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
Secret-Ingredient No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Macaroons (gluten, dairy, and sugar free)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons grass-fed gelatin
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup cashew butter (or other nut or seed butter as needed)
- 5-7 teaspoons liquid stevia (60-80 drops; or to taste)
- 1 cup gluten-free oats
- 1/4 cup coconut (fine dried)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine the oats, dried coconut and salt in a bowl and set aside.
- Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat.
- While the coconut oil is melting, place the almond milk in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin overtop. Let it sit for a few minutes to let it “bloom”. This will prevent hard gelatin “globs” in the final product. After a few minutes whisk the gelatin into the milk.
- Add the milk and gelatin mixture, cashew butter, and cocoa to the saucepan and whisk to combine.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla and stevia (remember to adjust the stevia to taste).
- Add in the oats, coconut and salt mixture and stir to coat.
- Drop by spoonfuls (may have to use your hands to squish them) onto parchment paper. OR press them into cookie cutters or molds (I greased mine with coconut oil). Once you have pressed them in you can push the macaroon out of the cookie cutter gently and place them on parchment paper.
- Allow them to cool in the fridge or freezer. They will set and hold together after they have cooled.
- Eat ‘em up!
Notes
- Sweetener Options: 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.
- For a vegan option, use organic agar agar powder instead of gelatin.
- Use more unsweetened coconut instead of the oats for a low-carb option.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is merely an approximation. Optional ingredients are not included and when there is an alternative, the primary ingredient is typically used. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts since they have been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
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.
Can I use monk fruit instead of stevia
Hi there. I think you'll be fine! I just updated the recipe notes above and in the recipe card to help! Hope you like them! I admit I haven't played around with this recipe enough (it was another blogger's recipe) so let me know what you think!
Looks so yummy! And I don't have to bake. Love that even more.
Thanks Maggie!! I love not baking too - especially in the warmer months!
I love this recipe! I can't wait to try it. I need more gelatin in my diet too. What a great way to add it in.
Thanks Angela! I know, I try to sneak gelatin in wherever I can! So far I haven't been too creative but hopefully I am on the upswing!
Oh my... these are pretty and they sound amazingly yummy too!
Thanks for linking up to Tip Me Tuesday linky party this week. {knuckle bumps}
Did you know that I can "lend" your blog posts my Google page rank for better search engine traffic? {fabulous}
If you upload at least 2 images, 2 steps, and blog post URL into your Tip Junkie craft room, you'll be in business!
{wink} ~ Laurie {a.k.a. the Tip Junkie}
Thanks Laurie! My daughter really enjoyed the heart shaped treats!
My mouth is watering for these! They look so delicious, I love the oats in them!
Thanks Heather!
These treats are so cute and look so tasty/healthy! I love how they are sugar-free.
Pinned!
Thank you!
I don't particularly care for the full taste of stevia, and prefer a combination of xylitol and stevia. Any idea how much of each would be used, and if I used this combination , would I need to increase the liquid to accommodate for the extra solids in the xylitol?
Hi Tracy,
I love the taste of xylitol but sadly, it does not like me =(. Having said that, I would start with a tbsp to a 1/4 cup of xylitol if you are going to do a mix. I would add a bit more liquid...maybe a couple of tablespoons. I hope that helps and I hope they turn out for you! Please let us know how it goes!
These look tasty! I bet something like this would be fantastic to send to school for my little guy. I'm always looking at ways to get more gelatin in our diet. Thanks!
Thanks so much! I hope your little guy enjoys them, my two year old LOVED them!
This looks delicious! However, I was under the impression that no grains were allowed for those with candida overgrowth. Am I mistaken?
Hi Julieanne,
Great question. There are a number of anti-candida protocols out there but yes, grains are a debated area. I do consume non-gluten containing grains in moderation. I think it is SO important to listen to your body. I would know in a few hours if what I ate was a bad idea for my candida. So I would say practice moderation, and don't make them a staple.
I hope that helps!
Thanks Julia! I'm not sure rolling would work as the mixture is a bit "crumbly" until it sets. I think dropping them by spoonfuls would work best but if you try rolling them please let me know!
What a neat way to incorporate gelatin! I've made something similar without gelatin but rolled the dough into balls. Would that work with this recipe?