This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy.
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.
I love no bake cookie recipes! I can’t wait to try these amazing cookies!
I am a sucker for a good no-bake cookie! These are tasty!
I am confused where you say “How To Store No Bake Cookies”….what do you mean STORE! I can eat a whole batch in one sitting! There is never any storing!
You’re my kind of lady, Debbie! Ha! 🙂
My family has made no-bakes for years! My dad was in charge when I was younger. I taught my hubby to make them now! Try the special dark cocoa from Hershey’s! We had to one night because we had run out of the regular unsweetened. Now we swap or even use half and half of the two!
Delicious!!!!
My mom has made these cookies since before I can remember. They are always favorites at bake sales and/or dessert auctions. This recipe is almost exactly like hers, but it asks for too many oats. 3 cups is just the right amount. And I’m not sure why is says to boil the oat mixture after it is all mixed. Not necessary at all! Creamy or crunchy peanut butter works and I use premium bakers cocoa. We flatten them out just a bit like regular cookies.
I don’t make enough no bake cookies. This one looks so simple and delicious! Bookmarked for the summer, for when it is WAYYY too hot to turn on the over 😉
Always love a great no bake recipe! These will make the perfect afternoon snack for my kids after school! Delish!
These cookies look great, such a tasty snack and I love that they are no bake too!
No bake cookies always remind me of my grandma, she always makes them and sends them home with us when we come visit. They are always a favorite cookie of mine!
I went bye the book on this recipe an my cookies did not come out like your picture! These cookies are peanut butter no bakes! Not chocolate no baked! They are peanut butter color not the color like I make, so redue your posting to the right accurate picture of what they will look like, not what you say they will look like, they don’t taste like classic no bakes..
I am sorry yours didn’t turn out! It sounds like you may have left out the cocoa powder. The cocoa powder is what gives the cookies that dark brown color and the chocolatey taste. Your cocoa powder may also be expired! That happened to me once. I made a chocolate cake with expired cocoa and it didn’t taste chocolatey at all!
Has anyone tried Stevia in place of sugar?.
My mom was keeping 3 of her grands, one being about a year old, while their mother was out shopping. The mom brought two caramelized suckers for the two older girls….nothing for the baby. Evidently the mom was not thinking or thinking the baby was asleep. To stop the baby from crying, the grandmother said I’ll make you something better than the sucker. After tasting these the baby stopped crying and the older girls laid the suckers down in preference of these. The girls still remember the time and continued making these.
haha I like these cookies better than suckers too! These kids have good taste 😉 I haven’t used Stevia in place of sugar for this recipe. If you have had success using Stevia in other cookie recipes, I don’t see why you couldn’t use it! Sorry this wasn’t much help! If you try it let us know how they turn out!
I’m 71 and my Grandmother and mother made these a lot, My sister and myself and our six daughters continue to make these (same recipe) in the summer for camping, for birthday treats, for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Everyone needs a little healthy chocolate treat for any occasion. Don’t you agree 💗💗💗
Grama Debbie
I make these occasionally and always for Christmas. Your recipe is exactly the one my mom gave me years ago, even down to the 1 minute boil.
I see a lot of posts about substituting for this ingredient or that. One thing I’ve learned about cooking is when a recipe works (and this one works) there is a certain science to it that determines the outcome. This recipe is actually a candy to me, and when you understand the chemical reaction that occurs based on the butter sugar milk and boil, (you’re actually boiling it to softball stage) you then understand how fickle the recipe can be. So don’t mess with the ingredients or instructions with this one!
I agree 100%. The recipe needs to be followed exactly. Thank you for your comment!
I’ve had this recipe for years and haven’t made this in long time. My recipe is called Scotties. I bet it would be good with white chocolate, but would change the color. You could also add nuts
Regular (sweetened) cocoa or unsweetened? Most recipes for these cookies say Unsweetened but I only have regular and your’s didn’t specify. I’m going to give it a shot. Wonder if I should lessen the sugar by a half cup just in case. Any ideas anyone? 🙂
you will want to use unsweetened for sure or they will be too sweet. Hopefully this helps!
I used a little less sugar not a lot 1/2 cup because of all the sugar in peanut butter followed directions to the T unsalted buterr a must
Can honey be substituted for the sugar?
We haven’t substituted with honey before, I am not sure if it would work.. but you can definitely try it and let us know how it turns out!
Would love to make these, Is this an American measurement for all ingredients, not sure what a stick of butter is equivalent to ,I’m in Australia,would I have to convert the whole recepie?
A stick = 1/2 cup. Hope this helps!
Love these. I no long drop mine wax paper ,I just pour them in a 9 x 13 and cut them with a pizza cutter. Les time~~~ 😉
when you say 1/2c is that 1/2 a cup
Yes! Thank you for asking.
We have always made them with 1/4 cup shortening (Crisco) instead of butter. Tried them with butter a few times but we didn’t think that they were as good.
I’ve never tried these cookies with shortening. Thank you for your comment – I’ll try it next time.