Tag Archives: cocoa powder

Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

No-bake recipes come in very handy when the weather is hot and humid. And since I was wanting to make something chocolate, I thought Chocolate No-Bake Cookies would be perfect!

I remember the very first time I had a No-Bake Cookie–I was probably about 7 or 8, and a friend had given me some her mother had made. My mom had never made these cookies and I wanted to find out how to make them. My friend said it was easy–just mix cocoa powder, peanut butter, and oatmeal together and let them set. That’s how we exchanged our simple childhood recipes back then–word of mouth, no specific amounts for the ingredients, and the ingredients were minimal. So I did what my friend said and was so disappointed when the cookies never set! Of course I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong and my friend insisted that was the correct way to make them, so these cookies were a mystery to me for awhile. Eventually I forgot about trying to make them and went on to make other more dependable recipes…like Chocolate Chip cookies!

But recently, I’ve been noticing some no-bake recipes on different sites and decided that these No-Bakes were worth another try. I found a recipe at FoodNetwork.com that looked pretty fool-proof–and it is! I just made mine a little larger than the original recipe. These no-bake cookies set up just fine!

CHOCOLATE NO-BAKE COOKIES by NancyC, very slightly adapted from FoodNetwork.com

Makes 50 to 60 cookies, depending on size

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter (or substitute unsalted butter and add a dash of salt)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper; set aside.

In a medium size saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa and stirring occasionally, bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute; remove from heat. Add in the peanut butter, vanilla, salt, and oats; stir to combine.

Drop rounded 1/2 Tablespoonfuls (or rounded teaspoonfuls for smaller cookies) of the mixture onto prepared baking sheets and let cool for 45 to 60 minutes. Store refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.

Note: For oatier cookies, add an extra 1/2 cup of oats or decrease amount of peanut butter to 1/2 cup.

These Chocolate No-Bake Cookies are such a classic treat! When was the last time you made them? Do you make yours any differently?

Linked to Inspire Me Monday, Full Plate Thursday, Let’s Get Real Friday, Wow Us Wednesdays, Inspiration Thursday, Show and Share.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Breakfast Shake

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Chocolate for breakfast? Yes, please. Especially when it’s a healthier way to have chocolate. This may not sound very healthy, but don’t let the words “chocolate” or “shake” fool you. There’s lots of good-for-you ingredients in this–banana, peanut butter, honey, unsweetened cocoa powder, Greek yogurt, and low-fat milk (you can sub non-dairy products in this, too). This shake has a super-rich chocolatey taste with a hint of peanut butter and banana and it’s so smooth and creamy!

If you like having chocolate in the morning, make this for breakfast. Or drink it for an afternoon snack…or have it as a dinner dessert–it’s great any time of day! One thing to remember is that you do have to plan ahead a little–you need to cut a banana into chunks and put in the freezer so it’s frozen when you make your shake–I usually do this the night before I’m going to make it.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BREAKFAST SHAKE by NancyC

Makes 1 (10-ounce) serving

1 medium banana, cut into chunks and frozen (do this the day before you’re making it, or at least several hours ahead of time)

2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tablespoon natural creamy peanut butter

1 Tablespoon honey

1/2 cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt or soy yogurt

1/4 cup low fat milk, soy milk, or almond milk

Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour in a glass and serve immediately.

This shake is a real treat and while it’s great for breakfast, I really like making it in the afternoon–that’s when I tend to crave chocolate. When would you make this?

Linked to Wow Me Wednesday, Wonderful Wednesday, Whimsy Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Let’s Get Real Friday, Foodie Friday, Inspire Me Monday.

Avocado Chocolate Mousse

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Sometimes I get the greatest recipes when I’m in the lunchroom at work! Like this Avocado Chocolate Mousse. I got the recipe from Robin, who has a blog of her own. She was telling me about a health and nutrition event she went to where they were preparing recipes with healthy ingredients and this Avocado Chocolate Mousse was one of them. I love avocados, but avocado and chocolate? Robin assured me that this mousse tasted like a creamy chocolate truffle and she was right!

This mousse is very rich, but in a healthy way–so you’ll want to use tiny dessert glasses, like they do in some restaurants, to serve this. It will definitely satisfy your chocolate cravings! And it’s dairy-free, unless you decide to top it with a little light whipped cream like I did. Thanks for sharing this recipe, Robin! 🙂

AVOCADO CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Makes 4 small servings

2 large ripe avocados

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup agave nectar or honey (I used honey)

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Optional: light whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles, for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Top with light whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles, if desired.

Note: This can be made the day before you serve it.

You don’t really need to add the whipped cream or sprinkles because this mousse tastes great all by itself–but it does make the dessert look a little cuter! Have you made any dessert recipes using avocado as an ingredient?

I’m linking this to Fiesta Friday at the Novice Gardener.