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  5. Our 20 Best No-Bake Holiday Cookies and Bars

Our 20 Best No-Bake Holiday Cookies and Bars

Kaitlyn Yarborough, Assistant Editor and Writer for Southern Living
By Kaitlyn Yarborough Updated November 04, 2021
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No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Between the cookie swaps, church potlucks, and holiday parties we have on the calendar this season, it's hard to keep up with all those cookies popping in and out of our hardworking oven. When we get a little burnt out on baking our favorite Christmas cookies—or when our cookies get a little burnt once too often—it's time to break out the Christmas miracle that is the no-bake holiday treat. These delicious bites mean no hounding over the oven to make sure the cookies don't bake a minute too long, no facing the crumbling disaster of moving them from the sheet pan to the cookie tins a tad too soon, and absolutely no more cookie-baking anxiety. These Christmas cookie and bar recipes will make you the hit of any party without even touching that oven. From decadent bars to chewy cookies, these no-bake Christmas desserts will keep you feeling sane and your guests asking for more.

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No-Bake Dark Chocolate-Peppermint Sandwich Cookies

No-Bake Dark Chocolate-Peppermint Sandwich Cookies
Credit: GREG DUPREE; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL; PROP STYLING: AUDREY DAVIS

Recipe: No-Bake Dark Chocolate-Peppermint Sandwich Cookies

Thanks to store-bought chocolate wafers, these cookies look fancy enough to fool any party guest. 

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No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Credit: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Prissy Lee Montiel

Recipe: No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Christmas cookies just got a whole lot easier with these rich, soft, and chewy balls speckled with peanuts. 

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No-Bake Almond Butter Thumbprints

No-Bake Almond Butter Thumbprints
Credit: Jen Causey

Recipe: No-Bake Almond Butter Thumbprints

Creamy almond butter, crushed pretzels, powdered sugar, and—of course—butter make up these perfectly sweet-and-salty thumbprint treats that we love to top with a dollop of strawberry jam. These cookies look festive and bright on any holiday dessert table.

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No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars

No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars

These gooey bars will be your new favorite holiday dessert, thanks to their perfect combination of chocolate, caramel, graham crackers, and toffee. You won't have to worry about overcooking or burning cookies, and they will be the hit of any party.

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Cream Cheese Christmas Cookies

These Cream Cheese Christmas Cookies are perfect for the holiday season.

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Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls

Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls Recipe
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: Kellie Gerber Kelley

Recipe: Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls

These decadent little delights are a cross between bourbon balls and chocolate truffles; and, with only four ingredients, they make the easiest throw-together treat for any holiday occasion. Dark chocolate and pecans jazz up the classic bourbon ball taste.

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Wreath Cookies

Wreath Cookies
Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Wreath Cookies

Make these whimsical wreath cookies by transforming shredded wheat cereal, such as Frosted Mini Wheats, with a little help from microwaved vanilla candy coating and green food coloring. Get your little ones to top with fun holiday candies for a homemade treat!

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Milk Chocolate-Peppermint Bark

Milk Chocolate-Peppermint Bark
Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Recipe: Milk Chocolate-Peppermint Bark

We're all for any holiday treat that requires only two minutes of microwave time to get the recipe going. You simply stir in the delicious mint-chocolate cookies and top with crushed peppermints, letting the festive bark cool and harden before breaking.

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Chewy Peanut Bars

Chewy Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bars
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Chewy Peanut Bars

A quick dig into our old microwave column recipes left us pleasantly surprised with these chocolate-peanut blondies. Chopped salted peanuts give the perfect finishing touch to the sweet, chocolate-and-brown-sugar packed bars.

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Fruitcake Bark

Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines
Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Fruitcake Bark

Layered with candied fruit, nuts, and white chocolate, this over-the-top Christmas candy will blow those everday chocolate bark recipes out of the water.

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Peppermint Divinity

Peppermint Divinity
Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Peppermint Divinity

This classic Southern candy is made with granulated sugar, corn syrup, and stiffly beaten eggs whites; but this yummy version adds a peppermint punch to give something special. The texture of this divinity is without rival: fluffy, crunchy, and completely divine.

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Classic Bourbon Balls

bourbon balls
Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Bourbon Balls

These no-bake bourbon balls make a batch big enough for all of your gifting and party needs. They pack a nice little punch, too! We love them rolled in powdered sugar for a sweet finishing touch.

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Spicy Peanut Brittle

Spicy Peanut Brittle
Credit: Philip Friedman

Recipe: Spicy Peanut Brittle

Cayenne and cinnamon team up to coat dry roasted peanuts before incorporating them into a classic peanut brittle recipe that'll be your favorite holiday snack to set out for guests this year. The subtle spicy kick makes this brittle stand out from the rest.

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Whole Grain Marshmallow Crispy Bars

Whole Grain Marshmallow Crispy Bars
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Whole Grain Marshmallow Crispy Bars

Dried cranberries bring some holiday cheer to your classic, crowd-pleasing Rice Krispie treats. This recipe is the perfect crunchy, chewy, and portable treat to bring to any Christmas event this season.

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No-Bake Peanut Butter-Fudge Ice-Cream Pie

No-Bake Peanut Butter-Fudge Ice-Cream Pie
Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely
  1. Recipe: No-Bake Peanut Butter-Fudge Ice-Cream Pie

Just because it's cold outside doesn't mean you can't celebrate the season with ice-cream pie, and this no-bake peanut butter pie is next-level good.

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No-Bake Salted Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars

No-Bake Salted Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars
Credit: Jen Causey

Recipe: No-Bake Salted Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars

Only a few ingredients—and even less steps—will give you these chocolate-packed bars that are made even more sophisticated with flaky sea salt sprinkled on top. Chocolate wafers, chocolate spread, and bittersweet chocolate chips make these the most decadent chocolate bars on the list.

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No-Bake Cookies and Cream Bars

No-Bake Cookies and Cream Bars
Credit: Jen Causey

Recipe: No-Bake Cookies and Cream Bars

These bars are kid-friendly and portable, making them great for class parties and church dinners alike. We always recommend lining the baking pan and spraying it with cooking spray to make sure the bars don't stick and to eliminate fussy cleanup!

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No-Bake Chocolate-Peppermint Cookies

No-Bake Chocolate-Peppermint Cookies
Credit: Romulo Yanes

Recipe: Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

These decadent no-bake cookies are lined in crushed peppermints for a chocolate-peppermint duo that can't be beat. Chocolate wafer cookies are made creamy and soft with rich mascarpone and cream cheeses, then wrapped and chilled in a 10-inch log before slicing!

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No-Bake Chocolate Mint Snowballs

Mint Chocolate Snowballs
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: No-Bake Chocolate Mint Snowballs

These sweet chocolate truffles get a holiday touch from the surprise mint chocolate candy center. Simple, quick, and easy to pack into your holiday cookie tins—this recipe is a seasonal staple.

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No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

These deliciously quick cookies are a no-brainer when you get a last minute bake sale or potluck alert. This recipe comes together quickly with oats, flaked coconut, and peanut butter.

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    1 of 20 No-Bake Dark Chocolate-Peppermint Sandwich Cookies
    2 of 20 No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
    3 of 20 No-Bake Almond Butter Thumbprints
    4 of 20 No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars
    5 of 20 Cream Cheese Christmas Cookies
    6 of 20 Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls
    7 of 20 Wreath Cookies
    8 of 20 Milk Chocolate-Peppermint Bark
    9 of 20 Chewy Peanut Bars
    10 of 20 Fruitcake Bark
    11 of 20 Peppermint Divinity
    12 of 20 Classic Bourbon Balls
    13 of 20 Spicy Peanut Brittle
    14 of 20 Whole Grain Marshmallow Crispy Bars
    15 of 20 No-Bake Peanut Butter-Fudge Ice-Cream Pie
    16 of 20 No-Bake Salted Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars
    17 of 20 No-Bake Cookies and Cream Bars
    18 of 20 No-Bake Chocolate-Peppermint Cookies
    19 of 20 No-Bake Chocolate Mint Snowballs
    20 of 20 No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

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