Vegetarian Recipes

No Bake Cookies

https://www.loveandlemons.com/no-bake-cookies/

If you’ve never tried no bake cookies before, drop what you’re doing and make this recipe ASAP. You’ll love these easy, delicious, and addictive treats. A few weeks ago, I started craving no bake cookies. I don’t know if it was because Halloween’s right around the corner and I’m in the mood for sweets, because I had oats on my mind due to my recent porridge kick, or because peanut butter and chocolate are just so good together. Whatever the reason, I headed to the kitchen to make my first batch of no bake cookies in years.

See, I used to make no bake cookies all the time. Way back before I started Love and Lemons, they were one of my favorite treats to make for Jack and me. The no bake cookie recipe I used then is long gone (I must have clipped it from a magazine?), but this new version is equally crave-worthy, with a rich chocolate and peanut butter flavor and a chewy, oat-y texture.

If you’ve never made no bake cookies before, I have to give you fair warning: these guys are SUPER addictive and dangerously easy to make. They only require a handful of pantry ingredients and 5 minutes of prep. If you make one batch, you’ll end up with another before you know it. 🙂

No Bake Cookie Recipe Ingredients

It only takes 7 ingredients to make these peanut butter no bake cookies rich, chocolatey, and addictive. You likely have most of them in your pantry already! Here’s what you need:

Whole rolled oats – Many no bake cookie recipes call for quick oats, but I like the yummy chewy texture of old fashioned whole rolled oats in these cookies. Use gluten free oats to make these cookies gluten free.
Unsweetened cocoa powder – You can’t have chocolate no bake cookies without chocolate!
Creamy peanut butter – It makes these guys super rich and packs them with delectable chocolate and peanut butter flavor.
Almond milk – Using almond milk makes this recipe vegan, but if you keep another kind of milk on hand, feel free to swap it in. Any milk will do!
Coconut oil – Refined or virgin coconut oil will work in this recipe, but virgin coconut oil will add a lovely light coconut flavor.
Maple syrup – I love the bold, complex sweetness of the maple in this recipe. Plus, it makes these cookies refined sugar-free!
Vanilla extract – The perfect finishing touch! A splash of vanilla adds depth to the rich chocolate flavor in this recipe.

How to Make No Bake Cookies

Once you’ve measured your ingredients, these no bake oatmeal cookies come together in a flash!

First, make the chocolate/peanut butter coating. Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in the cocoa powder, almond milk, maple syrup, peanut butter, and vanilla. Bring to a rolling boil and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Don’t boil it longer, or the mixture will become too thick! Remove the pan from the heat.

Then, stir in the oats. Fold the oats into the chocolate mixture until they’re all thoroughly coated.

Next, shape the cookies! Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to dollop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Transfer the sheet to the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes, until the cookies are firm. Then, enjoy!

No Bake Oatmeal Cookies Tips

Make a double batch, and freeze the extras! This recipe isn’t huge – it yields about a dozen small cookies – so feel free to double it if you’re serving a crowd. Store any leftover cookies in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for a few months!
Make sure that your peanut butter is runny. Look for creamy peanut butter with a smooth consistency to make this recipe, not the dry, stiff peanut butter that you might find at the bottom of the jar. The richness of runny peanut butter is essential for making great no bake cookies!
Stir in a pinch of salt. If you use unsalted peanut butter, add a pinch of salt to the chocolate mixture before you stir in the oats. It will really make the flavors in this recipe pop! If your peanut butter is already salted, skip the salt, or taste the mixture before adding any extra.
Add extra chocolate. If you’re making this no bake cookie recipe, my guess is that you’re a fan of chocolate. To give these guys an extra chocolate boost, press a few mini chocolate chips onto the top of each cookie. Yum!

No Bake Cookies

Author: Jeanine Donofrio

Recipe type: dessert

¼ cup coconut oil
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup almond milk
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter*
½ teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups whole rolled oats

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium saucepan, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the maple syrup, almond milk, cocoa, peanut butter, and vanilla and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Remove from the heat and stir in the oats. Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the batter onto the baking sheet. Chill for 30 minutes or until firm.

If your peanut butter is unsalted, stir a few pinches of salt into the chocolate mixture.

3.4.3177

Vegetarian Recipes

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Here’s a quickie recipe for those nights when you just need something fast and delicious. This Lemon Ricotta Pasta is super fast, light, and fresh, which makes it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner during the summer. The bright lemon flavor perfectly compliments the light and creamy ricotta, and the little pops of sweetness from the peas make every bite a little more interesting. Simple, fresh, and easy.

Originally posted 3-4-2011, updated 6-8-2022.

Do I Have to Use Fresh Lemon?

This is one of those recipes where you really do want to use a fresh lemon instead of bottled juice. The zest from the lemon adds a ton of bright, summery lemon flavor to the pasta without making the sauce too sour. We add just a little of the juice to balance the creaminess of the ricotta, but the zest is where you’re getting all that gorgeous sunny lemon flavor!

Not All Ricotta is Created Equal

I find there is quite a bit of variation in the quality of ricotta from brand to brand. Some are smooth, mild, and sweet like fresh milk, while others are bland and grainy. My preferred brand is Galbani, but they didn’t have any at the store when I went, so I got the generic Kroger brand. It was definitely a bit grainy, but the pasta was still quite delicious despite that!

Also, make sure to get whole milk ricotta. Low-fat ricotta just doesn’t hit the same in this recipe.

What Else Can I Add?

This simple pasta is a great jumping-off point for making a more elaborate pasta, if that’s what you’re in the mood for. Try adding some sliced chicken breast, fresh basil, or fresh spinach. Garlic butter shrimp would also go great with this pasta!

What to Serve with Lemon Ricotta Pasta

This pasta is so light and fresh that I suggest keeping any side dishes really simple, light, and fresh as well. I would go with a super simple side salad, or maybe some roasted asparagus and tomatoes.

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Lemon Ricotta Pasta is light, fresh, and quick to prepare, making it the perfect pasta for weeknight dinners in the summer.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Total Cost $4.27 recipe / $1.07 serving

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings

Calories 400kcal

Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

1 lemon $0.89
8 oz. pasta* $0.67
1 cup frozen peas $0.50
1 clove garlic, minced $0.08
1 Tbsp butter $0.11
1 cup whole milk ricotta $1.60
1/4 cup grated Parmesan $0.36
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste) $0.02
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste) $0.02
1 pinch crushed red pepper (or to taste) $0.02

Instructions

Zest and juice the lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp zest and 1 Tbsp lemon juice.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy water from the pot.
Place the frozen peas in the colander before draining the pasta so the pasta will thaw the peas as it drains.
Add the butter and minced garlic to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the drained pasta and peas, and about ½ cup of the starchy pasta cooking water to the skillet with the butter and garlic. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.
Add the ricotta, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon lemon zest to the skillet. Stir until everything is well combined, the residual heat from the skillet and pasta have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has formed a creamy sauce. Add more of the warm reserved pasta water if needed.
Season the pasta with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Notes

*Use any short shape pasta.

Nutrition

How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pasta – Step By Step Photos

Zest and juice one lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp of zest and 1 Tbsp juice.

Cook 8oz. pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.

Add 1 cup of frozen peas to a colander, then pour the boiled pasta over top to thaw the peas as you drain the pasta.

Add 1 Tbsp butter and 1 clove garlic to a large skillet. Sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic becomes very fragrant.

Add the still-hot pasta and peas to the skillet along with about ½ cup of the hot reserved pasta water. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.

Add 1 cup whole milk ricotta, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and ½ tsp lemon zest to the pasta. Stir until the ingredients are combined, the residual heat from the pasta and skillet have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has turned into a creamy sauce.