No-bake drop cookies are a quick and easy dessert you can make year-round, but not turning on the oven is especially helpful in the heat of summer. No-bake cookie recipes are versatile, and you can substitute any of the ingredients to make dozens of unique variations.
Basic Recipe
You will need 2 cups of crisp rice cereal or old-fashioned oatmeal, ½ cup of chopped almonds, ½ cup of chopped, dried apricots, 1¼ cups of white chocolate chips and ¼ tsp. of almond extract.
Preparation
Line two to three cookie sheets with parchment paper or simply lay sheets of parchment paper out on a table or countertop. In a large bowl, stir together the cereal, almonds and apricots and set them aside. Melt the white chocolate chips either in the microwave or on your stove. If you are using the microwave, place the chips in a microwave safe bowl and stop the microwave to stir them every 20 seconds until they are completely melted -- about one to two minutes. If you melt the chips on the stove, use a double boiler over medium-low heat and stir the chips every one to two minutes until they are completely melted -- about five to seven minutes. Stir the almond extract into the white chocolate once it is completely melted.
Assembly
Pour the white chocolate mixture over the cereal mixture and stir it until the cereal is evenly coated. Drop the cereal mixture by the tablespoon onto sheets of parchment paper and let them sit, undisturbed, until they are firm. The cookies will cool and firm faster if you place them in the refrigerator or freezer.
Substitutions
Any cereal can take the place of the crisp rice or oatmeal. When you are making substitutions, consider what you want the texture of the cookies to be. For an interesting twist, you can even try substituting chow mein noodles. The fruit and nut combinations are nearly endless as well. Try dried peaches and chopped pecans or walnut and fig for an air of sophistication. Making substitutions to the chocolate and the almond extract probably have the largest impact on flavor, so consider what flavors will best complement your choice of fruit when you are deciding whether to use white or dark chocolate or substitute vanilla or orange extract for the almond extract.
References
- "No-Bake Cookies"; Camilla V. Saulsbury; 2006
- "Most Loved Cookies"; Jean Pare; 2005
- Best Ever Cookie Collection; No Bake Drop Cookies; 2011
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