Secret-Ingredient No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Macaroons (gluten, dairy, and sugar free)

{Today, please welcome back Candace who brings us these tempting Secret-Ingredient No-Bake Cookies. No Bakes are one of my favorite things--because I'm busy busy busy--and no bakes save a ton of time. Here's Candace--}

I'm taking a bit of a break from my Crockpot, Casserole and Cook Ahead series on my blog to bring you some Valentine’s Day treats that will help you get through this so-not-candida-friendly holiday.

First up is a revamped version of one of my favorite and most memorable childhood treats that I will be sharing here on Whole New Mom. They were actually one of my Dad's specialties. Yes, he cooks, quite well actually, and he is pretty creative to boot. He actually used to make these at Christmas and they didn’t last much past that, as we would devour them.

They are chocolate, oat, and coconut macaroons and they are SO good.

I remember making them as a family and scraping the extras from the sides of the warm pot, eating every last morsel--

Not an oat went to waste!

Because of my health issues (candida), I never dreamt that I would eat them again and I had no intention of attempting to revamp my Dad's recipe, I couldn’t imagine matching it.

But when I was searching how to add gelatin to baked goods (because I need to eat more gelatin) I came across this recipe and thought I would give it a shot.

More On these No Bake Cookies

So, the cat is out of the bag, gelatin is the secret ingredient. Yes, gelatin.

(If you're vegan--don't worry. There's a substitute ingredient you can use.)

Scared of gelatin? Don’t be. You cannot tell in the final product. You won’t end up with a gummy candy texture and you'll have a little extra gelatin for the day! (See my post on the benefits of gelatin and a gummy candy recipe here).

I tried it with my below adaptations and they were delicious.

I was shocked at how close they tasted to the original! They were chocolate-y, and hearty, with a hint of coconut.

My version is less sweet than the original but I prefer it that way.

These macaroons hold together very well (thanks to the gelatin and coconut oil), even though they are pretty crumbly during the moulding/spooning stage, once they are set you will see a huge improvement.

I love that these are a one-pot, no-bake cookies and that they work very well shaped into cookie molds. If you choose to spoon them into clusters make sure to press them together a bit, or squish in a ball in your hands before placing on the paper.

The other thing I love is that you can be enjoying these treats not long after you start making them (especially if you set them in the freezer).

Recipe Notes

• Sweetener Options: If you're not fighting candida and prefer honey or maple syrup (or another sweetener) in place of stevia, give it a whirl. The amount of liquid stevia used should be equivalent to about 1/4 - 1/3 cup of sugar so you can use whatever sweetener you like keeping that in mind. For honey and maple syrup, since they are sweetener than sugar, try starting with 1/8 cup and go from there.
• Some candida diets prescribe not using cashews due to mold issues. I (Adrienne) haven't had an issue with them, as I have with peanuts, but use whatever nut or seed works well for you.
• For a vegan option, use organic agar agar powder instead of gelatin.
• See this post if you would like to make your own nut or seed butter.
• Here’s a great way to make your own liquid stevia.
• Use more unsweetened coconut instead of the oats for a low-carb option.

Recipe

These molds would work great for these cookies (and for any other heart treats you'd like to make).

So what are you waiting for? Get in the kitchen and whip up a batch of these quick and easy treats. Make them for yourself or for your candida-suffering loved ones. Valentine’s Day is full of temptations (hey, mind out of the gutter, I’m talking chocolate!) so make these for your special someone and save their sanity. Trust me, they’ll love you forever!

If you are not fighting candida and prefer honey or maple syrup in place of stevia, give it a whirl, I am sure it will be delicious. I would start with a tablespoon or two and taste as you go.

If you’re not a fan of stevia check out my post 6 Tips to Really Love Stevia. You will be a fan soon!)

NOTE: Although the image was taken at a time when I did not soak my grains I do feel strongly about doing so. I would recommend using soaked and dehydrated oats for optimal digestion and health. For more information on this see How to Soak Grains (and Why You Should).

Enjoy!
Do you have a favorite No-Bake Recipe?

Candace is a stay-at-home-mom, wife, graphic designer and food lover. She loves to make healthy, whole foods that are dairy-free and candida friendly. She loves being a mom and is passionate about parenting, living healthy and helping others do the same.