Coconut, white chocolate, oatmeal, cranberries. There are few things that can make me happier.

Puppies, a cuppa tea and a good book come close.

You’ll agree once you try these simple no bake cookies. They are good. It’s hard to think of anything better while you’re eating some of these delicious cookies.

Alternative to Chocolate

While back, one of my friends asked me if I had a no bake cookie recipe that didn’t rely on peanut butter and chocolate. I looked around and I did not. I’ve been thinking about this recipe since then and finally put it together and wrote it down.

As a test recipe, this turned out pretty darn good on the first shot! My husband kept poking his head in the kitchen saying, “If you have any extra chocolate, I’ll eat it.”

What a helping hand kind of guy he is!

Coconut White Chocolate & Cranberry No Bake Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

8 oz White Chocolate
1/2 c Oatmeal
1/2 c Coconut Flakes
1/2 c dried Cranberries

Recipe Directions:

1. Melt the white chocolate.
2. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
3. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.
4. Allow to cool.

Approximate Nutritional Information:

Servings Per Recipe: 12, Amount Per Serving: Calories: 188, Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 6g, Sodium: 42mg, Carbs: 25g, Protein: 2g

Make it a Meal:

Serve with tea for an afternoon break. Have a tall glass of milk and several cookies for a light breakfast.

Variations:

Replace the dried cranberries with raisins.

There are only four ingredients to this recipe! I love recipes that are that simple! It’s much easier to find the ingredients in the cupboard if I’m only looking for a couple of things. It’s also easier on the grocery budget if I have to go to the store to pick up the ingredients.

And talk about simple, this recipe only requires three steps – melt, mix, drop. That’s a recipe every cook can follow!

How to Melt Chocolate

I’ve found a couple of simple ways to melt chocolate: double boiler, slow cooker, microwave.

The old fashioned way of melting chocolate was to use a double boiler and place the chocolate over hot water. This slow melting method keeps the chocolate from coming into close contact with the heat of the stove burner.  – important because chocolate burns easily.

If you don’t own a double boiler, you can easily make one by placing a small sauce pan in a larger sauce pan filled with hot water. Heat the water over medium heat. Place the chocolate in the top sauce pan and stir frequently to prevent sticking.

Another indirect heat method I’ve used with great success is melting the chocolate in the slow cooker. The same principles are at work here – the heat is applied to the slow cooker liner and gently melts the chocolate.

If you’re in a bit of a hurry, the defrost setting on your microwave is an excellent tool for melting chocolate. Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, preferably glass or ceramic and heat for 30 second intervals. Stir between heat cycles and repeat until the chocolate is smooth.

What is your favorite no bake cookie? 

Interested in one of the books pictured above? You can purchase on Amazon here.