Vegan No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (Gluten Free)
What’s way easier to make than traditional cookies, healthy, AND one of my kids’ favorite treats?? These vegan no-bake chocolate chip cookie bars! With peanut butter (or any nut or seed butter), loads of chocolate, oats and a few secret ingredients, these no-bake cookies are the ultimate dessert or snack. They’re naturally sweetened and are packed with protein and fiber (but shhhhh… don’t tell my kids). Don't miss the step-by-step VIDEO below.
Vegan no-bake cookies
As I mentioned in this Cassava Cookie Bars post, while I love eating cookies, I don’t love making them. I’m not a very patient baker, which is why I adore these vegan no-bake cookies. Not only is there no dealing with scooping (and tending to multiple batches), but you don’t even need to turn on your oven or stove.
Ingredients
The crunchy-chewy cookies are bound with creamy nut butter and oats. Cinnamon and almond extract lend sweet warmth, while chopped raisins give the cookies a caramelized complexity. Best of all, the batter gets whipped together in minutes in a food processor—no cooking required.
Swaps for this recipe:
- You can use any nut or seed butter you like. We usually go for peanut butter or almond butter, but sunflower seed butter is an excellent choice for a nut-free cookie.
- You can swap out the raisins for dried cherries, cranberries or chopped dates (if you’re not a raisin lover like me, don’t worry, they provide extra sweetness but aren’t too strong in these cookies!).
- The maple syrup can be swapped for honey.
- Feel free to use chopped chocolate in place of the chocolate chips—it will just melt more into the cookies. We often use these Lily’s Chocolate Chips, which are sweetened with stevia.
- Flax seeds and chia seeds not only give the cookie bars a boost of fiber and protein, but they also help the bars stick together. If you prefer, you can use just one or the other instead of both.
Step by step instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse until everything is coarsely chopped.
- Melt together the wet ingredients then pour them over the dry ingredients in the food processor. Pulse until the mixture is evenly combined and damp.
- Add the chocolate chips and pulse to combine.
- Scrape the mixture into an 8x8-inch parchment-lined baking dish and press it into an even, firm layer (my kids love this job!). Sprinkle more chocolate chips on top, along with flaky sea salt, if you’d like (yes, please).
- Refrigerate the bars until set, at least 1 hour, then cut them into squares and serve!
FAQs
These no bake chocolate chip cookies should be stored in the refrigerator, which will keep them firm.
Yes! These no bake vegan cookies freeze beautifully. You can eat them straight out of the freezer or let them soften slightly at room temperature (I often pack them for snacks straight out of the freezer).
Tips for this recipe:
- You’ll need a food processor to make these no bake chocolate chip cookies. The food processor breaks up the ingredients, helping everything to stick together.
- A kitchen scale makes quick work out of measuring out the dry ingredients.
- The cookies are chilled in an 8x8 inch pan. You can use a glass or metal pan (I prefer metal, since it has sharp corners).
- For a baked cookie bar, try these Paleo Cassava Cookie Bars!
*This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links to products I use and love (from which I earn income, at no cost to you). Thank you for supporting From Scratch Fast!
Other vegan treats to try:
- Vegan Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Bowl
- Vegan Panna Cotta with Roasted Berries
- No Bake Vegan Chocolate Pudding Tart
- Pumpkin Spice Breakfast Cookies
Watch the video!
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Get the recipe!
Vegan No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Bars
Equipment
- 8x8-inch pan
Ingredients
- Cooking spray or oil for pan
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups (200g) old fashioned rolled oats
- ⅓ cup (27g) unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons (16g) ground flax seeds
- 1 tablespoon (10g) chia seeds
- ½ cup (75g) raisins
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Wet ingredients
- ½ cup (150g) maple syrup
- ¾ cup (185g) creamy nut or seed butter (such as peanut, almond or sunflower seed butter)
- 1 tablespoon (13g) virgin coconut oil
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon chocolate chips or coarsely chopped dark chocolate
- Flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
Prep the pan
- Spray an 8-by-8-inch pan with cooking spray or brush it with oil. Line the pan with a large piece of parchment paper, leaving an overhang (you’ll use the overhang as handles to pull the bars out later).
Pulse the dry ingredients
- In a food processor, combine the oats, coconut, flax seeds, chia seeds, raisins, cinnamon and salt. Pulse until the oats are coarsely chopped, about 10-15 pulses.
Melt the wet ingredients then combine
- In a microwave safe bowl or glass measuring cup (or you can use a small pot), combine the maple syrup, nut butter, coconut oil and almond extract. Microwave for 1-2 minutes stirring halfway, until smooth (alternatively, cook everything on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring, until smooth).
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients in the food processor, and pulse until everything is incorporated and damp, about 10-15 pulses. Sprinkle in ½ cup chocolate chips and pulse until incorporated (about 5-10 pulses).
- Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press it into an even layer (some of the chocolate might melt, but that’s a good thing). If you’d like, sprinkle the top with a bit of flaky sea salt (yes, please!). Scatter the remaining 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips over top and press them gently into the dough so that they stick.
Refrigerate until set
- Refrigerate the bars until the top is hardened and set, at least 1 hour. Run a small knife along the edge of the pan. Gripping the parchment overhang, pull out the bars. Cut into squares using a sharp knife. Enjoy them right away, or refrigerate the cookies until you’re ready to eat!
Notes
- You’ll need a food processor to make these no bake chocolate chip cookies. The food processor breaks up the ingredients, helping everything to stick together.
- A kitchen scale makes quick work out of measuring out the dry ingredients.
- The cookies are chilled in an 8x8 inch pan. You can use a glass or metal pan (I prefer metal, since it has sharp corners).
- You can use any nut or seed butter you like. We usually go for peanut butter or almond butter, but sunflower seed butter is an excellent choice for a nut-free no-bake cookie.
- You can swap out the raisins for dried cherries, cranberries or chopped dates (and if you’re not a raisin lover like me, don’t worry, they provide extra sweetness but aren’t too strong in these cookies!).
- The maple syrup can be swapped for honey.
- Feel free to use chopped chocolate in place of the chocolate chips—it will just melt more into the cookies. We often use these Lily’s Chocolate Chips, which are sweetened with stevia.
- Flax seeds and chia seeds not only give the cookie bars a boost of fiber and protein, but they also help the bars stick together. If you prefer, you can use just one or the other instead of both.
- For a baked cookie bar, try these Paleo Cassava Cookie Bars!
These sound great!
Do the oats need to be “ old fashioned rolled oats”? I have some oats I bought recently but can’t remember which kind they are (... there are so many versions of “oats”!).
Lastly- I can’t eat chocolate- do you think I could leave this out?
Thanks!
Hi Jane! You will need to use old fashioned rolled oats, not quick cooking or instant oats (or steel-cut oats) in these cookies. You can omit the chocolate. I suggest adding in another dried fruit (in addition to the raisins) such as dried cherries, cranberries or chopped apricots, for a bit of extra sweetness. I hope you enjoy!
Do you have the nutritional information for this bar? Looks 7ummy!
Hi, unfortunately I don't have nutritional information for this recipe. I hope you enjoy!