These no-bake treats taste just like chewy oatmeal raisin cookies but are full of only wholesome ingredients! They’re also nut-free, gluten-free, vegan and have no added sugar.
Confession: I am so over cookies for a little while. (So, you know, check back in a few days.) I think I must have overdone it during the holidays and just need a break. (However small.)
In the meantime, my sweet tooth isn’t going anywhere, so I’m sticking to clean eating, wholesome treats. These cookie balls fit the bill – and they are NO BAKE!
These are super fast to whip together – just 5 minutes, which is perfect for when a craving strikes and you MUST. HAVE. COOKIES. But not cookies. Not yet…
Throw all of the ingredients into the food processor and voila! You’ve got a completely clean, naturally sweetened, nut-free, gluten-free, vegan treat that’s perfectly acceptable to enjoy for breakfast, snacks or dessert. (Or all of the above. In the same day. See where I got into trouble with the cookies?)
These delectable little balls taste just like oatmeal raisin cookies. Chewy, with great raisin bits throughout and perfectly sweet. Very pop-able.
And very kid-friendly, even for very little ones, since they are all real foods. Mine gobbled these up for snack and even had fun making them with me. They like to turn the food processor on and off and help me roll the cookies into little round balls.
Whether or not you’re on a cookie hiatus, I hope you enjoy these lovely oatmeal raisin cookie balls!
And if you’re a no-bake cookie fan like me, check out these 10-minute chocolate cookie balls! Just 6 simple ingredients and they are SO tasty!
No-bake oatmeal raisin cookie balls
These no-bake treats taste just like a chewy oatmeal raisin cookie but are naturally sweetened and full of only wholesome ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 cup oats (I use old fashioned)
- 1/2 cup packed Medjool dates, pitted and chopped (about 5-6 large)
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 1-3 tablespoons water, as needed (see notes)
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients into your food processor. Pulse, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed, until everything is well combined. Add extra water as needed to get the mixture to come together (see notes, below).
- Wet hands and roll mixture into golf ball-sized cookie balls.
- Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
I usually need 2-3 tablespoons of water to get the mixture to come together. It will depend on how dry your dates are. Add a bit at a time and wait till the mixture sticks to itself so you can roll it into balls.
It also helps to wet your palms with a little bit of water before rolling these up.
Store extra cookie balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving Size | |
| Amount Per Serving | As Served |
| Calories 128kcal Calories from fat 11 | |
| % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
| Sodium 34mg | 1% |
| Carbohydrate 27g | 9% |
| Dietary Fiber 3g | 12% |
| Sugars 13g | |
| Protein 3g | |
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
| Calories | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | Less than | 65g |
| Sat Fat | Less than | 25g |
| Cholesterol | Less than | 300mg |
| Sodium | Less than | 2,400mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 300g | |
| Dietary Fiber | 25g | |
** Anyone else in cookie overload? How do you satisfy your sweet tooth? **
Kate @ Framed Cooks says
I am TRYING to be on cookie hiatus, since I ate a million of them over the holidays, but it is HARD. These look like the perfect solution. 🙂
Kathryn says
Haha, the struggle is real 🙂 Hope these help!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
My belly is clearly not done with cookies yet, because I have been eating one cookie a day for the past week & 1/2. And my cookie of choice has been oatmeal raisin! So when I saw this post (first thing this morning), I kind of freaked out with joy… and wondered if you knew my little naughty secret! 😉 I definitely need to kick my habit, so thank you for posting these no bake balls! I am making these today for sure!! Pinned! Cheers, my dear! Xo
Kathryn says
I have not been spying on you and your cookie habits, but happy to hear this will satisfy the oatmeal raisin craving 🙂 Hope you enjoy these! XO
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
Yummy! I love having food like this around. Your recipe looks fantastic!
Kathryn says
Thanks Julie! These definitely help keep me on track 🙂
Calista says
Ooooh, these look SO GOOD! Kinda like little deconstructed oatmeal raisin cookies! I’m a little over cookies at the moment too…or at least for the next couple days LOL so these are perfect!
Kathryn says
Thanks Calista! And YES, they are exactly like a deconstructed oatmeal raisin cookie. Just a little healthier 🙂 I’m sure I’ll be back to cookies soon enough too, but in the meantime, these are absolutely taking care of that craving!
Lisa @ Chocolate Meets Strawberry says
These were AMAZING, Kathryn! We are both totally enamoured in this household. I’ve been making my raw lemon slice recently to have on hand for snacking, but we love to change things up every couple of weeks so these are going to be taking over! We both ate about five in a row after I made them, and I have had to put them in the fridge now to keep my hands off them! So addictive. I tweaked the recipe just slightly: instead of adding water to add moisture, I used about 1 tsp of rice malt syrup, which brought everything together nicely and made it sticky enough to roll into balls. Thanks so much for the recipe 😀
Kathryn says
I’m so happy to hear you loved them! They are definite favorites around here 🙂 And yes, addictive!
Adina says
I love this kind of things but I haven’t made any in quite a long time. I think is time to make some again, if only to keep my husband off chocolate for a while. 🙂
Kathryn says
Haha, I’m a chocolate lover for sure, but this is a good, clean change of pace!
Willow | Will Cook For Friends says
Hahaha! My husband ALWAYS says “I am SO done with chocolate,” and then like, two seconds later I see him eating a handful of chocolate chips. Every. Single. Time. So when you opened with that line I couldn’t stop laughing!
These cookie balls sound dangerously delicious. I love healthy(er) bites for when I get a craving for something sweet, so I will definitely be pinning these for the next time my sweet tooth hits!
Kathryn says
That cracks me up! I hope these become a good, easy fix for both of you 🙂
Mollie says
I love this idea for a healthy snack – and I always have all of these things in my cupboard. Somehow I never had the insight to combine them! Thanks for linking up to us on Throwback Thursday and we’ll be pinning to our board! Be sure to visit us there and I can’t wait to see what you’ll be bringing next week.
Kathryn says
Thanks Mollie! They make such a great little snack 🙂 And thanks for hosting such a delicious party!
Mahy says
I love these Kathryn! Brilliant and comfort a the same time!!
Kathryn says
Thanks Mahy!! They are super tasty!
Lauren @ Create Bake Make says
I know the feeling, I’m a little over sweet food at the moment – crazy I know! These look great and I can’t wait to try them
Kathryn says
Haha, just a short break from sweets, maybe 😉 Thanks for stopping by, Lauren!
Nikki says
I’ve been meaning to make no-bake cookie balls for awhile. They just look so easy and fast. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Kathryn says
They ARE so easy and fast (part of the reason I’m addicted. The other part being how super yummy they are) – hope you give them a try 🙂
Katie Crenshaw says
These look great! I am going to make these for my daughter to try! xoxo
Kathryn says
Thanks!! Let me know how she likes them Katie! XO
Quirky Homemaker says
They look awesome! I’ve pinned it. Stopping by from What’s Cookin’ Wednesday.
Kathryn says
Thanks so much!
Paloma says
The oats are not supposed to be cooked right? These look delicious!
Kathryn says
Hi Paloma! Correct, the oats are raw. They are ground up and mixed in with everything, so you don’t have that raw taste when you roll up these cookie balls. Hope you give them a try!
Martha DeCastro says
These sound great and I’d like to try them. But there is some essential information missing from this post. First, how many does one recipe make – and – is a serving one ball? If so, they are too rich for my daily calorie allowance at 128 kcal per serving. Please revise the post with the needed info. Thanks so much!
Kathryn says
Hi Martha! As stated in the recipe card, this makes 9-10 cookie balls. It depends on how you roll them. And yes, a serving is 1 ball. The nutritional information listed is for 9 balls, but you could roll smaller balls and make 12, for instance, to reduce the calorie count. Hope that helps!
Linda K says
Hello Kathryn. I just found your recipe post and would like to make them today. However, I just came from the store, which is CRAZY, due a pending storm coming and really do not want to get back into that zoo. I do not have dates on hand. Is it possible to make these eliminating the dates or substituting something else without compromising the taste? Thanks, in advance.
Kathryn says
Hi Linda! I’m not sure there’s a good substitution here, as the dates add both the chewy texture (which helps bind the other ingredients) and the sweetness for this recipe. I’m sorry – I know how frustrating that is! I do have some oatmeal raisin breakfast cookies though that would make a good snack if you like these flavors: https://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/oatmeal-raisin-breakfast-cookies/ Stay safe in the storm!