Whether or not you're actually celebrating a birthday, birthday cake flavoured things are always a good idea. And these healthy gluten free no bake cookies may just be THE BEST idea. Not only are they the easiest, most fool proof recipe to make, they contain minimal ingredients and have sprinkles! What more do you need out of a baked good?
I really feel for those that are celebrating a birthday during lockdown/quarantine. Sure, there are worse things people are dealing with. But celebrating a birthday while unable to go out anywhere isn't the most ideal. Although, most of the time for my birthday, I enjoy keeping it very low key. A simple dinner out and spending time with friends is the most I tend to do. But, when you can't even go out for dinner to celebrate, what are you supposed to do? Well, you stay in obviously! And if you're like me, cook a gourmet meal and bake a delicious cake.
I recently celebrated a birthday with someone and baked the most delicious chocolate cake with a rich cream cheese chocolate frosting. Check out this recipe from Bon Appetit and make it for yourself. It tastes just like boxed cake, in the best way, plus it's super easy to bake!
Another great option to make to celebrate a birthday are these gluten free no bake oatmeal cookies. They're a super fun treat to have on hand whether or not you're celebrating anything.
I also love these birthday cake energy balls, so definitely check these out too!
Why not?! Seriously, these no bake cookies are really tasty even though they're different than a traditional cookie recipe. Don't get me wrong, I love classic cookies too but these won me over. They're so simple, contain only FIVE wholesome ingredients and they still satisfy my sweet tooth.
Plus, a huge bonus in making these gluten free no bake cookies is that you don't need to turn your oven on. This makes them ideal as we head into spring and summer and the last thing on your mind is turning on the oven.
Yes, I was skeptical too, but once I tried them, I knew I had to share the recipe. Don't be alarmed that they aren't baked, they still taste SO delicious. Truly, I love how minimal the ingredients are and how easy they are to whip up.
I'm not joking when I say these cookies are fool proof and quite possibly the easiest cookies to make. One of the reasons they're so easy to make is because of the minimal ingredients. Yes, that's right, these easy no bake cookies are only FIVE ingredients!
Here is everything you'll need.
The rolled oats are one of the main ingredients in these gluten free no bake cookies. They're a great source of fibre, which makes these cookies healthy too.
I always use this brand of rolled oats, make sure they're gluten free if you need them to be.
For this recipe I like using cashew butter because it has a nutty, but more neutral taste. I find it works the best with the coconut butter frosting. If you don't have, you can use peanut butter or almond butter.
Check out my no-bake cookie dough bars for another option on how to use cashew butter (and oats!).
I like using maple syrup as the sweetener of choice because it tastes great, it's readily available and it offers some nutritional benefits as well. You could sub this for another sweetener if you want.
Pure vanilla extract gives these a delicious flavour and aroma. These are key to making them taste more like birthday cake, so don't skip it. Be sure to use pure vanilla extract and not the imitation stuff.
This is what you'll use for the frosting on these gluten free no bake cookies. I LOVEEEE the taste and texture of coconut butter and use it a lot in recipes. It's different than coconut oil, so you can't sub one for the other. Coconut butter is the meat from the coconut, ground into a super fine smooth consistency. To make it super smooth and for dipping, you'll heat the coconut butter up over low heat.
The brand I use and love is this one from Nutiva.
If you're making these birthday cake style, you gotta have sprinkles. Use whatever kind of sprinkles you can get and don't be shy with them ;)
Making these cookies is SO easy. Here is exactly how you can make them in under 10 minutes!
Dump the rolled oats into a large bowl.
In a small saucepan, add the cashew butter, maple syrup and vanilla. Heat it over medium-low heat. You just want to heat it up slightly so that it get's a little dried out. Give it a stir occasionally and then remove from the heat and let it cool just slightly.
Add this mixture to the oats and then give that a good stir.
Now, go ahead and use about 2 tbsp of cookie dough and form into flattened cookies. Place these on a parchment lined baking sheet. They can be close to one another to fit them all on one baking sheet. Place this in your freezer so they can set for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt your coconut butter over low heat until it becomes very smooth and creamy. You want the texture to be runny so that you can drizzle, dunk and dip your cookies in it.
Go ahead and remove the no bake gluten free cookies from the freezer. Either drizzle, dunk or dip half the cookie into the melted coconut butter. Top with sprinkles and place them back on the parchment lined baking sheet. Let them sit and set for a further 5 minutes in the fridge or freezer. Then go ahead and enjoy them!
I like storing them in the fridge for whenever you have a cookie craving. They will last in the fridge for a few weeks. If you're wondering, "can I freeze no bake cookies?" The answer is YES! You can freeze them in a plastic bag for longer storage. They taste great from the fridge and also the freezer, so you do you! Give them a few minutes at room temperature if taking them from the freezer for best results.
If you want to go ahead and leave the coconut butter frosting off, you totally can do that too. These cookies taste great as is, but the birthday cake flavour is personally my favourite.
I was inspired by the lovely Beaming Baker for these healthy no bake cookies. Be sure to check out her post as well!
If you make these gluten free no bake cookies, I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to tag me on Instagram, and/or leave a comment, rating or review below.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share products and services I have personally used and love. Disclosure here.
Easy, five ingredient no bake cookies that are healthy, gluten free and vegan.
No Cashew Butter: Use another nut butter such as almond or peanut. Peanut will be a lot stronger in flavor.
No Coconut Butter: Omit the icing. Coconut oil will not work!
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