These simple No Bake Apple Cinnamon Cookies are a sweet healthy snack for kids or grown-ups alike. They’re Paleo and vegan – refined sugar free, and made with just a few wholesome ingredients. A creamy cookie-dough texture and plenty of sweet cinnamon make them seriously addicting!
“Oh, I love those cookies” – quote from the pickiest kid – ever (Emily, age 7) – when she saw me finally editing photos for these scrumptious little no-bake apple cinnamon cookies. You know I take her opinions on my recipes extremely seriously (especially the sweet ones!)
So, even though I planned to share them with or without her comment, it’s a nice little boost of confidence – appreciated – since it was actually about a month ago that I made the first batch.
A little about the cookies now! Since I’ve been drowning in all kinds of cinnamon goodies lately, I just had to see how an apple-cinnamon version of my go-to no-bake cookies would come out.
Are No-Bake Apple Cinnamon Cookies gluten free?
Yes! All recipes on Paleo Running Momma are gluten free. This no-bake cookie recipe calls for coconut flour, a naturally gluten free substance.
How to Sweeten Cookies without Refined Sugar
Typically, I sweeten my no-bake cookies with bananas and dates – like in my banana chocolate chip no-bake cookies – and they’re always a hit. I used Medjool dates in this Apple Cinnamon Cookie recipe, which gives them a caramel-like taste that is just perfect for a fall apple recipe.
I also really loved how they came out when I used coconut butter instead of nut butter for my chocolate ones. So, coconut butter and applesauce it was!
Ingredients Needed for No Bake Apple Cinnamon Cookies
It doesn’t take many ingredients to make these delicious no bake cookies. Here’s what you’ll need:
Medjool Dates
Coconut butter
Applesauce (unsweetened)
Coconut flour
Vanilla extract
Sea salt
Cinnamon
To prepare the dates for baking, remove the pits and soften them in water by microwaving them for about 20 seconds. Let them soak for a few minutes to make sure that they are soft enough to pulse finely in your food processor.
What Can I Substitute for Coconut Butter?
If you can’t find coconut butter or need an alternative due to an allergy, you could use just about any nut butter or seed butter instead.
I recommend trying cashew butter for its mild flavor so that you don’t significantly alter the taste of these Apple Cinnamon cookies.
Tips for Making No Bake Cinnamon Apple Cookies
With a food processor (I’ve had my KitchenAid one for 3 years now and it’s awesome!) the cookie dough comes together in a snap and it’s lick-ably delicious right off the bat.
Tip #1 – don’t eat all the dough before forming into cookie shapes. Trust me – not the easiest feat – this stuff is good in a very bad way. Or bad in a very good way? Or just damn good all around 🙂
And, tip #2 – Definitely say YES to the extra cinnamon/coconut sugar dusting on top. In truth they are delicious without it, but the dusting is something you want to do. If you really want to make your kids happy let them sprinkle it on themselves. Or, you could have them do the cooking-shaping part entirely. Truth – my kids are better at shaping these than I am.
Okay, it’s settled – the kids are asking me to make these again this weekend (they’re sort of here writing the post with me) – so no excuses. I just happen to always have a ready-supply of dates around, and applesauce, coconut butter & flour. Paleo staples, right? OHYESOHYESOHYES. So let’s no-bake mmkay? GO TIME!
No-Bake Apple Cinnamon Cookies {Paleo & Vegan}
No Bake Apple Cinnamon Cookies {Paleo & Vegan}
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup medjool dates pitted, softened*
- 1/3 cup coconut butter
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- pinch fine grain sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Optional Topping:
- 1 Tbsp organic coconut sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
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Add softened dates to a food processor* and process on high speed until they begin to form a paste. Add the coconut butter, applesauce, and vanilla and process again. Finally, add the coconut flour, salt and cinnamon and process/pulse until a thick cookie dough forms.
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Form the dough into small balls, place on a cookie sheet and flatten each one into a cookie shape. You can chill the dough a bit before handling if it's too warm & sticky.
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If adding the cinnamon sugar topping, combined the coconut sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of all the cookies.
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At this point, they're ready to eat! Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to one week. Due to the coconut butter, the cookies will become more firm in the refrigerator but retain a creamy, cookie dough like texture.
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Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*If your dates are dry, microwave them about 20-30 seconds in a small bowl with a few tbsp water and let them soak a bit before draining and processing.
Nutrition
What I Used To Make My No-Bake Apple Cinnamon Cookies:
Want more healthy no bake cookie recipes? Try one of these!
No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Butter Cookies
No-Bake Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
No-Bake Pumpkin Sunflower Butter Bites
No-Bake Double Chocolate Sunflower Butter Bites
Are your kids expert cookie-shapers like mine?
How much are you loving cinnamon right now?
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So, I love how your kids are your biggest cheerleaders; these look like the dough would be so spoonable as you’re making them. I really love fudgy no bake cookies; especially ones that you could even crumble over ice cream. <3 These are perfect for a fall cookie, even when it's still hot outside.
I used to love making cookies with my son with the cookie cutters! it was a mess but a good time. nowadays when he asks to bake, he means I should do all of the work and he gets to eat them
I like things that are good in a bad way. 🙂
I’d like a nutrition review and a WW count
Apologies but I don’t provide nutrition facts on the site as of now. An online calculator might give you a rough estimate since there are so few ingredients.
These little look amazing!! Is there a sub for coconut butter? I cannot find any around where I am…I am unsure of what it even is? More like nut butter or actual butter?
I’m pretty sure any nut or seed butter would work! It might alter the texture slightly, I would recommend cashew if you can do that since it has a very mild flavor.
I made these today – delicious! I love the “cookie dough” texture and how easy the recipe is. I also threw some in the oven out of curiosity, and they were delicious that way, too…with a chewy inside. 🙂
So good to know you can bake them! I’ll have to give that a try myself 🙂
This looks so tasty!!!
YUCK! AWFUL, TERRIBLE WASTE OF EXPENSIVE INGREDIENTS.
Hi! Are these gluten free?
Yes of course! All recipes are gluten free on this site.
I’m in. Thank you so much !
I was working on it really hard and comes to know that we all do that for one or other reason and we are going to keep doing that no matter what.
This recipe was great! It’s deliciously sweet! I used PB2 instead of coconut butter and it still turned out great! Thank you again for yet another great recipe!
Thrilled you enjoyed them!
Like another commenter, I don’t have any Coconut Manna (butter). Can I just use coconut oil? I’m on an immune protocol elimination diet and I am off all nuts (except coconut).
I have tried countless main courses on this website, and I think I have only come across one that my family didn’t like. This was one of the first desserts I have tried, and I just couldn’t get behind it. The texture was really grainy and the dough wouldn’t set until I stuck it in the freezer….then it got too hard.
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This Looks so good and Tasty!