Healthier no-bake cookies?

[Quiteria]

I just made a batch of chocolate-oatmeal no-bake cookies (you know the ones with cocoa powder and sugar boiled on the stove, then stir in oatmeal and drop on waxed paper?) with a random recipe off the internet, and they were a little too sweet....like I can almost feel yeastie beasties rejoicing as I chew the cookies. I mean, I made them b/c I was craving chocolate and sweet, but I guess I wanted a higher oatmeal ratio or something, so they would be more of a healthy filling snack than eating spoonfuls of fudge sauce, kwim?

Anyone have a tried-and-true recipe for making no-bake cookies with a minimal amount of sugar? I could start playing with the amounts myself, but I hate to reinvent the wheel and wind up with ruined batches that don't stick together or such.




(P.S. I don't eat stevia or agave, though you're welcome to post such for others so that it would all be in one place. )

[hey mommy]

[Llee]

Have you seen Rilla's recipe?

Vegan Haystacks (or No Bakes)
Makes 40
Ingredients:
2 cups brown sugar
½ cup original enriched rice milk
½ cup coconut oil
½ cup cocoa or carob powder
1 dash salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
Instructions:
1.Pre-measure oats & coconut into a bowl, and have vanilla and measuring spoon ready to use. Set aside.
2.Cover a cookie sheet in wax paper (you will be working quickly when it’s all ready, so prep is key) and set aside.
3.Combine sugar, rice milk, oil, cocoa, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
4.Keeping it at a rolling boil, cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
5.Remove from heat, add vanilla, stir, add oats and coconut, stir till oats and coconut are completely coated.
6.Drop spoonfuls of batter on the wax paper. Should make 40 cookies.
7.Put pan in the fridge till cookies are set. Enjoy!

[Psyche]

I would just decrease the sugar by a quarter cup each time you make it till you find the right amount of sweetness. Maybe decrease by quarter cup and use unsweetened pb? I always add more oats to mine for some reason. Just until it looks right to me but since I use sunbutter, maybe that is why


Also adding more cocoa for a darker chocolate content will help w/ sweetness too and benefit by the antioxidants of the chocolate
---------- Post added at 12:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:24 PM ----------

And I am making these this week now. Nom nom.

[LadybugSam]

http://fooddoodles.com/2011/06/28/on...-energy-bites/

i made these, and they are awesome. I added dark chocolate chips and almond slivers to mine. I coated it with cocoa powder with a TINY bit of powdered sugar mixed in. I cannot get enough of these things

[PrincessAnika]

made these the other day http://www.chiquitabananas.com/Banan...es-recipe.aspx
to modify recipe for next time i am planning:
max 1/2c sugar
add extra pb and/or nutella
add wheat germ or ground flaxseed
extra oats

did not use salt - rarely do when making cookies. had a VERY banana flavor, hence the adding extra pb or nutella. OH and i used crunchy pb not smooth, and didn't add the walnuts.

[sprout]

subbing so I can find these yummies again!

[Can'tTurnLeft]

I've used half nutella, half peanut butter and no sugar with fairly successful results before. They do have to be refrigerated.

Also be sure to soak your oats for 12 hours before you mix them with the peanut butter and nutella.

[TraceMama]

Subbing for ideas, since I've been jonesing for these cookies for a few days now.

[Quiteria]

Originally Posted by Can'tTurnLeft

Also be sure to soak your oats for 12 hours before you mix them with the peanut butter and nutella.

Why? Which kind of oats? And do you soak room temp or refrigerated?

[WingsOfTheMorning]

I made vegan no-bakes with almond butter last week and was wondering about cutting back on the sugar too!

Those energy balls look good!

Also, I've made this similar recipe and cut back to 1/4 c. sugar instead of a 1/2. From what I understand, it's boiling the mixture with sugar that causes the bars/cookies to set up. So you'll need to keep some sugar in the recipe for them to still set up in the way no bakes do.

Cereal Bars – peanut butter and honey
1 cup honey
½ cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups “O’s” type cereal

Bring sugar and honey to a boil. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter and mix well. Add cereal and stir until evenly coated. Put mixture in a 8X10 casserole dish lined in wax paper. Put a piece of waxed paper on top and use a smaller pan (or your hands) to press the mixture so it will stick together. Let cool completely and cut into squares.
Variations: Use Cascadian Farms chocolate O’s, add chocolate chips and/or ½ cup cocoa powder. Add chopped nuts or other dried fruit.

[Can'tTurnLeft]

Originally Posted by Quiteria

Why? Which kind of oats? And do you soak room temp or refrigerated?

Long cook rolled oats. Overnight with some water at room temperature. And a splash of lemon juice.

[hopeforchange]

i love making these and have been wondering if I can cut back the sugar too. here's my recipe (I'm typing from memory so hopefully I get it right lol).

2 cups of sugar (I use the organic evaporated cane sugar)
1/4 cup butter (I use best life)
1/2 cup milk (I use almond milk)
1/4 cup cocoa

put in a pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. let boil for 1 minute and take off the heat. stir in:

2 1/2 cups oats
3/4 cup peanut butter (I use the natural kind that is just peanuts and salt)
2 tsps vanilla

I'd like to decrease the sugar some. I think these are pretty healthy cookies except for all the sugar. and they taste a bit too sweet too. I wonder if I can cut the sugar in half and have them still turn out ok?

[mamajane]

subbing for recipes!