20 Easy No-Bake Dessert Recipes for Kids to Make

When the kids want to make a treat, say YES with these easy no bake dessert recipes for kids featuring simple steps and common ingredients. Perfect for a hot summer day when you want to make cookies without using the oven.

You’ll also love these sweet-tooth pleasing 13 Smoothie Recipes for Breakfast or Dessert and 27 Scrumptious No Bake Desserts.

20 Easy No Bake Dessert Recipes for Kids

It’s important to teach kids independence and help them grow their skills so they’ll be ready to be self-sufficient one day.

One of my children is very interesting in cooking and baking, so we do a lot of work in the kitchen together. As their skills grow, they can do more and more on their own, with minimal supervision from me.

During the summer, I try to use the oven as little as possible to avoid heating up the house.

So here are 20 easy no bake dessert recipes for kids (and adults) who want a treat without needing to use the oven.

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Our favorite no bake dessert recipes for kids include traditional flavors like chocolate and peanut butter no bake cookies, rice crispy treats, cookies you can bake in the microwave or using a waffle iron, fruit no-bake desserts, chocolate dipped desserts, and drink desserts like milkshakes and soda floats.

No Bake Cookie Varieties

No bake cookies are a classic standby and a quick treat to put together. The core of no bake dessert recipes for kids!

These Fudgy Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies are a classic standby! The trick to a really fudgy cookie is to let the mixture cook (on low) a minute or two on the stovetop.

For a high protein no-bake cookie variation, we love these No Bake Trail Mix Cookies. Just like Trader Joe’s (or maybe even better!)

No Bake Cereal Bar Treats

These aren’t your basic rice crispy treats (though those are delicious of course). Cereal bar treats like these can easily be made gluten-free, too, by checking that the cereal is a gluten free variety.

For an easy kid-friendly twist on the traditional rice crispy treat, add a favorite candy — like candy corn! Candy Corn Rice Crispy Treats with a bit of colored candy melt drizzled on top makes them extra festive.

Peanut butter is a great option to add delicious flavor and a little bit of protein to a no bake dessert! These Peanut Butter Cheerios Cookie Bars are delicious and the sprinkles on top makes them extra fun for every day or for an easy holiday no-bake dessert.

Cookies To Bake in the Microwave

It’s a super cheater method to avoid using the oven… bake cookies in the microwave! This cooking trick is best for making just one or two cookies for a late night treat or after school snack.

These Microwave Personal Pan Sized Cookies (Pizookies) is our version of a skillet cookie, without using the oven!

These microwave single serving cookies are great for an easy homemade snack to fill a sweet craving. Get your fill in just a few bites.

Just mix up the dough, pop it in to a ceramic dish or ramekin, then into the microwave for 1 minute.

Finish it up in a toaster oven or air fryer for a crisp golden crust.

I love mine served with a scoop of ice cream on top and drizzled with caramel or chocolate sauce.

Okay okay okay…. these easy Microwave S’mores aren’t exactly cookies, but if you’re just wanting a s’more without having to build a fire, they are a great sweet treat!

Waffle Iron Cookies

When you want a crispy cookie without turning on the oven, you can bake cookies using a waffle iron!

This concept will work for pretty much any drop cookie recipe (chocolate chip, oatmeal, etc). Form the dough balls like you would normally, then drop one in each greased quadrant of a regular size waffle baker or one in the center of a mini waffle iron.

We love using our shaped mini waffle irons to make small waffle for after school snacks using muffin mixes, too!

One of our favorite cookies to make in a waffle maker is Waffle Iron Sugar Cookies. Get the delicious taste of sugar cookies without needing to refrigerate or roll out the dough!

For an extra sweet treat, add some ice cream and make Chocolate Chip Waffle Iron Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches. So yummy for summer!

Easy Fruity No Bake Desserts for Kids

For a summer sweet dessert, it’s hard to beat something fruity and light! These fruit no bake-desserts are an easy side dish for a potluck or barbecue, and so easy a kid can make them, too.

Make this easy Layered Berry Trifle even simpler by using pre-made pound cake. Slice up the cake, mix up the creamy cream cheese pudding style filling, and start layering in fresh strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and rapberries!

This will be delicious in any bowl, but get extra points for presentation by using a clear trifle bowl.

Add some graham crackers, nilla wafers, or animal crackers to this 5-ingredient Key Lime Pie Dip for a sweet treat kids and adults will love! It’s like a simple no bake lime cheesecake, yum! (Sub in lemons if you prefer.)

When peach season rolls around at the end of the summer, we love to make this simple Peach Heaven dessert! A fresh peaches and cream refrigerator dessert, with graham cracker crust style crumble on top.

For your family or for a party, it’s so fun to make Individual Pumpkin Cream Pies! I know pumpkin is more of a fall flavor but I love it all year round and these cream pies are so light and delicious.

Serve them in cups or mini glass jars like these as a treat that can double as a party favor or neighbor gift.

Chocolate Dipped Treats

I have happy memories of learning to dip chocolates with my mom and grandma! These no bake treats get a layer of chocolate on the outside — or you could use colored candy melts to fit the theme of any party.

To make chocolate dipping safer and easy for kids, use microwave melting chocolate or almond bark with a tall silicone cup like this (easy to remove the leftover chocolate!) or a small melting cup like this instead of a double-boiler.

These easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffle Bites fit the bill for any sweet tooth!

You’ll also want to try these 16 Ways to Eat Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough 😉

Make up a batch of easy No Bake Cookie Pops for a party or special summer treat. Kids love the assembly, from putting the cookies together to dipping in melted chocolate to sprinkling with candy.

If you love marshmallows like we do, then you need to make these simple Peeps Marshmallow Pops. Choose what shape you want (since Peeps come in so many now!) then dip in white chocolate or candy melts and decorate them for a cute easy treat.

If you’ve got a craving for Girl Scout Cookies but it’s not the season, these No Bake Thin Mints are an excellent dupe. And you’ll never believe what makes the crispy center!

Popcorn Dessert Mixes

Popcorn is a favorite treat around here, and the healthy whole grain makes for a great base to make a crunchy sweet snack. Try one of these for your next outdoor movie night.

We love carmel and we love nutella, and the two come together deliciously in our Carmel Nutella Popcorn (or Chex Mix).

For another sweet popcorn treat, try this Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Popcorn – the perfect combination of salty sweet and crunchy.

Drinks

Cool off with a sweet cold drink! Easy for kids to make and they’ll love impressing their friends. Or maybe add these to their lemonade stand offerings!

Blend up some homemade summer fruit punch and top with whipping cream to make a Fruity Cream Float.

Put a twist on a basic root beer float: make Yummy Soda Floats in any color using specialty sodas and vanilla ice cream! Grab a rainbow soda variety pack or pick up your favorites at the grocery store to let kids make their own drinks. Orange soda with vanilla ice cream tastes just like a creamsicle!

This Birthday Cake Milkshake is a great easy recipe for kids to make for a birthday or special occasion — like Thursday. 😉

More Cookie Recipes Kids Can Make

Kids will also love these fun baked cookies:

• Homemade Funfetti Cookies with Rainbow Sprinkles
• Chocolate M&M Cookies
• Homemade Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Cookies
• Colorful Kool-Aid Sugar Cookies

25 More Delicious Cookie Recipes to Share