Easy No-Bake Christmas Cookie Recipes

Peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies and more holiday treats you can make without an oven.

You don’t need to hear the lecture again about how the holidays are different this year because of COVID-19. You shouldn’t gather, yada, yada, yada ― you’re probably too tired to do the annual cookie exchange anyway. But if Christmas cookies are an important part of the way you celebrate the holidays, there’s a way to keep that tradition alive without expending any energy at all.

No-bake cookies are here to preserve your sanity.

With the help of some sticky raw ingredients (you’ll notice most of these feature peanut butter or almond butter), these no-bake cookies can be thrown together and eaten totally raw. No oven is necessary, so there’s no risk of forgetting there are cookies in the oven and setting off all your smoke detectors. And better yet, there’s no need to wait for them to come out of the oven before you can eat them.

Go forth and ... well, don’t bake.

1
Minimalist Baker
3-Ingredient No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
2
Minimalist Baker
Coconut No-Bake Cookies
3
Hummingbird High
No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies (vegan and gluten-free)
4
Averie Cooks
Chocolate Peanut Butter Stacks
5
Minimalist Baker
Almond Butter No-Bake Cookies
6
Completely Delicious
No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
7
Half Baked Harvest
Ridiculously Easy No-Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies
8
Minimalist Baker
Easy No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies
9
How Sweet Eats
No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
10
Averie Cooks
No-Bake Samoas Cookie Granola Bars
11
How Sweet Eats
No-Bake Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
12
Half Baked Harvest
Healthy No-Bake Salted Dark Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Bars

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Before You Go

15 Sweet Gifts For The Bakers In Your Life
Ninja Professional XL food processor(01 of15)
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"I love that this machine is multi-purpose. I make a lot of carrot cakes this time of year, and believe it or not I was shredding my carrots by hand until my boyfriend gifted me this for my birthday. You can even use it to mix dough (sticky buns anyone?)." — Jenneh Kaikai, owner and cake artist, Pelah Kitchen (credit:Amazon)
Gir spatula(02 of15)
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"You really can never have too many spatulas. They are useful for scraping the last bits of batter out of bowls or for mixing high-heat foods like caramel or berry compotes for cake fillings." — Kaikai (credit:Amazon)
Iris Hantverk bakery brush(03 of15)
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"This tool might might seem totally unnecessary, but it's the best way to clean up flour on a surface and it makes it fun!" — Molly Wilkinson, pastry chef and founder of MollyJWilk Pastry (credit:Amazon)
A spherical shell madeleine pan(04 of15)
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"Typically, madeleines are a longer thinner shape, but the ones in this pan are rounder, meaning an interesting shape, and more cake to eat! The pan has a great non-stick surface too, ideal for the delicate design." — Wilkinson (credit:Amazon)
Ateco decorating kit(05 of15)
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"If I hadn't already given these separately to my mom, I would buy this. Having good tools make things easier, and these do just that." — Wilkinson (credit:Amazon)
The Sugar Art Diamondust edible gold shimmer(06 of15)
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"For making everything sparkly and bright, this really is the perfect finish to take anything over the top." — Wilkinson (credit:Amazon)
Oxo 11-pound stainless steel scale(07 of15)
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"Most bakers use the metric system when baking because it allows us to get the most consistent results. A kitchen scale is an exceptionally thoughtful gift to a baker because 9 times out of 10, we only have one scale and it's probably beaten up and coated in millions of layers of flour. Your baker friend will be so grateful for such a simple but impactful gift." — Britney Chamberlain, food blogger and photographer

"Kitchen scales are a game changer for baking. Your measurements are far more accurate than using measuring cups. The pull out display is on my wish list because having to crane your neck beneath a large mixing bowl can be cumbersome." — Kaikai
(credit:Sur La Table)
Williams-Sonoma Goldtouch Pro nonstick corrugated half sheet pan(08 of15)
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"Bakers aren't fussy and simple gifts really can go a long way! You can never have too many nonstick baking sheets. They're perfect for cookies, breads, pastries, sheet cakes etc. They're even perfect for savory sheet pan meals — because bakers have to eat too! This pan is my favorite." — Chamberlain
(credit:Williams-Sonoma)
KitchenAid Pro Line 7-quart stand mixer(09 of15)
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"If you're looking for a splurge item, a stand mixer is a baker's BFF in the kitchen. The stand mixer has SO many functions and is truly [a powerhouse]. If you really want to 'wow' your baker friend or mate, they'll be thanking you all year long!" — Chamberlain (credit:Williams-Sonoma)
KitchenAid cordless 7-speed hand mixer(10 of15)
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"A budget-friendly runner-up is this cordless hand mixer. It's amazing because it allows you to move however you want without the restriction of a cord." — Chamberlain (credit:Amazon)
Stonewall Kitchen dessert topping set(11 of15)
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"I'm such a big fan of Stonewall Kitchen's products. I received this collection last year as a gift and it felt like such a perfect gift for me, as a home baker. I used these up throughout the year on everything from ice cream to brownies to cake and I cannot wait to get these again this year." — Kimberlee Ho, founder of Kick Ass Baker (credit:Amazon)
Challenger Bread Pan(12 of15)
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"This is a big indulgence, but something I've wanted for a long time. As a home baker who loves to bake bread, I see people baking such beautiful loaves with this product. I want to bake beautiful loaves, too!" — Ho (credit:Challenger Breadware)
Emile Henry 9-inch pie dish(13 of15)
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"I would love to receive a beautiful Emile Henry ceramic pie dish in my favorite color because it's just a little more than I would normally spend on myself but a piece that could be passed on for generations!" — Tessa Arias, cookbook author and founder of Handle the Heat (credit:Amazon)
Nielsen-Massey pure vanilla bean paste(14 of15)
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"For a stocking stuffer, I'll always be thrilled to receive some high quality vanilla bean paste, such as Nielsen-Massey." — Arias (credit:Amazon)
ThermoWorks classic super-fast Thermapen(15 of15)
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"I'd also love to receive a Thermapen instant read digital thermometer to use for everything from candy-making to testing a banana bread for doneness (perfect temperature is around 200 degrees) as well as savory preparations too! It's a pricier item but makes all the difference in the kitchen." — Arias (credit:ThermoWorks)

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