Chocolate Macaroons (aka Haystacks) are quick no-bake cookies without peanut butter! They’re the perfect treat for your family or guests when you need something in a hurry.
Keep the ingredients for these chocolate coconut macaroons in your cupboard as your dessert emergency kit!
No Bake Cookies without Peanut Butter
While we’ve always called these cookies no-bake macaroons, but they go by other names too like Haystacks or even just chocolate coconut cookies.
While we do make no bake cookies, this recipe is a bit different since there is no need for peanut butter (or flour).
A Note on Oats
Oats are one of those grains that are labeled so many different ways in the grocery store that it’s easy to get confused. For this recipe, you’ll want rolled oats as they will retain their texture. Quick oats will also work for no-bake macaroons if that’s all you have in your cupboard!
How to Make No Bake Cookies without Peanut Butter
You’ll love how easy it is to make these no bake cookies (without peanut butter). We start by boiling the sugar mixture which is then mixed into a few simple ingredients that you likely have on hand! Simply scoop and chill.
- In a large bowl combine oats, coconut and cocoa powder.
- Stir together sugar, butter and milk. Allow to come to a rolling boil for two minutes.
- If you cook too long, the cookies will be dry. If you cook too short, they won’t hold together.
- Mix with dry ingredients and drop by spoonfuls on a cookie sheet. Cool completely.
There are lots of great possibilities for variations here. You can make chocolate chip macaroons by adding a cup of chocolate chips on top before they set completely. Or, you could add a cup of chopped nuts, or raisins — or all three!
More No Bake Recipes
- No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
- No Bake Oatmeal Cookies
- Strawberry Cheesecake Pie (No Bake)
- No Bake Chips Ahoy! Icebox Cake (4 Ingredients)
- No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake
- Chocolate Cashew Clusters
- No Bake Cookies
Storing No Bake Cookies
How Long Do Coconut Macaroons Last? Coconut macaroons are pretty popular, so don’t expect them to stick around long! Keep them at room temperature in a sealed container for up to a week. (You can keep them longer but they tend to get dry and crumbly after a while).
Can You Freeze Coconut Macaroons? Coconut macaroons will retain their quality for up to four months in the freezer. To freeze, place the cookies in a freezer bag or container.
Chocolate Macaroons (No Bake Cookies without Peanut Butter)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups rolled oats
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, coconut & cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, combine sugar, margarine and milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Let boil for 2 minutes (no longer). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Pour oat mixture into the hot margarine mixture and stir until well mixed. Drop by spoonfuls onto a pan and let cool completely.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Just made these for Christmas. A childhood favorite. I will take some to my parents since they are now in assisted living.
These are really good and very easy to make!!!
Great recipe as I remember my mom making these every Christmas. My question is: Should we use unsweetened coconut or sweetened coconut? I would think that unsweetened would be better since the sweetened stuff taste kind of artificially sweetened. Just need to know what you use. Thanks!
In this recipe, we used unsweetened coconut but you could use either. Let us know how the macaroons turn out for you! :)
I use sweetened coconut and they taste awesome but the second time I made them, I made them smaller as they were really BIG and it was hard to finish!! (To me they were really filling!!!) They taste good either way!!!
How do I keep the milk butter and sugar from boiling over spilling over while boiling for the 2 minutes thank you
Hi Joan, be sure it is boiling over medium heat and you can turn it down slightly while still keeping it to a boil if necessary. Also, stir the mixture as required to keep it from boiling over.
Where are the quantities?
Useless without.
The quantities are located in the recipe. You can either scroll to the recipe or use the jump to recipe button at the top of each page. Enjoy.
awesome cornflakes cookies, I was given the largest box of cornflakes so I had to find something to do with it, I googled cornflakes cookies and wala these were the best ever. thanks so much. (*!*)
You’re welcome. So happy to hear that Kelma!
Just answer my oatmeal question, as I saw in a couple of other comments that you said use another cup of oats if you don’t want to use oatmeal…..
I should have read comments first lol..i
Quick oats cook more quickly than rolled oats. They may have a different texture but you could use them in place. Let us know how it turns out for you!
No, haven’t made your recipe yet, but have questions…
What are rolled oats, I use quick cook oats….can these be used ?
Also, my SIL doesn’t like coconut, so what would I use instead of the coconut ??
Thank you,
Kentuckylady717
Can’t rate this recipe as I haven’t made it yet….
I do make one similar to this one, but do not use coconut….
Woah! 2 cups of sugar!! I made with half of that with just 1 cup and was delicious. Could probably even cut back on the 1 cup! I only imagine 2 cups would probably hurt! LoL!
I love these cookies and they are easy for the family to make together
I am looking for the peanut butter no bake cookie recipe
I’m sorry, I don’t have a peanut butter no bake recipe.
Just use Splenda in place of the sugar.Same recipe, just add half cup of peanut butter.
A no bake recipe you may enjoy Debi, my Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies.
No margarine, it is so bad for you. Please use butter, both of you asking why your cookies did not set up….Your sugar & butter must not have reached the hard stage (margarine has to much water & bad oils – Its fake).
Good Luck Ladies & Gentleman.
My grandma gave me her cookbook which has this exact same recipe from when she was growing up in it. About 15yrs I came across another one that makes it fun for kids and calls each ingredient fun names like muddy water or bones.
You could try the sugar substitute that cooks like sugar, it isn’t hard to work with and seems to be just like sugar without the calories. Hope that helps John
Is there a no bake chocolate cookies ( sugar free ) -spend with pennies [ … ]
I don’t have a sugar free version but maybe another reader has a substitute.
why is it the last two times we tried to make these they did not get hard?is it because theet mixture is not boild long enuft? how can I get this to set?thank you
Did you use margarine in a tub or did you use the squares?
I am wondering if you could also put the recipe with peanuts up…. I love peanuts and chocolate
Can I get these recipes sent to this e-mail as well as fb?
You can sign up for daily emails on the top right hand side of the site.
:)
I do not care for coconut, is there something else I could replace it with?
Yes, you can use extra oats in place of the coconut.
Thanks I was going to ask that too! I don’t like coconut!
I have a question about your ‘No Bake Chocolate Cookies (Peanut Free)’ I use to love the no bake ones with peanut butter and made them all the time. I was greatly appreciative that you posted one without peanuts as 2 of my grandchildren have peanut allergies. The question is; I made these cookies but they really never set up to firm and were very sticky. I even put them in the refrigerator to try and harden them more to no avail. Am I doing something wrong or is this the normal texture for these cookies? Thank you for your time.
Mine were not soft and set up quite easily. May I ask what type of butter/margarine you used? I am wondering if that could be a factor.. if you used tub margarine some types may too soft. I used squares… I would recommend trying butter or something that is more “solid” at room temperature and see if that works.
If your cookies did not set right, you might not have boiled it enough. You need a full rolling boil you can’t stir down. That is when you 2 minute timer starts. Please don’t stop stirring at this point.
You can also use almond butter in place of the peanut butter. It is really good!