While recently testing a gluten-free pie crust using almond and oat flour, we made a delicious discovery. While the crust didn’t turn out so well once baked, we couldn’t believe how much the raw dough tasted just like sugar cookie dough! And just like that, a recipe was born.
These 6-ingredient, 1 bowl, 30-minute sugar cookie dough bites are perfect any time of year (and the flavor variations are endless!), and they’re especially great in the warmer months when you just can’t bear to turn on the oven. We topped ours with melted coconut butter (swoon!), but they’re also delicious as is or rolled in vegan-friendly sprinkles. Let us show you how it’s done!
These cookie dough bites start with a base of oat flour and almond flour. These wholesome flours provide a little fiber, healthy fats, protein, and minerals to help fend off the sugar crash that’s all too common with regular sugar cookies.
Sea salt and vanilla add sugar cookie flavor, maple syrup adds sweetness, and coconut oil transforms them into rollable, bite-sized balls. After a quick 15 minutes of chilling in the refrigerator, they’re ready to enjoy!
Lastly, if you’re feeling a little festive, glaze these delicious bites with melted coconut butter “frosting” and top with sprinkles and/or desiccated coconut. Aren’t they the cutest?!
We hope you ENJOY these cookie dough bites! They’re:
Perfectly sweet
Vanilla-infused
Tender
Quick & easy
& Taste just like sugar cookie dough!
They’re the perfect treat any time you’re craving something sweet but want to keep the house cool or don’t have much time or energy. They also keep well in the refrigerator and freezer, making them easy to enjoy a sweet treat without eating the whole batch (okay maybe not easy — but we’re all about treating ourselves, friends!).
More No-Bake Cookie Recipes
- Vegan Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
- Easy No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 3-Ingredient No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
No-Bake Sugar Cookie Bites
Ingredients
COOKIE DOUGH
- 1 cup oat flour (certified gluten-free as needed)
- 1 cup almond flour (not meal)
- 1/8 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
- 3 Tbsp melted refined coconut oil
- 4 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
GLAZE optional
- 2 Tbsp melted coconut butter
FOR TOPPING optional
- Shredded / desiccated coconut
- Vegan-friendly sprinkles (gluten-free as needed)
Instructions
- Line a small baking sheet or flat plate with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together oat flour, almond flour, and salt. Next add coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir with a spoon until dough comes together and resembles cookie dough. It should be slightly tacky but not stick to your hands, and it shouldn’t be crumbly. If too dry, add a bit more maple syrup or melted coconut oil.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more maple syrup for sweetness, vanilla to taste, or salt to balance / enhance the flavors.
- Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, scoop out dough and roll into balls. We recommend placing the dough in the palm of one hand and using gentle pressure with the middle three fingers of your other hand to roll into a ball. If they’re too crumbly, they likely just need a bit more maple syrup or melted coconut oil to help moisten. They don’t roll quite as easily as date bites (which are stickier) but do hold together well once rolled.
- Place cookie bites onto the parchment-lined plate or baking sheet. If topping only with sprinkles, roll the bites in sprinkles and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. If adding glaze, chill the bites for 15 minutes in the refrigerator or freezer before adding glaze.
- GLAZE: Melt coconut butter until just spoonable / pourable. Then drizzle onto the chilled sugar cookie bites. Option to decorate with sprinkles or shredded coconut. Transfer back to the refrigerator or freezer to chill for 15 minutes, then enjoy!
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Best enjoyed chilled or at room temperature.
Nancy says
My son used this recipe for a large class of elementary school children to great success! He used the recipe as written and each child split their portion in two, flattening one piece and using a cookie cutter, then rolling the rest into a ball and rolling in sprinkles. Both “cookies” were refrigerated for ~30 minutes and then devoured! Even the pickiest eaters gave these cookies rave review
Aw, that is such a cute idea! We’re so glad the kids enjoyed the cookies. Thank you for sharing, Nancy! xo
Brittany Ellison says
Wow! This tastes REALLY good and is so easy!!! i rolled some of my balls in crushed peppermint candies. Delicious and so festive too! Thank you for a great recipe. It is the first vegan dessert I’ve ever made.
That is such a fun and festive twist! We’re so glad you enjoyed the cookie bites :) Thank you for sharing, Brittany! xo
Marie says
Hi! Would these work as cakepops? Like do they hold together enough?
Hm, good question! We think they might be a bit too dry, but it could be worth experimenting!
Nic says
Can you use another oil (we aren’t fans of coconut oil)?
Hi Nic, coconut oil helps them firm up in the refrigerator. You could sub another neutral-flavored oil, but they may be more tender. Hope that helps!
Lili says
Is there any way to sub out the oat flour??
Hi Lili, we think sorghum flour or a lesser amount of coconut flour might work but may be a little gritty. We haven’t tested it though. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Susan says
Do you think these would freeze well?
Yes!
sara says
These are so easy and SO delicious! An amazing recipe to make with toddlers/kids, and a perfect little healthy treat to add to school lunches! Thank you!
We’re so glad you and your family are enjoying them, Sara. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Rebecca says
So simple yet so good! Added chocolate chips to half for my chocolate loving kid and its a huge hit. We love simple treats that satisfy our sweet tooth!
Delicious! We’re so glad you’re enjoying them. Thank you for sharing, Rebecca! xo
Heather says
I love this recipe! I am dairy-free, wheat-free, and sugar-free. I make it often and simply eat out of the bowl with a fork. LOL! Occasionally, I’ll add sugar-free dark chocolate chips, microwave for 15 secs, and stir for a gooey chocolatey chocolate chip cookie dough. version
Ooo that sounds extra delicious! Thank you for the lovely review, Heather! xo
Katy says
Made these today – yum! I swapped out half the almond flour for vegan protein powder, and added a handful of DF mini chocolate chips for texture. I did need a bit extra liquid since the protein sucks up moisture :-) but they came out great! Thanks!
That sounds delicious, Katy! Thank you for sharing! xo
Lindsey says
Can you use applesauce instead of the oil?
Hi Lindsey! We haven’t tried it, but it could work! Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Anna Trajkovic says
How can I make this nut free ?
Hi Anna, another reader mentioned using sunflower seed meal with success. A lesser amount of coconut flour (if tolerated) may also work. Let us know if you try it!
Anna Trajkovic says
Thank you. How much coconut flour would you use ?
Hi Anna, we haven’t tried it so we aren’t certain, but perhaps 3-4 tablespoons?
Emily says
Can you use a different flour other than almond?
Hi Emily, another reader mentioned using sunflower seed meal with success. A lesser amount of coconut flour may also work. Let us know if you try it!
Anita says
I have tried a lot of your receipes…most are VERY good. Your website has soo many advertisements that pop up everywhere making it hard to find an follow your video..hopefully you can fix that…other than that..I enjoy your receipes
Hi Anita, we’re so glad you enjoy many of our recipes! Thank you for your honest feedback and sorry for any inconvenience. We always try to optimize for user experience, while also having ads to keep the content free.
Lindsey VandenBerg says
SOOOO GOOD! What a treat these are! I used coconut butter instead of oil and it turned out perfect. I had no problem rolling these at all.
Wonderful! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Lindsey. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Belle says
I’ve made this twice. The first time with just the mix and glaze was great, though my partner said it was too sweet for his liking (so it’s perfect for kids). Still, he ate about five of them.
The second time I did a double batch with half a block of vegan chocolate, used a peeler to shred it into small pieces and mixed with the dry mix. I added less maple syrup and a table spoon of oat milk to replace the required syrup stickiness. I sprinkled pink and blue health stardust powders on the glaze just for visual (they’re pretty tasteless). Was a hit and I’ll continue to make with variations :) thank you!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Belle! xo
Barkha Patel says
My toddler asks for these everyday and helps me make them! We’re obsessed. They are so delicious and easy to make. I add sprinkles to the batter and it works well. Would love to hear about alternative flavours! Thanks so much!
Woohoo! We love to hear this. If you search “bites” on the site you can find a ton of other recipes! A couple of our favorites are the Almond Joy Energy Bites and the No Bake Lemon Poppyseed Donut Holes. Thanks so much for your review, Barkha! xo
Anna says
I made these last night and took them to work today. They were delicious. They remind me of a Tim Horton’s tidbit, the plain vanilla one. I followed the directions exactly and they were perfect. I may have added extra coconut oil by accident but it was great. I used unrefined coconut oil and the coconut tastes amazing! You could make so many variations of these. I will add these to my list of regulars now :-D Thank you!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Anna! Thank you for sharing! xo
VICKY says
I made these for my daughter bc she loves anything with sprinkles. And I ended up loving these more than she did lol! Really tasty with the coca butter yum! Any recommendation on healthier color sprinkles?
thanks!
Ha, love that! We like Supernatural brand!
Danielle says
Did you use the regular vanilla extract with alcohol or does it have to be an alcohol free version?
Hi Danielle, we used regular vanilla extract with alcohol.
veda says
Hi! what can u sub for the coconut butter for. XO
Hi Veda! The coconut butter in these bites is totally optional, but if you want an alternative glaze you could try the glaze from this recipe. Let us know what you think!
Christina says
You noted almond flour not meal and refined coconut oil. All i have is almond meal and unrefined coconut oil, what would be the notable differences??
Hi Christina! We haven’t tried it but we think both of those would work well here. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try! xo
Sara says
Absolutely amazing! I would choose one (or two!) of these bites over an actual sugar cookie. A delicious, nutritious snack and treat. My kids all love them as well. Our freezer has been stocked since the first time we made them. Do yourself a favor and do the same!
Sara says
And I’m sure the glaze option is fantastic, but we just roll them and eat them plain. Yum!
Woohoo! We’re so glad you and your kids enjoy them, Sara. Thank you so much for the lovely review! xo
Caroll Flores says
Super easy and yummy. I made this for my 2 college kids who are at home studying during COVID. Well really for my daughter who has nut allergies.
I warmed up the maple syrup and coconut oil for a bit in the microwave (not hot). I thought it might be easier to form the bites and voila… it worked! The “dough” held together nicely and quickly.
Trying the No Bake Vanilla Cake Bites now for my son who does NOT have nut allergies and saw the walnut version! Thank you!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Caroll! xo
Eva says
Awesome, delicious and super easy
Yay! Thank you for the lovely review, Eva! xo
Eliana Hotz says
Fun to make! Glazed half with coconut milk rolled in a graham cracker crumb crust and the other half in a coconut milk cinnamon icing sugar glaze. *Chefs kiss*
Oh my- YUM! Thanks so much for sharing, Eliana! xo
Wendy says
I have made these twice now and they are so yummy! The second time I added some chocolate chips because I was craving chocolate and they were good too. Thanks for another super recipe!
We’re so glad you’re enjoying them, Wendy! Love that chocolate chip idea. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Kate says
I make at least two batches of these per week. My toddler and I both absolutely love them. I couldn’t get the sprinkles to stick to the outside, so I started mixing the sprinkles in with the dough and the bites are perfect for us.
We’re so glad you both love them, Kate! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
LL says
These are so good!! I’ve made similar no-bake bites before but was never very into them. These are the first I’ve really enjoyed, the perfect texture, just sweet enough. The whole family loved them
Yay! We love to hear this. Thanks for the lovely review! xo
Liisa says
I made them with my 18 month old and we had so much fun together! I also made the glaze with cacao, coconut oil and maple syrup, rolled them in shredded coconut and they were soooooo extremely delicious! I loved them, my son loved them, and there were not enough left for my husband. Will definitely be making a bigger batch next time
We love to hear this! Thanks for sharing your experience. xo
Alyanna Marie says
I just made these! So yummy and everyone in my family loved them. Thanks for the idea!
We’re so glad you all enjoyed, Alyanna. Thanks for the kind review!
Jeni says
These were simple to make and delicious. My 2 year old ate 3 of them for breakfast.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Jeni!
CraftyGirlRules says
Are there any substitutes for almond flour I am deathly allergic to almond oil and anything with treenuts in them causes my throath to swell shut with caused me not to be able to breathe
Hi, another reader mentioned using sunflower seed meal with success. A lesser amount of coconut flour may also work. Let us know if you try it!
CFR says
So good. So easy. Next time going to add toasted coconut and white chocolate chips, press into a pan and cut into cubes. Thanks for the inspiration!
Woohoo! Thanks for the lovely review. So glad you enjoyed! xo
Allison says
Made these last night (anything with Vermont maple syrup is always a winner with us!) and like everything else from the site they did not disappoint. Made the oat flour in my coffee grinder in two small batches (always a good way to give it a good cleaning) and added a handful of Lily’s dark chocolate chips. Nice to have a recipe like this that doesn’t require the food processor (although we love the ones that do too – chocolate cake bites, vanilla cake bites, cashew bites….). Will make it into our regular rotation for sure!
Woohoo! So glad these are now included in your list of go-to bites, Allison! Thanks for the lovely review! xo
Carolyn says
Made these with my 3 year old and we are gobbling them up. Very good! Similar to the lemon “donut” ones that have been our standby, but even easier. We made our own oat flour in a mini food prep processor and it worked great!
Amazing! Thanks for the lovely review, Carolyn. So glad the bites were enjoyed by all! xo
Gg says
Made these yesterday, was out of coconut oil so used clarified butter/ghee and added ground cardamom and they were gone within couple of hours. Easy and yummy!
Yum! Thanks for sharing your experience, we’re glad you enjoyed them! xo
Jane says
Made these (as the recipe was written) and they were so easy and so delicious!
Woohoo! Thanks for the lovely review, Jane. We’re so glad you enjoyed! xo
Patricia says
So quick, easy and yummy. I made them as the recipe is written and they came out perfect. Thanks again for yet another great recipe, you never disappoint.
Amazing! Thanks for the lovely review, Patricia. We’re so happy you enjoyed the bites! xo
Michelle says
I noticed in the recipe there is a note to use almond flour and not almond meal. Is there a specific reason why almond meal couldn’t be used instead of flour?
Hi Michelle! Typically almond meal has a coarser texture and almond flour is more absorbent, which helps hold the bites together.
Carolyn says
and in my experience, almond flour is what really makes them taste/feel like cookies!
Sarah says
These look great! But: any suggestions for what we could substitute for the coconut oil?
Hi Sarah! We haven’t tried it but other readers have had success with increasing the maple syrup slightly and substituting a couple tablespoons applesauce for the oil. Let us know how it goes! xo
Melissa Casey says
This looks amazing – can’t wait to try. I’m wondering if there’s anything we could sub for the coconut oil? It’s an ingredient that doesn’t work well in our household. Thank you – for this recipe and for everything you create and share with us!
Hi Melissa! We haven’t tried it but other readers have had success with increasing the maple syrup slightly and substituting a couple tablespoons applesauce for the oil. Let us know how it goes! xo
Mary Ann Miller says
What do you say to those who claim you shouldn’t eat “raw” flours…that it hurts your digestive system ? Or is that just regular flours that do that?
Hi Mary Ann, we haven’t found it to be a problem, but if concerned, you could grind your own from oats and almonds. We have recipes here and here. Hope that’s helpful!
Susan says
Is it safe to eat uncooked oat and almond flour? I know some other kinds of GF flours say on the bag to toast it first if you’re not going to be baking the item.
Hi Susan! Unless someone is allergic oat flour and almond flour are safe to consume in their raw state. xo
Karen says
I can not have almond flour, what other alternative do you suggest. Coconut flour?
Hi Karen! That might work, but we haven’t tried it. Since coconut flour is more absorbent, we’d suggest starting with less of it. Let us know if you try it! xo
Debbie Agee says
What could you use to replace the oil?
Hi Debbie! We haven’t tried it but other readers have had success with increasing the maple syrup slightly and substituting a couple tablespoons applesauce for the oil. Let us know how it goes! xo
jaq says
This looks amazing!
Do you think these (& your other bites) would hold together well enough to put on a stick and dip (like a cake pop or cake popsicle)?
Thanks!
Hi Jaq! We haven’t tried it and we think the bites might be too soft to stay on a stick, but perhaps if you chilled them for at least 30 minutes it could work. Let us know how it goes! xo
Alu says
Can I sub both flours for spelt?
Hi Alu! We would not suggest using spelt here, the oat and almond flours bring a tender texture and nice flavor that spelt might not!
Michelle says
Just made these, but I subbed 1 Tbsp applesauce for the coconut oil and reduced the maple syrup to 2 Tbsp. They were so easy to make and very delicious!
Woohoo! Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Michelle! So glad you enjoyed! xo
Bernadette says
Thank you!!! For this idea
Jenny says
Do you have any suggestions on how these could be made oil free? THANKS!
Hi Jenny! We haven’t tried it but other readers have had success with increasing the maple syrup slightly and substituting a couple tablespoons applesauce for the oil. Let us know how it goes! xo
Suzanne Martinez says
Hello, I don’t do anything coconut. Can I leave the oil out?
Hi Suzanne! We haven’t tried it but other readers have had success with increasing the maple syrup slightly and substituting a couple tablespoons applesauce for the oil. Let us know how it goes! xo
Laura says
WOW!! These are delicious and so simple to make. I used sunflower flour in place of almond flour due to a nut allergy! Thank you so much.
Amazing! Thanks for the a lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Laura. So glad you enjoyed! xo
Holly says
Hello! I can’t wait to try these. Question: Did you use traditional sprinkles for these photos, and if so by which brand?
I’ve heard so many mixed reviews on that all-natural brand (expensive, too).
Hi Holly, We can’t remember where these ones were from, but we like Supernatural brand for an all natural brand.
Dee Hughes says
Hi! Wondering if I could add vanilla protein powder to increase the nutrition? Maybe sub some of the almond flour?
Hi Dee! We haven’t tried it but it sounds like it could work. Let us know how it goes! xo
Peter says
Hi,
I have a Coconut allergy. Any ideas to sub for coconut oil? Thanks!
Hi Peter! We haven’t tried it but we think avocado oil would work. We’d suggest starting with 2 Tbsp and increasing as needed. Let us know how it goes! xo
Julia says
What is coconut butter? Is it like butter or peanut butter?planning my shop to make these next week.
Hi Julia! Coconut butter is made from coconut flesh that’s been ground into paste. It should be in the aisle near the coconut oil! xo
Blake says
Could you use avocado oil or melted vegan butter instead of coconut oil? Thanks!
Hi Blake! We haven’t tried it with avocado oil but we think it would work! We wouldn’t recommend vegan butter here. Let us know how it goes! xo
Mona says
I am trying to eat low to no starch. Can I substitute coconut flour for the oat flour or is there some other low starch flour you can make these with?
That might work, but we haven’t tried it. Since coconut flour is more absorbent, we’d suggest starting with less of it. Let us know if you try it!
Anna says
This looks amazing! Sugar cookies are my favorite. Do you have a good replacement for the coconut oil?
Hi Anna! We haven’t tried it but we think avocado oil would work. We’d suggest starting with 2 Tbsp and increasing as needed. Let us know how it goes! xo
Stefani says
Can these be made oil free? If so how could I pull that off?
Hi Stefani! We haven’t tried it but other readers have had success with increasing the maple syrup slightly and substituting a couple tablespoons applesauce for the oil. Let us know how it goes! xo
Karina says
I’m actually allergic to almond flour, is there any substitution I can use?
Hi Karina, the closest sub would be cashew flour. Let us know if you try it!
Bayley says
I find tigernut flour works really well as an almond flour sub!! :)