If you know the basics of cooking, putting together meals becomes pretty simple. But what about coming up with creative snacks to keep you full in between breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Enter the wonderful world of no-bake snack recipes. They are easy, they taste great, and they will cut down on the amount of time and money you spend at the grocery store.
The best thing about no-bake snacks is pretty obvious: you don't have to cook or bake them. Most of them come together easily and require only a few ingredients. And if you're imagining that no-bake snacks are only things like quinoa "cookies" or dry granola bars, think again. This is the age of Pinterest, which means that there are tons of options that are delicious and simple, and everyone should be giving them a chance.
You can quickly put together a batch of one (or more) of these snacks in the beginning of the week, and then be set for the next few days. They are great to throw in a bag and bring to work or school, or just to have in the house when you're having a snack craving. Check out these 18 no-bake snack recipes and I promise, you'll be hooked.
1. Healthy No-Bake Salted Dark Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Bars
It might be weird to think of something that includes the words "chocolate" and "cookie" in the same phrase as healthy, but in the grand scheme of things, you could do a whole lot worse than these cookie bars from Half-Baked Harvest. A mixture of ground cashews, dates, coconut milk, and vanilla keep these cookie bars together (and keep you full), while chunks of dark chocolate make them sweet and totally snack-worthy.
2. Almond Joy Energy Balls
You could run out and eat an Almond Joy bar that will keep you full for five seconds, or you could make and eat these little energy balls from Making Thyme For Health. Made with coconut flakes, dark chocolate, maple syrup, and almond butter (among other things), these balls are vegan and gluten-free — but you would never know it if I didn't tell you.
3. No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Crispies with PB Fudge
If you're more into the magical mix of chocolate and peanut butter, then these peanut butter chocolate crispies from Oh She Glows are perfect for you. Think of these squares as a healthier version of chocolate Rice Krispies treats, which may not sound the most appetizing at first, but trust me — these are awesome and will satisfy any chocolate craving.
4. No-Bake Cinnamon Raisin Granola Bars
Sometimes you just need a good granola bar, but unfortunately, most of them are full of the added sugar you might be trying to avoid. Instead, try making your own — they're surprisingly easy and most recipes don't even require an oven. These cinnamon raisin granola bars from Healthful Pursuit are a perfect example.
5. Healthy No-Bake Brownie Bites
While this recipe does involve a long list of ingredients, it's worth it — especially for those days when you really need a brownie. These brownie bites from Making Thyme For Health are a mix of salty nuts and sweet chocolate and coconut, and are perfect for a midday treat.
6. No-Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies
These no-bake cookies from Half-Baked Harvest don't have any superfood ingredients, just old-fashioned chocolate, peanut butter, honey, graham crackers, and pretzels (plus a few other items), and they're basically perfection.
7. No-Bake Granola Bars
There are so many different ways to make no-bake granola bars that it's hard to know where to begin or stop. This recipe from What's Cooking Good Looking uses apricots, dates, cherries, toasted coconut, and maple syrup so that they're extra sweet, but also includes healthy ingredients like hemp seeds, chia seeds, and nuts to keep you full and happy.
8. No-Bake Espresso Cookies
Who couldn't use a delicious espresso cookie as a pick-me-up snack in the middle of the afternoon? This recipe from Naturally Ella isn't only simple — it's also vegan and healthy. Espresso powder gives these a nice kick, while peanut butter keeps them smooth and delicious.
9. Nutella No-Bake Cookies
It's hard to top a spoonful of Nutella, but I think these easy cookies from Foodie Crush have done it. Made with plenty of Nutella, plus butter, kosher salt, and extra hazelnuts, these cookies are far from healthy, but, honestly, who cares? It's Nutella.
10. No-Bake Elvis Bars
Honestly, I'm drooling just looking at this photo. These frozen bars from Oh She Glows get their name from their mix of peanut butter, bananas, and chocolate. These are so easy and delicious that you wouldn't even realize they're also vegan, gluten-free, and grain-free.
11. No-Bake Paleo and Vegan Date Squares
Dates are an excellent ingredient in any no-bake snack, as they keep everything together and offer a hearty dose of sweetness. With added coconut and macadamia nuts in this recipe from Healthful Pursuit, they really stand out.
12. No-Bake Chocolate Macaroons
No, these are not the pretty French dessert you see all over Instagram (those are macarons), but they're still amazing. This chocolatey take on coconut macaroons from Oh She Glows will become one of your favorite snacks ever after just one bite.
13. Four-Ingredient Pretzel Turtles
Caramel, pretzels, chocolate, and nuts — does it get any better than that, snackwise? It does not. This simple recipe from Foodie Crush won't take much of your time, but even if it did, it would be worth it.
14. Late Night Snacksicles
These candy-filled ice cream bars are honestly like something out of your deepest snack dreams. Ritz crackers, pretzels, M&Ms, and peanut butter cups get smothered in rich coconut milk "ice cream" in this recipe from How Sweet It Is. Let 'em sit in the freezer for a few hours for the best dessert ever. Maybe you can't bring these to work, but you can definitely enjoy them at home, which is even better.
15. No-Bake Toffee and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
These little no-bake bites from Averie Cooks even look like cookie dough! Made with lots of toffee and some nuts, these are so, so simple. They're also completely irresistible.
16. Avocado Hummus
As long as you have a food processor, an avocado hummus like this one from Cooking For Keeps is easy and fast... not to mention filling and amazing.
17. Popcorn Trail Mix
Popping popcorn in a microwave certainly doesn't count as baking, but if you really want to cut down on time, you can make this popcorn trail mix from Good Life Eats with already made popcorn. With ingredients like pumpkin seeds and dried apricots, it's the perfect mix of salty and sweet. Make a huge bowl of it, then split it into bags for the week.
18. No-Bake Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Bites
Sometimes the most classic combination is the best way to go. These bites from How Sweet It Is include dark chocolate and peanut butter, but also healthier items like chia seeds and and flaxseed. It's a great mix, and these couldn't be better for eating on the go.
For more ideas, check out Bustle on YouTube.
Images: Half-Baked Harvest; Making Thyme For Health; Oh She Glows; Healthful Pursuit; Making Thyme For Health; Half-Baked Harvest; What's Cooking Good Looking; Naturally Ella; Foodie Crush; Oh She Glows; Healthful Pursuit; Oh She Glows; Foodie Crush; How Sweet It Is; Averie Cooks; Cooking For Keeps; Good Life Eats; How Sweet It Is
