The Classic No-Bake Cookie is a quick and easy fudge-like cookie that’s packed with flavor. It’s rich with chocolate and creamy peanut butter, loaded with oats. These irresistible cookies have been a favorite for generations, and with good reason!
EASY NO BAKE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
A favorite cookie for generations that’s so easy to make! These irresistible cookies are loaded with peanut butter, chocolate and oatmeal (old-fashioned oats or quick oats), ready in about 30 minutes. They are the BEST no-bake, no-fuss, old school classic cookies.
Read great reviews from people who tried this recipe on Pinterest!
These cookies are such a cinch to make. They only require a few ingredients and ALWAYS get devoured.
I made this batch of cookies last night and there are only a few left on the plate this afternoon.
I was hoping to leave Santa a couple of these cookies on Christmas Eve. It’s a good thing they are so simple to make, it looks like I may need to make another batch today or tomorrow.
When it comes to No Bake Cookie recipes, some call for Quick Oats and some call for Old-Fashioned Oats. For this No Bake recipe, you can use both.
I like to use Old-Fashioned Oats, that’s what I always have on hand.
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
The Classic No-Bake Cookie is a quick and easy fudge-like cookie that's packed with flavor. It's rich with chocolate and creamy peanut butter, loaded with oats. These irresistible cookies have been a favorite for generations, and with good reason!
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, salted real butter, do not substitute
- ½ cup milk (skim, 1%, 2% or whole)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa (I use Hershey’s Natural Unsweetened Cocoa)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 cups Quick Oats (quick-cooking oatmeal) or Old-Fashioned Oats
Instructions
- In a medium to large size sauce pan, heat butter, milk, sugar and cocoa over medium heat, blending well and stirring continuously.
- Bring to a rapid boil. Once boiling, allow to a boil (while continuing to stir) for 1 1/2 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Next, add vanilla and peanut butter and blend well, then add oats, blend well.
- Drop large spoonfuls of batter on wax paper. Allow to cool/set for 25 to 30 minutes on counter.
- Enjoy with a large glass of cold milk!
Notes
Tips
Use an ice cream scoop for the batter – so simple and no mess. I use the medium size scoop from Pampered Chef. I take heaping size scoops and drop them on the wax paper.
Use a timer for the 1 1/2 minute boiling time. Under and over cooking may result in cookies that do not set.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Happy Holidays!
Rachele
Just curious. Has anyone tried using crunchy peanut butter instead of the smooth?
Embee
Yes, we always use crunchy peanut butter–never buy the smooth. Also only 1/4 cup cocoa, and start timing for 60 seconds once it reaches a full rolling boil. If you don’t cook long enough, cookies never set up (but they’re good on top of ice cream even if still gooey!), and if you cook too long, they’re dry and crumbly. And I’ve used butter with and without salt as well as margarine–all turn out fine. In fact, I think my recipe calls for margarine with a teaspoon of salt.
Bill Freeman
These are absolutely delicious. To bad the recipe is for a “single” serving. 🙂
To send them to the next level, try adding some black walnuts to the mix.
Out of this world delicious!!
Anonymous
Sometimes I omit the chocolate and add a little more peanut butter and get peanut butter no bakes. I also add two hand fulls of mini marshmallows when the peanut butter and oatmeal added. Love them along with everyone that eats them.
Anonymous
Can you freeze these? And how many does this recipe make approximately?
Anonymous
Can you make these with splenda instead of sugar?
Rebecca Rader-Black
yes but may need to add a little more oats to help thicken the cookies
mommies*plan*b fun stuff to do with my husband
I am curious as to the temp of the butter and milk, are they cold from the fridge or room temp?
Embee
I make it with butter and milk straight from refrigerator–might take less time to get to full rolling boil if they’re room temperature, but that’s the only drawback I can foresee.
Anonymous
Hi I came across this on pinterest and we love it!
Anonymous
one thing about the cook time 1.5 to 3 minutes, it is said to set the timer for 1.5 minutes after it starts to boil….how long does it take to start to boil….maybe 1.5 minutes which is where the 3 minutes comes from so if this is true all the recipes are the same just a difference in when the timer is started……just a thought
Anonymous
How much chocolate chips do you use?
Edie Dickey
I use choc chips instead of cocoa powder, and no peanut butter….love these cookies
Linda Eade
I use semi-sweet chocolate chips to make these instead of sugar and cocoa. They turn out about the same. You can also buy them already made at Walmart and other grocery stores. The ones at Walmart are like homemade.
lakia thompson
I love this cookies. We call em haystacks here. Thank you 4 ur recipe!!!
Anonymous
Love these cookies. I cut back on the sugar and use shredded coconut in place of peanut butter. Also, experiment with adding flavored protein powder.
Anonymous
Do you still use the oats with the coconut?
Jacki Anderson
These have been a family favorite since the 1960s. And my children love them – actually my 22 year old daughter just made some the other day. Your recipe is the first I've seen that has the same ingredients/measurements like our recipe. Usually the recipes I see posted use more peanut butter and less chocolate. The one change we did make, and LOVE, is that we use Almond Extract (used in a pinch, its become our "secret ingredient"). These cookies CAN be temperamental if you do not stir constantly or if you overcook. I also find that sometimes the weather can even have an impact (similar to candy making). But they are the best. I never seem to like anyone else's version.
Anonymous
I've lived at sea level and extremely high altitudes & everything in between. High altitude cooking IS a bit trickier, so my guess is that the differences in cooking times above are due to altitude. Just try it once & adjust the next time! 🙂
Mary Schultz
This was the first "cookie" I ever learned to make, and I recently was able to bribe my 13yo son into cooking lessons with the promise that these would be one of the desserts I teach him. I quite often make these to give as gifts, and the drop method makes them very hard to pack and store neatly….
Instead of dropping in clumps onto wax paper (that's how my Grammy taught me): first, you always have to make a double batch (you know, so there's some to give away and some for you). Find a large cookie sheet that has a nice lip on it, sprinkle a little water on it, and cover with a layer of wax paper (the water keeps the paper from slipping around on top of the pan). Pour the whole batch onto the lined pan, spread evenly, and then place the pan on top of a cooling rack (this helps them cool faster, from the bottom and the top). Let them sit for an hour or so, then use a pizza cutter to cut them evenly into squares. MUCH easier to store, pack as gifts, arrange on trays, etc.!
I guess if you have a small cookie sheet you could make a single batch, but my good cookie sheets that have a really tall lip on them are too big for a single batch, plus if I only make a single batch than there aren't any leftovers for me….
Anonymous
I have discovered you have to use real butter to make these cookies set. I boil mine for 1 minute, spread on a baking sheet and use a pizza cutter to cut into squares…
marysweetlittlebluebird
Anonymous – You can add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Here is a great link for reference: http://challengedairy.com/tips-and-techniques/substituting-unsalted-butter-for-salted
Anonymous
i only have unsalted butter. what do I need to do to make up for it?
Anonymous
Can you use dark chocolate chips to melt or should you stick with cocoa powder? Just wondering :). Thanks!
Anonymous
O was wondering can I use the same ingredients but make it gluten and lactose free? If so what kids of milk will I need?
Thanks
Debbie
I am also lactose intolerant so I would use lactose free milk or you could use oat milk or any dairy free milk.
Anonymous
If you add a little more milk to this recipe then, pour the mixture into a dish, you may scoop/spoon out the cookie after its chilled in the refrigerator. This makes for a really chewy/gooey cookie. YUMMY!!
Anonymous
It helps to let stand for 1 minute before dropping spoonfuls onto wax paper.
Laura Terrill
I cook mine for 3 mintes exactly, then remove from heat and add PB oats and vanilla… sets for me everytime.. I think 1 and 1/2 minutes is too short of a time. been making them for 30 years.
marysweetlittlebluebird
Hi Laura, thanks for your tip. I have made these too many times to count, 1 1/2 minutes works for my recipe. Cooks.com has the same recipe as me, the only difference…they call for boiling only 1 minute.
http://www.cooks.com/recipe/3y0cb1i1/chocolate-oatmeal-no-bake-cookies.html
Their recipe has 682 reviews with a 4.8 out of 5 star rating. So I guess anywhere between 1 and 3 minutes works. I'm sticking with 1 1/2 minutes – they always set and taste wonderful.
Robin Renfrow
I make mine in the microwave. I use five teaspoons of butter add sugar cocoa and milk cook four minutes stir cook one min. Then add one cup of peanut butter, vanilla and oats
Anonymous
My Mom's recipe was named "3 Minute No-Bake Cookies".
Anonymous
I can't ever seem to get these right. They're either too dry or they don't set. I know it has to do with how long it boils so my question is…..do you start the timer when it starts to boil or when its at a full boil? Thanks!!!
marysweetlittlebluebird
Once they start to boil, start your timer! This is a great recipe and if you follow the instructions, they will set.
Anonymous
Look up the temp for "soft ball" stage and use a candy thermometer that is the only way to really garunteed they set everytime it depends on what temp it gets to…..
Anonymous
I always cook mine for 99 seconds which is 9 seconds over your recipe. Works every time.
Debbie
We like to use chocolate milk powder (Nesquik) for a milk chocolate taste.