bake Cookies
- Process the nuts and seeds: Combine the pecans, coconut, and pumpkin seeds in a food processor and pulse until everything is coarsely chopped. It should resemble oat flakes with some bigger pieces.
- Melt the butter and sweetener: Combine the butter, sweetener, almond milk, and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the butter has melted and the ingredients are combined.
- Bring to a boil: Let the mixture come to a boil and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the peanut butter: Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in the nut mixture: Stir in the chopped nuts and coconut until well combined. Drop into 10 mounds onto waxed paper.
- Chill the cookies: Chill until the cookies are firm.
Carolyn’s Tips for Success
You can use any combination of nuts and seeds. If you don’t like coconut, try using sliced almonds. Or skip the pumpkin seeds and add more pecans. It’s very adaptable to what you like best.
Watch the cocoa mixture carefully as it cooks. It’s a small amount so it can burn easily. Whisk while the butter is melting and then allow it to boil only for 30 seconds.
The mixture may seize a little and becomes gloppy when you add the peanut butter. It depends on various factors, including the sweetener and the kind of peanut butter. But you can easily save it by returning to low heat and whisking in additional milk a little at a time until it smooths out.
Sweetener Options
I recommend allulose for this recipe, because it becomes thicker and more syrupy when boiled with the other ingredients. This makes for a chewier cookie. Xylitol may also work in this way.
You can use erythritol, or a combination of erythritol and allulose, but you may find that the cookies harden more, are less chewy, and get a little recrystallization as they cool.
Keto No Bake Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (49.5 g) pecans
- 1/2 cup (42.5 g) flaked coconut
- 1/2 cup (32 g) pumpkin seeds, Pepitas
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter
- 1/4 cup (47.5 g) granular sweetener, allulose recommended
- 3 tbsp (45.65 g) almond milk, or any low carb milk
- 3 tbsp (15.22 g) cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup (64.5 g) peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine the pecans, coconut, and pumpkin seeds. Pulse a few times until everything is coarsely chopped without too many bigger pieces.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, sweetener, almond milk, and cocoa powder. Stir until the butter has melted and the ingredients are combined.
- Let the mixture come to a boil and cook for 30 seconds.
- Remove from heat and let stand a few minutes, then add the peanut butter and vanilla and stir until smooth.
- Stir in the chopped nut/seed mixture until well coated. Spoon into 10 mounds on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet and gently pat into circles about half an inch thick.
- Chill 10 to 20 minutes to firm up.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
I have not tried this recipe with coconut oil or a non-dairy butter alternative, but it may work. I do recommend using an oil that is mostly solid at room temperature (like coconut oil or vegan butter). Otherwise the mixture may be too soft and oily.
Store these cookies in a covered container in the fridge for up to two weeks. They can be left out of the fridge for several hours without getting too soft but should be stored in the fridge otherwise.
This keto no bake cookie recipe has 4.7g of carbs and 2.1g of fiber per serving. That comes to 2.6g net carbs per cookie.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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