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Looking for a fast and delicious treat? These No Bake Cookies are the answer! With a prep and cook time of less than 15 minutes, you can satisfy your chocolate and peanut butter cravings in no time.
Why You’ll Love These No Bake Cookies
These Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies are my go-to treat when I’m short on time, but still want a tasty homemade cookie to serve or to eat. My kids love them as an after-school snack with a tall glass of cold milk. My husband whips them up on a lazy weekend afternoon as we are playing board games or watching movies.
- Quick & Easy: Perfect for busy days or last-minute dessert needs.
- No Oven Needed: Keep your kitchen cool – just a bit of stovetop magic is all it takes.
- Healthy-ish Ingredients: Peanut butter and oatmeal are good for you, right?
I love to make these cookies, and I also love to eat them. They are my favorite. I put them in my homemade Christmas containers last year. They are one of the first if not the first to get eaten! EASY to make. – Jennie
Ingredients in No Bake Cookies
All of these ingredients are likely to be in your pantry and fridge right now. All you need is:
- Quick Oats: My mom always used quick oats in her no-bake cookies, but I didn’t know why until I tried making them with regular oats. Regular oats don’t work as well, trust me! The quick oats give the cookies a softer, chewier texture.
Tip: Regular oats can be used in a pinch of you pulse them a few times in the blender first. - Peanut Butter: Creamy or crunchy both work great. Peanut butter is the binding agent and adds that delicious nutty flavor that pairs so well with chocolate.
- Butter: Use salted butter for the perfect balance of sweet and salty. If unsalted is all you have on hand, add a pinch of salt to the mixture.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is essential to sweeten the unsweetened cocoa powder and give the cookies the right consistency.
- Milk: I prefer 2% or whole milk for a creamier cookie texture.
- Cocoa: For the best chocolate flavor, use a high quality unsweetened cocoa powder like Ghirardelli’s or Hershey’s.
- Vanilla: It enhances the flavor of the other ingredients.
How to Make No Bake Cookies
1. Prepare the Ingredients:
- Measure out the quick oats, peanut butter, and vanilla into a mixing bowl.
- Spread a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet, or on a clean countertop to prepare for the cookies.
2. Cook the Chocolate Mixture:
- Combine butter, sugar, milk, and cocoa to a heavy saucepan.
- Stir constantly over medium heat. When the mixture comes to a full boil, set a timer for one minute.
3. Combine and Scoop:
- Remove from heat and pour the mixture over the oats, peanut butter, and vanilla. Stir until combined.
- Scoop the mixture onto the prepared parchment paper using spoons or a cookie dough scoop.
4. Cool and Set:
- Let the cookies cool for 15-20 minutes until they set. Resist the temptation to dig in early!
Tips for Perfect No Bake Cookies
Set a Timer! Boil the chocolate mixture for exactly 1 minute. Too short, and the cookies won’t set. Too long, and they’ll be hard and crumbly.
Stick with Real Sugar. Avoid sugar substitutes to ensure the cookies set correctly.
Use Quick-Cooking Oats. Quick oats give the best texture. If using old-fashioned oats, place them in a blender and pulse a few times for better results.
Storage. Keep these cookies in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to a week or freeze up to three months.
No-Bake Cookie Recipe Variations
Add-in ideas. For a fun twist, mix in shredded coconut, raisins, or chopped nuts.
For a peanut allergy: One of our readers recommended using cookie butter in place of peanut butter for those who have peanut allergies. Check label to be sure there are no nuts.
Gluten-free: This recipe is gluten free as long as certified gluten-free oats are used.
Vegan no-bake cookies: Use almond milk or oat milk instead of cow’s milk and vegan butter. It works great!
Frequently Asked Questions
They are gluten-free as long as you use certified gluten-free oats. Check the label of your oats to be sure.
This happens when the sugar/butter mixture isn’t boiled long enough. It should be at a rolling boil for one minute.
The cookies will turn out dry and crumbly. Stick to the 1-minute rule for best results.
More No Bake Recipes
Looking for more easy no bake desserts? Try these no bake favorites:
No Bake Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup peanut butter creamy or crunchy
- 3 1/2 cups quick oats
Instructions
- Measure out oats, peanut butter, and vanilla into a mixing bowl. Don't mix.
- Mix butter, sugar, milk, and cocoa together in a heavy saucepan and bring to a full boil. Allow to boil for one full minute (set a timer). Remove from heat.
- Quickly stir in the rolled oats, peanut butter, and vanilla.
- Drop by spoonfuls or cookie scoop onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or wax paper as quickly as possible. Cool 20-30 minutes.
Notes
Recipe tips:
- Measure ingredients exactly to get best results.
- Watch boiling time carefully to get best results.
- Use a quality unsweetened cocoa powder for a rich chocolate flavor.
- Any nut butter can be substituted for peanut butter.
- Optional additions: ¼ cup coconut, chocolate chips, chopped nuts.
- Store no bake cookies at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks in an airtight container.
- Place cookies in an airtight container or a Ziplock bag and freeze for up to two months.
LOVE THESE!!!!
I made these this morning ,they turned out perfect thank you. I would like to be on your mailing list.
Thank you so much! You can subscribe to our mailing list if you go to out home-page and scroll about half-way down– it is on the right sidebar. 🙂 Thanks again!
A cube (or stick) = 1/2 c.
A friend of mine says that if it is too humid, the cookies may not set.
That is probably right— we have lived only in pretty dry climates and they seem to set up quite well. Let me know if you have difficulty with it setting in a more humid climate
I’ve been making these for my whole life love them
Just made these and they are very chocolately and good! However mine didn’t set completely. How long do they normally take to set? I just stuck them in the freezer for a bit hoping that helps.
It usually doesn’t take that long – about 15 minutes. If they aren’t setting up, they may not have cooked long enough. I hope the freezer trick worked!
A friend of mine told me that if it is too humid, the cookies may not set.
I used to have that issue too. Now I mix together peanut butter and oats in a separate bowl first before I heat the chocolate mix. Then, after the choc mix is done (boiling for 1 min), I pour it into oats and PB. This way I control the chocolate (and normally have a small bit left over). They will start to set as you mix them so drop quick!
Tried it without peanut butter and it is toooo sweet! Will try again with a bit less sugar and a bit more oats.
You’ll have to let us know how it turns out… it’s hard to find a good substitute for peanut butter!
can peanut butter be eliminated in this recipe? my 7 year old boy is allergic to peanut butter.
You could probably use cookie butter or nutella instead. Haven’t tried it but that would be my best guess!
posted this on wrong comment 🙂 just an fyi, sunflower butter and soy nut butter are excellent substitutes for peanut butter, I have a peanut allergic son as well.
Thank you for the substitution ideas!
There is a recipe for just chocolate/oatmeal no bake cookies, basically same without the p.b. ( my son is also allergic to nuts) check pinterest
Hi, instead of oats are there any other alternative I can use? Cause I was thinking of trying it, but kids aint too fond of oats.
Hmmm I don’t know what to recommend with this one… you can use quick oats and they absorb the chocolate a little more.
They’ll never know unless you tell them.
My mom calls these reindeer poop! I put coconut in mine too….my family loves these
Thanks for yet another great recipe! In the past, I’ve had problems with the sugar in my cookies crystallizing or becoming too dry. Someone recently told me you have to boil them for exactly 1 minute so when I found your recipe last week, I was happy to see you included that in the instructions. True to form, you’ve provided another great recipe. I used dark cocoa powder as it was all I had on hand and they turned out soft and delicious and perfect; the best batch I’ve ever made!
These cookies are a happy memory of my husband`s childhood. I had lost the recipe, so thank you for the post. I will make them this afternoon. Awesome website.
My mom always calls these fudge drops! Soooo yummy when they are first made hot and fresh!
@houseofpeters–
yes, 1 cube = 1 stick = 1/2 c.
is that half a cup
Yes 🙂
Quick question – when you say a cube of butter, do you mean the whole stick or what measurement exactly?? Thanks!
i made these last night for my roomates, they were amaazing!! I also have started a food blog, id love for you to check it out.. 🙂
Oooh, I like this kind of no bake cookie that has few ingredients. Similar to these cookies I think.
Man, these were so good, my husbands favorite. I had lost the recipe, so he is really glad to have this one back.
I like to press the hot mixture (using a spoon of course) into cookie cutters. That way you can make it into different shapes.
These are my all-time favorite! Comfort food. LOVE it!!!