50 No-Bake Treat Recipes

1. Rocky Road Bark Chop 1 pound semisweet chocolate; melt three-quarters of the chopped chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in 1 tablespoon shortening and the remaining chocolate until smooth. Spread thinly on a parchment-lined baking sheet; sprinkle with 1 cup mini marshmallows and 1/2 cup chopped peanuts. Let set; break apart.

2. Butter Pecan Toffee Combine 1 stick butter, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until brown (305 degrees F on a candy thermometer). Arrange 20 tea biscuits side by side on a large buttered, foil-lined baking sheet; pour the sugar mixture on top and sprinkle with chopped toasted pecans. Chill until firm; break apart.

3. Chocolate-Almond Toffee Make Butter Pecan Toffee (No. 2). After pouring the sugar mixture over the biscuits, immediately sprinkle with 3 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate. Let melt, then spread. Top with toasted sliced almonds instead of pecans.

4. Matzo Toffee Make Butter Pecan Toffee (No. 2) using 3 matzo sheets instead of the biscuits. Top with flaky sea salt instead of nuts.

5. Sticky Toffee Chews Pulse 1 cup each pitted dates and broken shortbread cookies, 3/4 cup walnuts and 2 tablespoons each brown sugar and honey in a food processor until smooth. Form into 1-inch balls; flatten into rounds and press a walnut half into the centers. Chill until firm.

6. Toffee Marshmallows Melt 8 ounces chopped milk chocolate; dip jumbo marshmallows (one 10-ounce bag) partway in the chocolate, then sprinkle with toffee bits and chopped peanuts. Chill until firm.

7. S’mores Squares Melt 4 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate; spread on 12 graham cracker squares. Top with mini marshmallows. Chill until firm; break apart.

8. Hazelnut Brownies Crush 26 vanilla wafers and 1 sleeve chocolate graham crackers in a food processor. Add 3/4 cup jarred dulce de leche, 8 ounces melted bittersweet chocolate and 1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts; pulse until smooth. Press into a buttered, foil-lined 8-inch-square pan. Press 1/4 cup more nuts on top. Chill until firm, then cut into squares.

9. Pecan-Praline Brownies Make Hazelnut Brownies (No. 8), replacing the dulce de leche with butterscotch sauce and the hazelnuts with pecans. Press 1/2 cup toffee bits into the top along with the nuts.

10. Kettle Corn Brownies Make Hazelnut Brownies (No. 8), replacing the hazelnuts with crushed kettle corn. Top with 1/2 cup kettle corn instead of nuts.

11. Salty-Sweet Crispy Treats Melt 1/2 stick butter in a saucepan; add one 10-ounce bag mini marshmallows and stir until smooth. Stir in 3 cups each crisp rice cereal and broken thin pretzel sticks. Press into a buttered 9-by-13-inch pan. Let set, then cut into bars.

12. Magic Bars Melt 1/2 stick butter in a saucepan; add 4 cups mini marshmallows and stir until smooth. Roughly chop 1 sleeve graham crackers and add to the pan along with 1 cup each mini marshmallows, chopped pecans, shredded coconut and chocolate chips. Press into a buttered 9-by-13-inch pan. Let set, then cut into bars.

13. Mexican Chocolate Tarts Mix 3/4 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch each of salt and cayenne. Spoon into small cup-shaped tortilla chips; top with whipped cream and more cinnamon.

14. English Pudding Petits Fours Mix 1/2 cup each mascarpone and confectioners’ sugar with 1 tablespoon dry sherry. Cut pound cake into 1-inch cubes; top each with mascarpone and a raspberry.

15. Brandied Kumquat Cakes Simmer 2 cups kumquats and 1/2 cup each brandy and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until syrupy, about 15 minutes. Cut pound cake into 1-inch cubes; top each with a kumquat and skewer with a toothpick. Let stand 5 minutes so the syrup soaks in.

16. Dulce de Leche Petits Fours Slice a thawed frozen pound cake (crusts removed) lengthwise 1/4 inch thick. Stack 3 slices with dulce de leche in between. Repeat with the remaining pound cake. Cut into triangles; dip 1 side of each in melted white chocolate and dust with cocoa powder. Chill until set.

17. Cherry-Pistachio Petits Fours Make Dulce de Leche Petits Fours (No. 16), replacing the dulce de leche with cherry preserves. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios instead of cocoa powder.

18. Chocolate Butter Wafers Melt 4 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate and spread on round butter crackers (such as Ritz); top with chopped pistachios and chopped dried apricots.

19. Chocolate Vanilla Wafers Melt 4 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate and spread on vanilla wafers; top with toasted pepitas, sliced almonds and dried cranberries.

20. Chocolate-Raspberry Wreaths Melt 4 ounces chopped white chocolate; dip the bottoms of 2 pints raspberries in the chocolate and arrange around the edge of round sugar cookies. Drizzle with more melted white chocolate. Chill until set.

21. Sparkly Buckeyes Beat 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, 1 cup crunchy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons room-temperature butter and a pinch of salt with a mixer. Form into 1-inch balls. Dip the tops in melted semisweet chocolate and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Chill until firm.

22. Gingerbread Pops Pulse 14 crumbled gingersnaps, 1/2 cup each confectioners’ sugar and cookie butter (speculoos spread), 1/4 cup chopped candied ginger and 1/2 stick room-temperature butter in a food processor. Form into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll in confectioners’ sugar, insert a lollipop stick into each and chill until firm.

23. Manhattan Bourbon Balls Microwave 1 cup dried sour cherries and 1/4 cup bourbon, 3 minutes. Pulse 52 vanilla wafers in a food processor until ground. Add the cherry-bourbon mixture, 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon dark corn syrup and a pinch of salt; pulse until combined. Form the mixture into 1-inch balls and skewer each with a cocktail pick. Chill until firm.

24. Spiced Orange Truffles Bring 1/2 cup heavy cream and 2 tablespoons butter to a boil in a saucepan; pour over 8 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate and stir until melted. Stir in 2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur and a pinch each of cardamom and salt. Chill until firm. Scoop and roll into 1-inch balls; roll in crushed orange-flavored cookies (such as Anna’s) or vanilla wafers. Chill until set.

25. Mocha Truffles Make Spiced Orange Truffles (No. 24), replacing the orange liqueur with espresso and the crushed cookies with finely chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans.

26. Coconut Truffles Make Spiced Orange Truffles (No. 24), replacing the orange liqueur with coconut rum and the crushed cookies with sweetened shredded coconut.

27. Chocolate-Dipped Clementines Peel and separate 2 clementines into sections. Melt 4 ounces chopped white chocolate; dip the clementines halfway in the chocolate and roll in chopped pistachios. Chill until set.

28. Tropical Clementines Make Chocolate-Dipped Clementines (No. 27), rolling them in chopped toasted almonds and toasted shredded coconut instead of pistachios.

29. Apple-Oatmeal Cookies Melt 1/2 stick butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; stir in 1/2 cup each sugar and grated peeled apple, and 1/4 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extract. Simmer 1 minute, then stir in 1 1/2 cups rolled oats. Scoop the mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls and sprinkle each with sea salt; flatten into rounds and chill until set.

30. Nutty Oatmeal Cookies Pulse 1 1/2 cups each rolled oats and pecans, 1 cup pitted dates, 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon each kosher salt and ground cinnamon in a food processor until combined. Form into 1-inch balls; flatten into rounds and chill until set.

31. Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies Make Nutty Oatmeal Cookies (No. 30), stirring in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips before forming into balls.

32. Stuffed Apricots Beat 2 ounces almond paste, 2 tablespoons each mascarpone and confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon room-temperature butter and 1/8 teaspoon each almond extract and vanilla extract with a mixer. Use a paring knife to cut a pocket in about 30 dried apricots; pipe the almond-mascarpone filling into the pockets. Chill until set.

33. Stuffed Figs Use a paring knife to cut a pocket in the side of about 24 dried figs. Tuck a small thin strip of orange zest, a blanched almond and a small piece of bittersweet chocolate into each pocket. Dip the bottoms of the figs in 4 ounces melted bittersweet chocolate and chill on a parchment-lined baking sheet until set.

34. Anisette-Almond Balls Crush one 6-ounce package anisette biscotti in a food processor. Add 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds and 2 tablespoons each melted butter, corn syrup, milk and chopped candied orange peel, and pulse until smooth. Form into 1-inch balls and roll in confectioners’ sugar.

35. Sesame Balls Make Anisette-Almond Balls (No. 34), replacing the almonds with toasted sesame seeds. Roll in a mixture of toasted sesame seeds and confectioners’ sugar.

36. Rainbow Petits Fours Pulse one 7-ounce tube almond paste, the grated zest of 1 orange, 3 tablespoons orange juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a food processor until combined. Add one crumbled 11-ounce pound cake and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract; pulse until combined. Divide the mixture into 3 equal portions and tint each with food coloring (1 red, 1 yellow and 1 green). Pat each color into a 5 1/2-inch square and stack on top of one another. Cut into 3/4-inch squares. Melt 12 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate and stir in 1 tablespoon shortening. Dip the squares in the chocolate to coat. Chill until set.

37. Fruitcake Bonbons Mash 2 cups crumbled fruitcake with 2 tablespoons milk. Roll into 1-inch balls. Melt 6 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate; dip the balls halfway in the chocolate and place chocolate-side down on parchment paper. Chill until set. Roll the other side in crushed gingersnaps; chill.

38. Unrolled Cannoli Beat 1/4 cup each ricotta, mascarpone and confectioners’ sugar with a mixer until smooth. Spread the mixture onto large waffle cookies and top each with mini chocolate chips, a pinch each of cinnamon and sugar, and some grated orange zest.

39. PB&J Cheesecake Bites Beat 2 ounces room-temperature cream cheese, 1/2 cup each chunky peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons room-temperature butter and a pinch of salt with a mixer until smooth. Dollop teaspoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture onto pretzel crisps and top each with a dried strawberry.

40. Raspberry Cheesecake Bites Beat 4 ounces room-temperature cream cheese, 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, and 1 tablespoon each grated lemon zest and lemon juice with a mixer until smooth. Pipe onto almond biscuits, then top each with about 1/2 teaspoon raspberry preserves.

41. Ginger-Lemon Cheesecake Bites Make Raspberry Cheesecake Bites (No. 40) using ginger wafer cookies instead of almond biscuits and lemon curd instead of raspberry preserves. Top each with a small piece of candied ginger.

42. Double-Mint Cookies Pulse 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons each room-temperature butter and light corn syrup, 1 tablespoon milk and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract in a food processor until smooth. Spread the mixture onto chocolate wafer cookies and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Chill until set.

43. Mint-Chocolate Meltaways Melt 1 cup chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons shortening in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract. Pour into a buttered, foil-lined loaf pan and chill until firm. Cut into 1-inch squares and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

44. Snowy Party Mix Melt 1 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup peanut butter and 1/2 stick butter in a pot over low heat, stirring. Stir in 3 cups each rice cereal squares and oyster crackers. Let cool, then toss with confectioners’ sugar.

45. Raspberry Party Mix Toast 1 1/2 cups each unsalted peanuts, almonds and sweetened shredded coconut in a large skillet over medium heat until golden, about 6 minutes; let cool completely. Stir in 1 cup each peanut butter chips, semisweet chocolate chips and dried raspberries.

46. Coconut-Almond Haystacks Melt 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips. Mix with 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut and 1 cup toasted sliced almonds. Form into 16 small mounds and chill until set.

47. Tropical Snowballs Make Coconut-Almond Haystacks (No. 46) using white chocolate chips instead of semisweet and replacing the almonds with finely chopped dried pineapple. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons each grated lime zest and lime juice to the mixture. Top with more lime zest.

48. Crackly Almonds Simmer 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons water and a pinch of cream of tartar in a saucepan over medium heat, without stirring, until brown (280 degrees F on a candy thermometer). Stir in 1 1/2 cups toasted blanched almonds and cook, without stirring, until dark brown (305 degrees F). Spread on a buttered, foil-lined baking sheet; let harden.

49. Chocolate Almonds Make Crackly Almonds (No. 48). Once hardened, drizzle with 4 ounces melted bittersweet chocolate and toss to coat; dust with sweetened cocoa powder. Chill until set.

50. Eggnog Truffles Whisk 10 large egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar and a scant 1/4 teaspoon each cinnamon, nutmeg, rum and vanilla extract in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Cook, stirring often, until very thick and glossy, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely. With oiled hands, roll the mixture into 3/4-inch balls. Roll in sanding sugar.