It wasn’t until I moved to Washington, D.C., that it hit me why my mother always made the no-bake cookies some people call Raggedy Robins. It was the no-bake part she liked. During a West Texas summer, as in D.C., you definitely want to avoid any recipes that begin with the words “Preheat the oven,” especially when you can get something so delicious without heat. I was compelled to tart these up a little bit, using higher-quality chocolate than we could get in West Texas in the 1970s and 1980s, deepening it further with instant espresso, and using almond butter instead of peanut. And I wanted to use rolled oats instead of the more highly processed instant ones. The result: an easy cookie—more of a confection than a cookie, honestly—that has grown-up kid appeal.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 36 cookies

　　1/2 cup sliced raw almonds

　　6 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate (preferably at least 60% cacao), chopped

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　1 teaspoon instant espresso

　　6 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　1/2 cup whole milk

　　2/3 cup almond butter

　　1 teaspoon almond extract

　　3 cups rolled oats

　　1/2 cup unsweetened dried cherries, chopped

　　2 tablespoons fleur de sel or other flaky sea salt

　　1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

　　

Step 1

Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper.

　　

Step 2

Toast the almonds in a small, dry skillet over medium-high heat, shaking the pan frequently, until lightly browned and smelling toasty, 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful not to let them burn. Immediately transfer to a plate to cool.

　　

Step 3

In a medium saucepan, combine the chocolate, sugar, instant espresso, butter, and milk and stir over medium heat until the chocolate and butter have melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the almond butter and almond extract until smooth, then stir in the oats. Cook, stirring frequently, until the oats are slightly softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cherries and almonds, mixing well to combine.

　　

Step 4

Let cool slightly, then scoop out the dough by the rounded tablespoon and drop onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. (Don’t worry about spacing them far apart; since they aren’t baked, they won’t spread.) Sprinkle the cookies with the sea salt, then sift cocoa powder generously over the tops.

　　

Step 5

Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill the cookies for at least 1 hour, until they have firmed up. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for several months.

　　Reprinted with permission from Serve Yourself: Nightly Adventures in Cooking for One by Joe Yonan. Text copyright © 2011 by Joe Yonan; photographs copyright © 2011 by Ed Anderson. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.Joe Yonan is the food and travel editor at the Washington Post, where he writes the award-winning "Cooking for One" column. Joe's work also earned the Post the 2009 and 2010 James Beard Foundation's award for best food section. He is the former travel editor at the Boston Globe. Visit www.joeyonan.com.