Healthy No-Bake Cookie Dough Bars will quickly become your new favourite healthy treat to enjoy as a snack or deesert! These bars only take 15 minutes to make and naturally vegan, grain-free and gluten-free. The best part? They taste just like raw cookie dough!

a stack of cookie dough bars topped with dark chocolate

No Bake Cookie Dough

Let’s be honest here. We all know the best part of making cookies is eating the cookie dough…

So rather than actually make cookies, let’s just skip that and go straight to making “raw” cookie dough bars that require no baking and are made with natural ingredients that won’t give you a tummy ache like traditional cookie dough.

Now, I know what your thinking: can healthy cookie dough bars actually taste like cookie dough?

Yes. Yes they can.

The combination of ingredients used to make these bars seriously tastes like your eating raw cookie dough. And to make these bars even better, we’re topping them off with a layer of dark chocolate. Becuase cookie dough can never have too much chocolate.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan and refined-sugar free. These bars are made with a base of almond flour the makes them grain-free and gluten-free, but I promise they still taste decedent.
  • No baking required. My favourite thing about these bars is that they’re ready in just 15 minutes and don’t need to be baked. Just mix everything together in a bowl and add it directly to the pan.
  • Freezer-friendly. These bars will last 2 months in the freezer and taste delicious straight out of the freezer.
  • Cookie dough heaven. For all the cookie dough lovers out there, these bars will cure all your cravings for raw cookie dough.

Cookie Dough Bars Ingredients and substitutions

Almond flour: this is what makes the base of the bars. Make sure to use almond flour, not almond meal. Almond flour is made from ground blanched almonds and has a finer texture which will result in a smoothie cookie dough bar. A great substitute would be oat flour.

Salt: just like with chocolate chip cookies, a pinch of salt helps bring out all the flavours and balance out the sweetness in these no bake cookie dough bars.

Cashew butter: I love to use cashew butter in these bars because it has a very neutral taste that gives the bars the most “cookie dough” flavour compared to other nut butters. I’ve tried this recipe with almond butter and peanut butter, which are both tasty, but cashew butter tastes the best! Feel free to substitute with any nut butter or seed butter.

Maple syrup: this is used to sweeten the bars and help bind them together. You can substitute with brown rice syrup, agave or honey if you want. Just make sure to use a “sticky” liquid sweetner and not to substitute with sugar.

Vanilla and almond extract: using both of these in the bars is what will give them that signature “cookie dough” flavour. If you don’t have almond extract on hand you can just use vanilla extract.

Almond milk: just a one or two teaspoons to help the dough come together. You can also use water.

Chocolate: I use 70% dark chocolate chips but you can use any kind of chocolate chips you like.

Coconut oil: this is added to the dark chocolate to top the bars and helps create a smooth chocolate topping that wont crack when you cut into it.

How to make no-bake cookie dough bars

Step 1

Mix the almond flour and salt together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the cashew butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, almond extract and almond milk together until combined.

  • almond flour in a clear mixing bowl
  • Almond butter in a clear mixing bowl with a whisk in it

Step 2

Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix together until it forms a dough. Then add the chocolate chips and mix again.

Tip: get in there with your hands! It will be easier to mix the dough.

  • almond flour cookie dough in a clear mixing bowl with a spoon
  • no bake cookie dough in a mixing bowl

Step 3

Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper then add the cookie dough to the pan, pressing down evenly. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil together in the microwave and pour it over the bars.

  • no bake cookie dough pressed into an 8x8 inch pan
  • a bowl of chocolate being poured onto cookie dough bars

Step 4

Spread the chocolate over the bars evenly, then place the pan in the fridge to set for at least 3 hours. Remove and cut into even squares.

  • melted chocolate in an 8x8 inch pan
  • no bake cookie dough bars in an 8x8 inch pan

Tips for making this recipe perfectly

  • It’s easiest to mix the dough together with your hands. Start by mixing the dough with a spoon or spatula just until the wet ingredients start to incorporate, then get in there with your hands to mix! (Make sure to wash them first!) You’ll find that it’s much easier than trying to get the dough to come together with a spoon.
  • Keep mixing. At first it may seem like there is too much almond flour for the amount of wet ingredients, but as you mix you’ll start to see everything come together. Almond flour is very absorbant.
  • Mini chocolate chips work best. These will incorporate more easily into the dough and give you little bits of chocolate in each bite!
  • If the dough feels too dry, add a teaspoon of almond milk. Then continue to mix. Alternatively if the dough feels too wet, add an extra 1/4 cup of almond flour and mix it in.
a stack of four no bake cookie dough bars

How to store Healthy Cookie Dough Bars

Fridge: store these bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Freezer: store the bars in an airtight container or freezer bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. These bars can be enjoyed straight out of the freezer, or after letting them thaw for 5 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make nut-free cookie dough bars?

Yes! If you want to make this recipe nut-free, replace the almond flour with oat flour and the cashew butter with sunflower seed butter.

Can I eat almond flour raw?

Absolutely! Unlike wheat flour, almond flour can be enjoyed raw since it’s just made from ground up almonds.

Can I freeze this recipe?

Yes! This recipe freezes very well and will last in the freezer for 2 months.

Can I bake these into cookies?

Unforunately no, the cookie dough used to make these bars won’t bake up properly into cookies. If you’re interested in making chocolate chip cookies try these Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies or these Chocolate Chip Banana Oatmeal Cookies!

two no bake cookie dough bars with chocolate chips around them

More no bake desserts to try

If you tried these Healthy No Bake Cookie Dough Bars or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

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a stack of cookie dough bars topped with dark chocolate

Healthy No-Bake Cookie Dough Bars

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 16 bars 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Mix
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Description

These healthy no-bake cookie dough bars are easy to make and naturally gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Cookie dough layer

Chocolate layer

Instructions

  1. Mix the almond flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
  2. In another mixing bowl, mix the cashew butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, almond extract and almond milk together.
  3. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix together until combined. (it’s easiest to start mixing with a spatula, and then use your hands!)
  4. Add in the chocolate chips and mix.
  5. Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper then add the cookie dough batter to the pan, pressing down evenly.
  6. Melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil together in a microwave-safe bowl and pour on top of the bars. (make sure to move the pan around after adding the chocolate so the chocolate spreads out evenly.)
  7. Place in the fridge to set for 3 hours then cut into bars.
  8. Store in the fridge.

Notes

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 weeks or in the freezer for 2 months. 

It’s easiest to mix the dough together with your hands. Start by mixing the dough with a spoon or spatula just until the wet ingredients start to incorporate, then get in there with your hands to mix!

Mini chocolate chips work best. These will incorporate more easily into the dough and give you little bits of chocolate in each bite!

If the dough feels too dry, add a teaspoon of almond milk. Then continue to mix. Alternatively, if the dough feels too wet, add an extra 1/4 cup of almond flour and mix it in.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bar
  • Calories: 207
  • Sugar: 8g
  • Fat: 15g
  • Saturated Fat: 4g
  • Carbohydrates: 12.5g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 6g