Yeast-free No Bake Cookies

This recipe was fairly easy to adapt to yeast-free. I wrote about it on my 'other' blog but wanted to post the recipe here. I'm thinking about switching back here and chronicling my weight loss (or these days "weight find") journey here since I don't update that one much. So, because I don't want to make you go to the trouble of clicking the link to go that "that" blog, I'm copying and pasting it here. I'm a cheater. Or lazy. Or both. However, if you don't care about whether or not this recipe is yeast-free and just want THE BEST recipe for no-bake cookies, it's listed below.

***taken from Living *mostly* Yeast Free***

It's been almost a week since I checked in here. I'm contemplating switching backing to writing about my yeast-free journey on my main blog, since I can't seem to keep up with this one as much as the other. It was such a great idea when I was constantly trying new recipes and trying to adapt my lifestyle to eating healthier. I'm just really having a hard time resisting. I've put so many rules on myself, and broken even more rules than I imposed, if that is possible. I've gained about 5 pounds back in the last 2 months and I am NOT happy about it. And yet what do I want to do to make myself feel better (temporarily)? EAT. Good foods. Bad foods. FOOD. I've done a lot of baking lately, because I love it. It is not something that I can give up easily. But when I bake, I have a hard time not eating a whole batch of cookies plus half the cookie doughsampling. I am still doing The Lord's Table, but haven't been diligent about sticking to the meal plan, which I know is making this journey much more difficult than it has to be.

Now I will say that I haven't just made ALL sugary yeast-filled recipes, though there have been 2 batches of chocolate chip cookies, and a pan of butterscotch brownies. I made another batch of yeast-free chocolate cupcakes with a cream cheese icing this time earlier in the week. And today I finally attempted yeast-free No-bake Cookies. Those were good. With one exception. I used Swerve as my sugar alternative. And for whatever reason, while it has zero calories and zero fat, it has a strange effect. This is the third recipe I've tried it in, and each time it's the same thing. Freezing cold. What? Yeah...let me explain. You take a bite and as you chew, your mouth just gets colder and colder. My 7 year old told me today we should call them "Magic No-Bake Cookies". Because, she said, that's what they are...magic! The kids loved the cookies and a few people who sampled them at church tonight liked them as well. But I just can't get used to that coldness in my mouth. It's just weird; unnatural. BUT, if you use a different sugar alternative, or you want just a gluten-free version, here is the recipe. The flavor of these is really great...it was just the cold that was hard to handle. I may try to make them with agave nectar the next time and see if it impacts the texture/consistency much. If I add more oats to them it may help...we'll see.

Gluten-free No Bake Cookies

2 cups sugar (or sugar alternative)

8 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup gluten-free unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup cashew butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pinch salt

1/2 cup pecans

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

3 cups gluten-free quick oats

In large saucepan, combine sugar, butter, milk and cocoa. Heat, stirring frequently until boiling. Boil 1-2 minutes; remove from heat and cool 1 minute. Stir in cashew butter, vanilla & salt and mix well. Add oatmeal (and nuts/coconut if desired). Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper and let cool until it hardens.