These no-bake vegan chocolate oat cookies come together with just a few simple steps—mix, roll, and let them rest.
Made with adzuki beans, cocoa, salt, and fresh rosemary, these healthy oat cookies come together without baking or added oil.
This recipe is simple and flexible. There’s no oven to preheat and no precise timing—just a bowl and a few minutes of hands-on work.
🎻 About this Recipe
These no-bake chocolate oat cookies are made with adzuki beans and prunes as the base—no added oil, no chocolate bar, no refined sugar. The result is a soft, truffle-like cookie somewhere between a classic no-bake and Japanese nama chocolate.
The flavor comes from cocoa powder, a pinch of salt, and a hint of fresh rosemary—inspired by the salted chocolate rosemary cookies that were popular in Vancouver about a decade ago. That combination of chocolate, salt, and herbs has stayed with me ever since.
Chickpea hummus and vegan borscht are two other recipes I brought back from Canada, if you're curious.
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🧺 Why You'll Love These No-Bake Chocolate Oat Cookies
- No baking required — just mix, chill, and shape
- Made without oil or refined sugar
- Soft, truffle-like texture
- Simple, whole-food ingredients
- Naturally vegan
- Gluten-free and egg-free
🌿 Ingredients
The ingredients overlap with my Vegan Chocolate Truffles with Adzuki Beans, another simple adzuki bean dessert made without baking.
Basic Ingredients
- Cooked red beans (unsweetened): The base of the recipe. Their mild richness and natural bitterness help create a chocolate-like depth. Homemade or store-bought, either is fine.
- Prunes: Add natural sweetness and a slight cocoa-like depth.
- Cocoa powder: Essential for a deep chocolate flavor. Use unsweetened 100% cocoa powder.
- Instant oats: Adds structure and a cookie-like texture while helping bind the dough. Adding more will result in a firm, no-bake cookie, while using less will give it a nama chocolate-like finish.
- Maple syrup: Adds a bit more sweetness and balances the flavor.
- Salt: Enhances the chocolate flavor. Use fine salt for the dough and flaky salt for topping, if you like. For the topping, Maldon Sea Salt Flake is recommended.
- Rosemary: Fresh rosemary adds a subtle herbal note. I haven’t tested dried rosemary yet, but it should work as well. Adjust the amount to taste.
Optional
- Coconut oil: Adding a small amount will create a richer, more chocolate-like texture. I prefer an odorless variety.
For exact amounts, please check the printable recipe card👇
☕️ Instructions
The process is simple.
Prepare the ingredients, mix, chill, and shape.
- Milling:
- Grind the oats into a fine powder.
- Add the rosemary and pulse again until finely chopped.
🗝️ The heat from the grinder can cause the rosemary aroma to fade. Try to keep the grinding time as short as possible.
🗝️ If you prefer a stronger rosemary flavor, you can add it in the next step instead, though some larger pieces may remain.
- Making the dough:
- Combine the adzuki beans and prunes in a bowl, then blend with a hand blender until smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
- Form into a ball, then refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
🗝️ The dough may feel slightly sticky after mixing, but it will firm up once chilled.
🗝️ If using coconut oil, melt it first and mix it in before chilling.
- Shape:
- Divide the dough into four portions and roll into balls.
- Flatten with your palms to shape into cookies.
🗝️ If the dough feels too soft, add a small amount of oats or cocoa powder (½–1 teaspoon at a time) to adjust.
- Finishing touch:
- Coat with cocoa powder if desired, then sprinkle with rosemary and salt.
- Store in the refrigerator.
🍴Tools
- Grinder
- Bowl
- Hand blender
- Rubber spatula
- Spoon
- Tray or plate
🫙 Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Because they are made with cooked adzuki beans, these cookies are best enjoyed within 1–2 days."
📚 FAQ
I don’t recommend baking this dough. Because it contains no added oil, it won’t develop a typical cookie texture in the oven. It tends to become dense and slightly gummy rather than crisp or soft like a baked cookie.
Yes. Without oats, the texture will be softer. You can roll the mixture into bliss balls and enjoy it like Vegan Chocolate Truffles with Adzuki Beans.
If your cookies are too soft, try adding a small amount of oats or cocoa powder.
If needed, adjust the sweetness with a little maple syrup.
If you feel like whispering a thought, asking a question, or simply saying hello — the comment section is always open 📮
🚢 More Adzuki Bean Recipes
🌂 More Vegan Recipes with Oats
If this recipe made its way into your kitchen, and you'd like to share that moment, feel free to tag @veginveganvegun or use #vegin_vegan_vegun.
Your quiet stories inspire me deeply 🕊️
📖 Recipe Card
No-Bake Vegan Salted Chocolate Rosemary Oat Cookies
Equipment
- Grinder
- Bowl
- hand blender
- rubber spatula
- Spoon
- Tray or plate
Ingredients
A
- 13 g instant oats (more as needed)
- 8-10 rosemary leaves (approx.)
B
- 70 g cooked adzuki beans (unsweetened)
- 30 g prunes
- 3 teaspoon cocoa powder (more as needed)
- 2 teaspoon maple syrup (adjust to taste)
- ½ pinch salt (adjust to taste)
- ½-1 teaspoon coconut oil (optional, for richness)
Finishing
- cocoa powder
- flaky salt (such as Maldon)
- rosemary leaves
Instructions
- Grind the oats and rosemary: Grind the oats into a fine powder. Add the rosemary and grind briefly until finely chopped.13 g instant oats8-10 rosemary leaves
- Blend the base: Combine the adzuki beans and prunes in a bowl, then blend with a hand blender until smooth.70 g cooked adzuki beans30 g prunes
- Make the dough: Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. If using coconut oil, melt it and add it here.3 teaspoon cocoa powder2 teaspoon maple syrup½ pinch salt½-1 teaspoon coconut oil
- Chill: Form into a ball and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Shape: Divide the dough into 4 portions and roll into balls. Flatten with your palms to shape into cookies.
- Finishing: Coat with cocoa powder if desired, then sprinkle with rosemary and salt. Store in the refrigerator.cocoa powderflaky saltrosemary leaves
If you enjoy naturally sweet desserts, you may also like these vegan chocolate treats made with adzuki beans.
You can also find more simple vegan desserts, including chocolate mousse and chocolate ice cream, in the recipe collection.
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