Kids love cookies, but moms are often too busy to bother baking them in the summer. But wouldn’t it be great if kids could make their own? The first recipe requires no baking at all. The second recipe uses a stove and the third recipe just needs a microwave. Because these are not baked, you don’t have to worry about the chemistry of the ingredients. That makes them practically proof!
RECIPE 1 NO BAKE COOKIE DOUGH: Here’s a twist on a no bake cookie. The recipe calls for ¼ cup of creamed butter with 1/3 cup of brown sugar. If you don’t have brown sugar, use regular sugar. (If you’re a purist, add a teaspoon of molasses or maple extract.) Add 1 cup of oatmeal, 7 ounces of sweetened condensed milk, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract. Add ½ cup of chips or nuts or ¼ cup of each. Shape dough into one-inch round balls or use a cookie scoop. Place on wax paper and chill for about an hour. With a tablespoon-sized scoop, you should get about 25 cookies.
I collect different chips throughout the year to use to decorate cookies at Christmas. So I have coffee, peanut butter, red cherry, spearmint, yogurt, and caramel flavored chips that I like to use for variety and color. I also keep different chopped nuts in the fridge. Mix and match to your heart’s content to complete that last half cup.
I call standard no-bake cookies my “kitchen sink cookies,” because I like to add whatever I have on hand to them. The only concern is to maintain a balance between the wet and dry ingredients, so they harden as they cool.
RECIPE 2 STANDARD NO BAKE COOKIES: In addition to nuts and chips, I also like to add coconut flakes. For those allergic to chocolate, I have adapted this carob powder recipe. So mix 2 cups of sugar with ½ cup of milk, butter and carob powder in a pan. If using cocoa, just use ¼ cup of cocoa powder. Cook for one minute after it boils. Add ½ cup of plain or chunky peanut butter, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 3 cups of oatmeal. Place on wax paper and cool. Try different extracts, like cinnamon or peppermint, but use less than a teaspoon. I keep caramel flavorings on hand that only require a few drops for great flavor.
The oats absorb a lot of the moisture, so I use a little less if I add nuts, chips, or coconut flakes. The recipe is quite forgiving and allows for a lot of experimentation. If you’re short on oatmeal, dig into the bottom of a cereal box and use the crumbs to make the 3 cups. You can also crush up some cereal, whole-grain crackers, or vanilla wafers to compensate.
3 NO BAKE STRAWBERRY BALLS RECIPE: Now for sheer decadence, here is a recipe that only makes a dozen cookies. You can double the recipe, but they are very rich. Microwave on low to melt ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips and set aside to cool (or use ¼ cup carob powder and skip microwave). If the flakes don’t melt (and some won’t), simply grind them into a powder. Blend in 2 ounces of cream cheese. Add 1 large chopped strawberry. (I have also used 5-6 raspberries).
Add 20 crushed vanilla wafers. Use more wafers if the dough is too thin. Refrigerate 2 hours until firm, then form into 1-inch balls. Microwave some Candy Melt flavored chips until melted (use the defrost setting for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes) and dip the cold balls into the melted chips. Place on waxed paper and refrigerate until set. I rate these PGs for mature audiences. They may be richer than your younger children can appreciate!