Chocolate Coconut No-Bakes

No-bake cookies are so simple and delicious, but I always forget that they exist and haven't made them in years. I finally remembered how amazing they are, so I'm posting the recipe to remind everybody else! Today's actually not particularly hot, but no-bakes are, of course, especially good on summery days when you don't want to use the oven (so your house isn't too hot to stay inside and watch New Girl, read A Game of Thrones and hang with the dog).

I made the go-to, standard recipe, but there are a lot of options out there. Here are a few I was looking at: Healthy No-Bake Cookies from Two Peas & Their Pod, Coconut-Chocolate Patties from Martha, and No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Walnut Cookies from My San Franciscan Kitchen.

CHOCOLATE COCONUT NO-BAKES
From Food.com
2 cups sugar 
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
1 dash salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 cups oats*
1 cup coconut flakes

Optional add-ins: peanut butter, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, more chocolate, mini-marshmallows, dried fruit...

1. Prepare one or two baking sheets, lined with wax paper. Combine sugar, milk, butter, cocoa and salt in a saucepan and bring to boil. (*If you're using old fashioned oats, as I did, add them in now. I think if you're using quick cooking oats, you can add them in after the 5 minute simmering time.) Let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. If using quick oats, add in now with the vanilla and coconut and stir. 

2. Go time! Scoop big tablespoons out onto the wax paper, leaving a little space in between. Depending on your scooping, it will make about a couple dozen cookies. Let cool.