Good Food, Good Life, 365 – No Bake Chocolate Cookies

No-Bake Chocolate Cookies

1/3 cup coconut oil
2 Tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup almond milk
1/3 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, gluten-free if needed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup of add-ins of choice, nuts, coconut, dried fruit

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Measure out all ingredients so they are ready to go.
Melt coconut oil in a medium-sized sauce pot over medium heat.
Add cocoa, sugar and almond milk and stir to blend. Turn heat on high. Bring mixture to a hard boil. Set timer for 1 minute.
After 1 minute, remove from heat. Immediately add peanut butter and mash and stir to blend. Quickly add oats, vanilla and sea salt as well as any add-ins you’d like.
Working quickly, drop mixture in about 1 tablespoon portions onto prepared cookie sheet. Allow to set at room temperature. They should be firm and ready to eat in 30 minutes.
These can be stored in a covered container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Sue’s Tips
Using nut milk and coconut oil in this recipe makes these cookies dairy-free. Not so sure about coconut oil? It does contain saturated fat, but it’s important to remember that not all saturated fats are created equal. Coconut oil is unique because the saturated fats don’t tend to raise LDL (bad) cholesterol the same way animal fats do, and coconut oil works to raise HDL (good) cholesterol, which is important in the heart disease risk equation. It’s also a great source of medium chain triglycerides (MCT), which can help our immune system. Coconut oil is high in calories, and a little goes a long way in terms of the benefits, so consume in moderation.
Be sure to wait to set the timer until the mixture is at a full rolling boil. This means the entire surface will be bubbling.