Easy No Bake Avalanche Cookies Recipe + Video
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Avalanche Cookies have a bit of crisp, a bit of crunch, and a lot of fudgy flavor that’ll have your serving plate cleared in seconds! Creamy peanut butter is matched with all kinds of texture from almond bark, nuts, and other sweet treats. No bake avalanche cookies are a Christmas party favorite, a holiday classic, and a perfect potluck recipe you can’t afford to skip!!
These no bake cookies are perfect any time of year. They’re a delicious treat with simple ingredients and the hardest part is not eating them all.
This is the ultimate easy treat that all cookie recipes strive to be like.
This simple treat takes minimal time and you’ll have delicious cookies before you know what happened.
Not only is this a fun recipe to make, but it’s certain to be one of your new favorite recipes to enjoy.
The chewy marshmallows paired with the other ingredients of this sweet treat make this one of the no bake desserts – ever!
I love making these for the holiday season and sharing them with family and friends. It’s also perfect for cookie exchanges!
For the full recipe, be sure to check out the printable recipe card below. You’ll want to have it handy the next time you are craving these no bake peanut butter cookies!
This is the ultimate treat and the easiest no bake recipe!
Avalanche Cookies
Straight from the Rocky Mountain Fudge Factory to your kitchen — well, basically.
You get all the same great flavors in a bundle of shareable, giftable, absolutely phenomenal no bake avalanche cookies!
Anyone who loves nuts, white chocolate, and crispy treats will adore these. Almond bark cookies are just one of the recipes on my Christmas cookies list.
Recipe Video
To see us make this avalanche cookies recipe from start to finish, watch the video in this post!
I have another avalanche cookie recipe that is extremely similar but includes sweet and crunchy Cap’n Crunch.
For another unique holiday no-bake favorite, try my Boozy Rum Balls!
Or try Rocky Road avalanche bars for an extra chocolatey treat!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Mini Chocolate Chips – Larger candy chunks will really stand out and mess with the soft yet crispy texture, so opt for the minis instead.
I’ve made this avalanche cookies recipe with semi-sweet, dark, milk, and even white chocolate. Any will do! - Almond Bark – While almond bark is my preference, any brand of vanilla flavored candy coating is suitable.
CandiQuik is a great almond bark substitute as well — the vanilla kind, of course. - Creamy Peanut Butter – I won’t get into the whole creamy versus crunchy peanut butter debate. Either will work, so use whichever you’d like!!
- Rice Krispie Cereal – We can’t make Rice Krispie cookies without the cereal, now can we??
Any rice cereal can be used as a replacement, but my personal experience is that the on-brand variety holds up just a bit better. - Mini Marshmallows – When you’re making cookies with marshmallows, it’s good to use minis.
It’s difficult for other ingredients to really stick to (unmelted) marshmallows, so using larger pieces may make your almond bark cookies fall apart.
Plus, too much mush will take away from the crunch!
How to Make Avalanche Cookies
It’s so easy! Keep the chocolate chips frozen while melting the almond bark — microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until melted.
(Alternatively, you can use the double boil method — see the tips below.)
Once melted, add the peanut butter and stir to combine. Pour all of this over your large bowl of Rice Krispies and stir it all together.
Let it cool to room temperature before adding the marshmallows and frozen chocolate chips.
I like to use a 2 tablespoon scoop to divide up these no bake avalanche cookies, but smaller works too.
You can let your treats set in a dark, cool spot in your kitchen or firm them up a bit faster in the refrigerator.
Avalanche Cookie Recipe Tips and Recommendations
- Garnishes Galore!
Before the avalanche cookies firm up, press some extra chocolate chips into the tops to really dress up that presentation!
Some colored sugars or sprinkles can make them nice and festive for the holidays too.
- Double Boiling
Bring water to a simmer in a saucepan or pot and place a glass (heatproof) bowl overtop. Add the almond bark and let it melt with the steam, stirring all the while.
While a little slower than using the microwave, this method virtually guarantees smooth, unburnt melted chocolate!
- Munchies to Mix In
Extra nuts and candy chunks are welcome in this avalanche cookie recipe!
Just don’t add so many that the melted candies can’t totally cover and then harden over them.
Storing and Freezing Almond Bark Cookies
Avalanche cookies will last for up to two weeks if stored and covered properly. You’ll find they won’t last quite as well on the countertop, so refrigerate if you can.
Wondering if avalanche cookies can be frozen? You’re in luck — it’s super easy to do!
Just wait until they’ve chilled (ideally in the fridge) before storing them in a sealed container for up to 3 months.
Keep them layered between sheets of parchment paper to prevent a big sticky clump.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or a Silpat mat
- Microwave-Safe Bowl – Not only does it make melting chocolate easier, but you can use it to quickly steam vegetables too!
- A sturdy silicone spatula can be used for scraping, stirring, and smoothing and is easy to clean too!
- 2 Tablespoon Scoop – Great for meatballs, cookies, ice cream, and portioning out leftovers. I’ve had this set for years and use them all the time.
Avalanche Cookies Recipe FAQ
If your goal is to make this recipe peanut-free, then you can use almond butter or sunflower butter (which is great if you need to avoid nuts entirely).
Another nut-free alternative is cookie butter — you’ll get a different flavor profile, but they’ll still be tasty! Nutella is fun to use, too, for a rich hazelnut taste.
It’s a chocolate-like treat flavored to taste like either vanilla or chocolate. It’s made with vegetable fats, not cocoa butter, and — despite the name — contains no nuts!
So it’s not really chocolate, and it’s not really almond! It sure is delicious, though.
Sure! White chocolate is a suitable substitute for most almond bark cookies — as long as you’re substituting the vanilla instead of the chocolate variety.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Easy No Bake Avalanche Cookies Recipe + Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 16 ounces vanilla flavored candy coating, Almond Bark or CandiQuik
- 15 ounces creamy peanut butter, 1 15-ounce jar
- 2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Prepare 2 cookie sheets with silpat mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place chocolate chips in the freezer until ready to use.
- Add Rice Krispies to a large bowl. Set aside.
- Add almond bark to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each, until the bark is melted and smooth. Add peanut butter to the warm almond bark. Stir to combine.
- Pour peanut butter mixture over rice krispies and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature (or until barely warm).
- Stir mini marshmallows into the cooled mixture, then add frozen chocolate chips and stir again to combine.
- Using a 2-tablespoon sized scoop, portion treats onto the prepared cookie sheets, leaving some space between each (to prevent them from sticking together).
- Allow cookies to sit in a cool place until firm. You can pop them in the fridge if your kitchen is too warm.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published February 2016, updated and republished September 2024
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do you no where I can buy sugar free white chips
you are kidding, right? with the marshmallows, etc, if there is a "diet" problem, skip this recipe.
It’s Christmas! Once a year is allowed!
http://www.sweetbakingsupply.com/candy-coating-sugar-free-white-chocolate-p-1876.html
SnoBunny, you can find sugar free marshmallows & peanut butter is considered a protein. I imagine she was asking for diabetic substitutes, which this recipe could be made for diabetics, but consumed in moderation.
Thank I am diabetic just seen this
I am a type 2 diabetic and you don’t need to have everything sugar free if you count carbs. Moderation is key and most artificial sweeteners are poison and are worse for you than regular sugar. Can also give you a bad case of the 💩’s.
Whole Foods or Amazon. Lily ‘s is the brand. Most organic food stores carry it. The dark chocolate is carried in most grocery stores.
So you think this recipe would freeze well
I love this recipe. I didn't use as much milk chocolate as suggested. I also halved the recipe, and was still surprised how much it made. Excellent taste! I'll continue to make these. Thank you for sharing.
My kids liked these candies, and they are a very cute idea, but next time I will put in less peanut butter. I weighed exactly 15 oz for the recipe, but there was so much peanut butter in the final product that it never set up completely (our house is always 70 degrees). I would suggest either reducing the p.b. to 10 or 12 oz or increasing the candy coating to 24 ounces (1 standard package).
Oh my. I am on a gluten-free diet so this recipe was a good alternative. Made them today and just tried one. They are heavenly! I am taking them over to a friend's tomorrow for Christmas. I put some colored sprinkles on top to make them more festive. I thank you for publishing the recipe….it is going in my permanent recipe file…..yum!
Can you use raw oatmeal?
Can you use raw oatmeal?
Can you omit the marshmallows??
I was looking for a desert like this one. Dosen`t look so hard to make. Thank you!
Enjoy, Rachel!
I make these with mini Reese's pieces and dry roasted peanuts (no mini chips). SO GOOD!
That sounds delicious, Jackie!
One of the best cookies recipes I've tried. Thank you for sharing
Thanks so much, Kathleen!! We are so happy you enjoyed it!
I grew up in Durango, CO, which is where Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory started (& where they still have a main factory!). We loved going to their bloomer sales (they sell their yummy chocolates that just didn’t turn out looking lovely, but still taste just as good) to stock up on delicious chocolates for the holidays. I LOVE their Avalanche Bark, so I’m definitely going to try this out to see if it comes close! 😉
Enjoy and let us know how it goes!
can you freeze these
Can you omit the peanut butter and they'd just be white chocolate tasting?
Ok, problem. I made these 1 1/2hours ago and they have not firmed up, they are supper gooey. Help!
Wondering how this ended for you – and on Christmas Eve. A suggestion for another time: I put all my candies in little mini-cupcake holders. I place them on a wax paper lined cookie sheet so that if the house is too warm, I can pop the candy in the fridge.
Can you use chunky peanut butter
can you use white chocolate instead of almond bark?
what can you use as an alternative to peanut butter for those with nut allergies? do you think using WoW butter would be the same outcome?
Can you substitute Sun Butter for Peanut Butter for kids with allergies?
Yummy – thanks
super tasty! very easy to make!
Keeper! Very good and easy. Will definitely be making many more times!
My son just asked me to make these again, it has been a few weeks. They are so good you just have to try them!
These are fabulous! Became a family favorite right away.
Hi Sue,
We are happy to hear that! We LOVE them here too!
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
Oh this is a keeper!! A great addition to any assortment or just for snacking. Quick to go together, no bake, fast plus tasty! Good one for littles to help make. I always put a few mini chocolate chips plus chocolate sprinkles on top so they are pretty, too! MAKE THESE!!
Hi Michelle,
We are happy you enjoy them as much as we do! My family devours these when I make them. They are the most requested holiday dessert! Have a great day!
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
These Avalanche Cookies are a total game-changer! So easy and incredibly delicious.
Hi Mabel!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn