These No-Bake Chocolate Pecan Cookies are made with simple ingredients for an easy recipe that will cure all your sweet and savory cravings in minutes! Prepare them ahead of time for sweet treats all week long.
The Best Kind of Cookies
Is there anything better than a no-bake cookie recipe? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love baking. Truly, I do! There’s just something so special about spending a cozy afternoon experimenting in the kitchen or getting in some quality time with my kiddos in between bites of cookie dough batter. However, for those times when you’ve got a serious craving that needs to be cured fast, nothing beats no-bake! With recipes like my No-Bake Chocolate Oat Bars, Cookie Dough Brownie Protein Bars, and even No-Bake Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Pie, I’m doing my best to satisfy all your tastebuds’ needs with simple recipes that don’t even require you to turn on the oven. I know, I know, you’re welcome.
However, I seemed to have skipped right over one of the best combinations ever with a serious lack of chocolate and pecan recipes in my no-bake arsenal. Obviously that had to be changed ASAP! So, I quickly got to work combining a few of my favorite pantry staples to create these No-Bake Chocolate Pecan Cookies! Somewhat of a mix between chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal cookies, they’re sweet, have bits of crunchiness, and are completely irresistible! So, ready to get cooking…or, no-baking, if that’s even a word?! Either way, let’s get in the kitchen!
Ingredients for Pecan Cookies
As per usual, I did my best to keep these chocolate pecan cookies as simple as possible, and I think I nailed it with this one! Chances are you already have all (or at least 90%) of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. Just to be sure, though, double check the ingredient list below.
Oats – For the best texture, I highly recommend sticking with old fashioned oats.
Granola – I used chocolate pecan granola, but a plain chocolate granola would work well, too.
If you don’t have granola available, swap it out for an additional ¾ cup of oats and ¼ cup of pecans! All you have to do is add the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until a crumble is made. Also, if you replace the granola, be sure to add an additional tablespoon of cacao powder to the cookies.
Nut Butter – I prefer almond butter due to its mild flavor, but you could technically use any nut or seed butter you prefer. Just keep in mind that the flavor of the pecan cookies will vary slightly based on what you use.
*Georgia Grinders is my favorite brand for all nut butter needs, but feel free to use whatever you like best! However, if you want to give it a try, code: kellyk will give you a discount!
Coconut Oil – If you don’t have coconut oil on hand, butter would work as well.
Maple Syrup – Maple syrup adds a hint of sweetness while also helping to hold the rest of the ingredients together. If you prefer, honey could be used in its place, but your pecan cookies will taste slightly different.
Cacao Powder – Cacao powder is the key ingredient to creating super rich and chocolatey pecan cookies. Technically, it could be omitted, but I don’t recommend it. Afterall, the more chocolate the better!
Pantry Staples – I also used pantry staples including salt and vanilla to create these cookies. Toppings – Optional but recommended, I added a drizzle of chocolate and chocolate pecans to the top of these cookies!
Optional Add-Ins
Admittedly, these pecan cookies have a lot going on already, but more is always better, right? If you want, feel free to add additional ingredients such as chocolate chips, pecan pieces, pretzel pieces, and more!
How to Make the Best Chocolate Pecan Cookies
- Pulse. To start, pulse the oats and granola in a high-speed blender or food processor until they are broken down but not quite a powder consistency.
- Melt. Using a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil, maple syrup, and almond butter over medium heat until the mixture starts to bubble. Then, add in the cacao powder, and stir until the ingredients are completely combined.
- Remove from Heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and add in the salt and vanilla, giving it a good stir to combine.
- Pour. Pour the sauce over the crumbled oats, and stir until the oats are well-coated.
- Form cookies. Let the chocolate sauce cool slightly. Then, using an ice cream scoop or your hands, form equally sized cookies, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate.
- Refrigerate. Place the cookies in the fridge until they have completely cooled.
- Add Toppings (if desired). Once cooled, drizzle the pecan cookies with melted chocolate, and top them with chopped pecans. Then, store them in the refrigerator until they are completely set. This wil take about 30 minutes.
How to Store No-Bake Chocolate Pecan Cookies
I highly recommend making a big batch of these cookies to have on hand all week long. Trust me, they go fast! Luckily, there are lots of storage options listed below to keep them fresh.
Room Temperature: Place leftover cookies in an airtight container or plastic bag, and keep them at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Fridge: For slightly longer storage times, store your cookies in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Freezer: Or, store your leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.
More Chocolate Cookie Recipes
- White Chocolate Chip Chocolate Cookies
- PB Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
I hope you guys love these pecan cookies as much as I do! Honestly, I’ve been munching on them all week and definitely need to make more. Are you team no-bake or baked cookies? Let me know in the comments below!
No-Bake Chocolate Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup of old fashioned oats
- 1 cup of granola I used chocolate pecan but a chocolate granola would work well.
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 6 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- Pinch of salt
- Splash of vanilla
Optional toppings:
- Drizzle of chocolate + pecans
Instructions
- Pulse your oats and granola in a high speed blender until they are broken up but not powder. *alternatively, use quick oats!
- Pour your oats into a medium sized bowl and set aside.
- In a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt the coconut oil, maple syrup and almond butter together until the mixture starts to bubble.
- Add in the cacao powder and stir until completely combined. Take the sauce pan off the heat and add in the salt and vanilla.
- Pour the mixture over the oats and stir until well combined. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes until you’re able to touch it.
- Using an ice cream scoop or your hands, scoop out equally sized cookies and place them on a parchment lined plate. Place the plate in your refrigerator until the cookies have cooled completely – about 30 minutes.
- To add the optional toppings, simply drizzle the cookies with melted chocolate once they’re cooled. Top them with a whole pecan and place them back in the refrigerator until set and enjoy!
