The BEST No Bake Cookies Recipe with Chocolate, Oatmeal, and Peanut Butter: The classic recipe that uses milk, butter, sugar, cocoa, peanut butter, and oats! Plus, the pro-tip that will help you make sure they turn out every time!
- Chocolate no bake cookies?
- Chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies?
- No bake chocolate oatmeal cookies?
- No bake oatmeal cookies?
I’m not sure what you may call them… because I’ve heard them called all SORTS of different names, but we talk about them so much that we’ve just shortened it to “no bakes” around here.
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If you love easy cookies, you’ll love these Monster cookies , these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, the No Bake S’mores Cheesecake Recipe, our Gluten Free, Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies, and these Chocolate and Peanut Butter Energy Bites – No Bake!
❤️ Why You’ll Love this Recipe
I’ve hesitated sharing this recipe for no bake cookies, because I felt like EVERYONE must already have a recipe and know what no bake cookies are. Right?! Wrong.
Or at least they’ve been made by others but so many have had trouble with other recipes hardening and turning out. But this recipe never fails me, and you’ll see why in the PRO TIP below!
🍪 How to Make No Bake Cookies
They’re really easy, and the PERFECT recipe for someone just starting out in the kitchen. (I actually think this was the very first cookie recipe I tackled as a little girl too! It’s kind of neat actually to be sharing this with you today since I had NO idea back then that this blogging “thing” would even exist, where I share my favorite recipes.)
Using everyday ingredients, that you probably already have on hand, you’ll cook them on the stovetop and they’ll air-dry on the counter. No baking required!
The full, printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Butter, Sugar, Milk, Cocoa
Combine the following ingredients in a saucepan on the stovetop. (Not turning the burner on just yet.)
TIP: This is a GREAT time to place a piece of aluminum foil out on the countertop, so it is ready for you when the cookies are ready to scoop out.
- Butter – You’ll be using a stick of butter, which is a half of a cup. Don’t worry about it being softened, cold right out of the refrigerator will work just fine. I also prefer to use salted butter, but unsalted works just fine too!
- Sugar – 2 cups of white granulated sugar
- Milk – I usually use 2%, but have used whole and skim before as well, so using whatever you have on hand should work just fine!
- Cocoa – 4 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa
Step 2: Mix & Boil
Turn the burner on to medium-high heat, and begin stirring so the butter will melt.
Step 3: Boil for 1 Minute
Once the butter has melted, stop stirring to allow the mixture to come to a boil.
PRO TIP: Once all of the chocolate mixture starts boiling, (not just a bubble here and there — wait until it all starts boiling) begin timing the boil, stir slowly and constantly, and let it boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat.
Step 4: Add in Peanut Butter
Once the saucepan has been moved away from the heat, add and stir in the peanut butter until completely mixed in.
Step 5: Add the Oats
Pour in 3 cups of oats and stir until combined.
Step 6: Quickly Spoon Out Cookies
This is where you’ll want to be quick and spoon out cookies with a tablespoon, on to a sheet of aluminum foil.
Leaving them in the hot pan will allow the cookies to continue to cook and harden, resulting in a very crumbly cookie.
Step 7: Rest for 20 minutes
Let the cookies rest for at least 20 minutes to harden.
To see if the cookies have set, you should be able to pick up the cookies with your hand.
❄️ Storage
Once hardened and cooled, store in an air-tight container and enjoy within a couple of days as they can tend to dry out.
If you’ve fallen in love with these no bake cookies, then I know you’re also going to love this 3-ingredient peanut butter fudge, this chocolate peanut butter bars too and these chewy oatmeal raisin cookies! They’re also a favorite in our house!
📖 Recipe
The BEST No Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter 1 stick
- 2 cups white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup milk 2%, whole or skim
- 4 tablespoon cocoa
- 1/3 cup peanut butter creamy or crunchy
- 3 cups oats quick or old-fashioned
Instructions
- Place a piece of aluminum foil, approximately a foot long, out on the counter. You'll be scooping out the cookies on to this to let dry once they're finished cooking.
- In a large sauce pan place butter, sugar, milk and cocoa and turn burner on to medium-high heat.
- Stirring to combine, cook until butter has melted.
- Next, and PRO TIP: Once all of the chocolate mixture starts boiling, (not just a bubble here and there — wait until it all starts boiling) begin timing the boil, stir slowly and constantly, and let it boil for 1 minute.
- After one minute of boiling, remove from heat
- Mix in peanut butter and stir until combined
- Add in oats and stir until evenly mixed
- QUICKLY, using a spoon, scoop out a tablespoon of cookie mixture on to your prepared aluminum foil, making approximately 16-20 cookies.
- Let cookies sit for about 20 minutes or until the cookies have hardened and you can pick them up off of the aluminum foil.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Jayne says
Did you forget the vanilla? I have the identical recipe that’s 50 years old from my mom…it calls for 1tsp vanilla! They’re amazing:)
Jessica says
Hi Jayne! I didn’t forget the vanilla. We actually never use it for these, but I’ve never had a bad recipe using vanilla so I’m sure it is amazing!
Shan says
Is delicious, yummy super great cookie recipe that’s so easy,!
Jessica says
Oh good!!! I’m so glad you liked these no bake cookies too! Thank you for sharing and for leaving a review Shan!!
Sharon says
This is the first time these cookies turned out for me. Not sure what the difference was except they were very wet when spooning out. Thx. I’ll keep this recipe
Jessica says
Hi Sharon!! That’s so exciting and I’m so glad that they turned out for you!!
Theresa Poirier says
I make these every Christmas..always love them..I roll some in Coconut Unsweetened ..
Jessica says
Oh that’s a good idea!! Thank you for sharing Theresa!
Sharon Marion says
Can these be put in the freezer?
Jessica says
Hi Sharon! Do you mean to freeze leftovers? Or were yours not thickening? If they’re not thickening, they could need to boil just a tad longer. I start the 1-minute timers when all of the chocolate liquid has started to boil (rolling boil). If to freeze leftovers, I’m sure they could be, although I’ve never tried it so I would test first!
Lilly says
I made some no bakes months ago but didn’t write down the recipe, so I’m trying to find it. These turned out OK. Even though I used quick oats, they were a bit more chewy than I thought they’d be. I also used 1 1/2 c. Sugar and they were still sweeter than I’d like them to be. I might make these again with a few modifications and play around with the recipe until I get it just how I like them. Thanks for sharing it!
Jessica says
Hi Lilly! Thanks for letting us know!
Tina Page says
I’ve always used this recipe except
Mine has vanilla in it.
Jessica says
I’ve heard of some putting vanilla extract in theirs! We actually don’t like it in them for some reason… but I sure know a lot who do!! 🙂
Ryder Heap says
Love it but I wish it had vanilla.
Jessica says
Hi Ryder! You can add vanilla if you like! I’d say start with a teaspoon of vanilla. I actually prefer this recipe without vanilla but I know a lot do love it!
Teresa says
I have been making these for many years and never, ever put peanut butter in them, never. They are fudgey and so delicious.. and I always add vanilla at the end before dropping them..