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 does not require baking at all. The second recipe uses a stove, and the third recipe only 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 butter, whipped with 1/3 cup 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 oats, 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk, and ½ teaspoon 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 waxed 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 the standard no-bake cookies my “kitchen sink cookies,” because I like to add whatever I have on hand to them. The only concern is maintaining a balance between the wet and dry ingredients, so they firm up when 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 you use cocoa, only use ¼ cup of cocoa powder. Cook for one minute after it boils. Add ½ cup of plain or chunky peanut butter, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 3 cups of oats. Place on waxed paper and chill. Try different extracts, such as cinnamon or peppermint, but use less than a teaspoon. I keep caramel flavorings on hand that only require a few drops for great flavor.
Oats soak up 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 oats, dig into the bottom of a cereal box and use the crumbs to get 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’s a recipe that only makes a dozen cookies. You can double the recipe, but they are very tasty. Microwave on low to melt ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and let cool (or use ¼ cup carob powder and skip the microwave). If the flakes don’t melt (and some won’t), just crush them into a powder. Mix 2 ounces of cream cheese. Add 1 large chopped strawberry. (I’ve 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 shape into 1-inch balls. Microwave some Candy Melt flavored potato chips until melted (use the defrost setting for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes) and dip the cold balls into the melted potato chips. Place on waxed paper and refrigerate until set. I rate these PG for mature audiences. They may be richer than your youngest children can appreciate!