Many food historians believe that the very first no bake cookies were created by ancient Middle eastern cooks as they combined sweeteners, nuts, dried fruits, seeds and fat into a single confectioner’s treat. Some people say that the recipe was actually a result of an accident, but no one can really tell for sure. The very first no bake cookie recipe however, did not appear until the early 1900’s. One of the earliest recorded recipes was found in America in 1936. This confection was called the Date Balls which was made out of chopped dates, pecan nuts and salt. The ingredients were simply mixed together, rolled into small balls and drizzled with confectioner’s sugar.
Over the years, more and more variations of the no bake cookie surfaced out in the market. However, there are also a few recipes that stand out from all the rest. One recipe on top of the list is the No Bake Crispie Treats. The ingredients for this recipe include a quarter cup of butter or margarine, half a cup of creamy peanut butter, 1/8 tsp. of salt, 4 cups Rice Krispies cereal (or a similar brand), 4 cups mini-marshmallows, one and a half cup of M&M’s (or a similar brand).
To make these treats, heat the butter, peanut butter, marshmallows and salt together on low heat while stirring continuously until smooth. In another pan, mix the M&M’s and the cereals together. While the liquid mixture is still warm, pour it over your candy-cereal mix and toss gently until everything is well-coated. Oil your fingers and create small balls out of the mixture. Arrange the balls over a wax paper and let them cool to room temperature before serving.
For those who love chocolate cookies but have no plans of getting into baking, the No Bake Chocolate Cookies can make the perfect substitute. For this treat, you’ll need to prepare 12 ounces of chocolate chips, a can of sweetened condensed milk, 1 tbsp. butter, 1 tbsp. water, 20 slices of graham crackers (crushed until coarse), half a cup of coconut and half a cup of crushed nuts.
Melt the chocolate chip and the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Once completely melted, add in the rest of the ingredients and continue stirring. While the mixture is still warm, get a spoonful of the “dough” and drop them into a baking pan covered with wax paper. Again, let the cookies cool to room temperature before serving.
Another well-loved no bake cookie recipe is the Peanut Butter Squares. For this, you’ll need 2 cups of confectioners sugar, 1 cup butter or softened margarine, 1 cup of peanut butter, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 cup of peanuts (chopped), 12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips, ¼ cup peanut butter and 2 ¾ cups of crushed Graham crackers. Mix the confectioners sugar, butter, 1 cup peanut butter and vanilla extract in a large bowl in medium speed. Once thoroughly mixed, add in the peanuts and the Graham. Spread this mixture over a 9X9 inch square baking pan. In a separate pan, melt chocolate and peanut butter over low heat until smooth. Pour evenly over the “dough” mixture and refrigerate before cutting into the desired size.
Find below the best no bake cookie recipes on the web. These cookies don’t require an oven and are generally simple to prepare. Great for making during the holidays when the oven is occupied!