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The recipe originally came from our former babysitter, Rebekah, who served these for our Casey’s birthday treat.
A plate full of these chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies are perfect for special occasions or a fun treat…trust me they will go down a storm!
Taste and Texture
These no bake cookies made with simple pantry staples, so I can always pull them together at the last minute.
Plus, in just 10 minutes they set up and become nice and firm — like a cross between a chewy oatmeal cookie and a rich piece of fudge!
What You Need to Make No Bake Cookies
- Butter
- Milk
- Sugar
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Quick oats
- Peanut butter
How to Make Easy No Bake Cookies
- Line a large baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.
- Combine butter, milk, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt in a large saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, whisking as the mixture comes to a boil. Continue whisking and allow the mixture to boil for about 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat. - Stir in the oats and peanut butter until completely combined.
- Use a spoon to drop the oat mixture onto the wax paper. Place in the refrigerator and allow to set until firm (at least 10 minutes).
- Store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them firm and fresh for up to one week.
Can You Freeze these Cookies?
Yes! These no bake cookies will store really well in the freezer, just thaw them as you need them.
You can also store leftovers in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Tip: Why not make a double batch and freeze them for a special treat!
Top Tips for Making the Best No Bake Cookies
- Quick oats work so much better than old fashioned oats which tend not to firm up as well.
- Feel free to swap the peanut butter for another nut butter or biscoff spread.
- Why not drizzle some melted chocolate over the top, white chocolate would look great!
- You can also add in dried fruit and nuts for a variation.
- These cookies will store well in the fridge for up to 1 week. Make sure to store them in a sealed container.
More easy no bake desserts that you might enjoy:
- No Bake Haystack Cookies
- 5-Ingredient Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
- 3-Ingredient Microwave Fudge
- Quick and Easy Banana Pudding
Easy No Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter
- ½ cup milk
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups quick oats
- ½ cup peanut butter
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.
- Combine butter, milk, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt in a large saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, whisking as the mixture comes to a boil. Continue whisking and allow the mixture to boil for about 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat.
- Stir in the oats and peanut butter until completely combined.
- Use a spoon to drop the oat mixture onto the wax paper. Place in the refrigerator and allow to set until firm (at least 10 minutes).
- Store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them firm and fresh for up to one week.
Notes
- Quick oats work so much better than old fashioned oats which tend not to firm up as well.
- Feel free to swap the peanut butter for another nut butter or biscoff spread.
- Why not drizzle some melted chocolate over the top, white chocolate would look great!
- You can also add in dried fruit and nuts for a variation.
- These cookies will store well in the fridge for up to 1 week. Make sure to store them in a sealed container. You can also freeze these cookies.
Sounds like you and your boys have had a fun and busy summer! I can’t believe that August is flying by so fast and that school will start soon. These no bake cookies sound perfect to soak up the last of summer. And anything that is no-bake is a winner in my book!
Oh my gosh…such a busy summer! And yes — these cookies are the best way to end the fun! 🙂
Our oven takes FOREVER to heat up so no bake cookies are always a go-to for me when I’m impatient! These look delicious!
Oh, these are so perfect for impatient cookie lovers — they don’t even take long to set-up and harden!
I have been making these cookies for years — so good! I cut down on some of the oats, and replace with shredded coconut.
That’s a great tip about the coconut, Joanne! I need to try that next time — they probably taste like chocolate macaroons!
I love that story of your babysitter! I remember becoming so emotionally attached to kids I babysat when I was younger! And no-bakes are always a favorite! Yum!
Yes, we are definitely emotionally attached to Rebekah, too! There’s something special that forms when you entrust someone else with your most precious thing — your kids! 🙂
Thank you so much for having this recipe. My mom made these cookies all the time when I was growing up. I just made some and I know my kids will be happy. I think your website is great. My kids are teenagers and young adults now but I love your recipes and seeing your adventures with your family, and where you live is beautiful!
That’s wonderful, Linda! Aren’t childhood recipes the best? They bring back so many memories and it’s even better when you get to share them with your own kids.
Thank you so much for reading the blog and for following along with us!
These cookies are so dry .
Hi..my cookies are quite soft.. would it help to reduce the butter? Also.. just another quick question.. can the sugar be substituted by dates or honey instead of sugar? Am not a sugar fan. 🙂
Hi, Mags! If they’re soft, you can put them in the refrigerator and they should set right up and be very firm (just like butter is firm in the refrigerator). I haven’t played around with omitting the sugar or decreasing the butter, so I can’t say how that would impact the taste and texture of the cookies.
Will try that. Thanks.
Wow, I’ve never tried no bake cookies before but they sound soo delicious, perfect for summer!
Thanks, Emily!
O my!! Thank you for sharing this recipe with us! It was easy and soooooo delicious!!! 🙂 I just love your blog, and, while I’m not a mama, I sure enjoy whipping up a lot of your great recipes!! I have never traveled to Virginia, but hope to in the future. It’s extremely warm and humid in Florida. The cookies are lovely! Thanks again!! 🙂
I’m so glad to hear that, Andrea! It’s just as hot and humid here in VA as it is in FL at the moment. 🙁 Ready for fall weather!
The recipe for no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies on the taste of home website I can’t get it to print. I don’t know did anyone else have a problem…
Hi, Peggy! I don’t think that those posts have a printable recipe card (not sure why). 🙁 I would either screen shot the recipe to save it on your phone or computer, or copy and paste the text into a Word document or email. That’s the best that I can do for a non-printable page. Hope you try them, though!
I’VE MADE THESE FOR OVER 50 YEARS, AS MY MOM HANDED THE RECIPE DOWN TO ME AND I’VE HANDED IT DOWN TO MY DAUGHTER AS WELL. I ALSO ADD NUTS AND RAISINS AT TIMES JUST TO CHANGE THEM AROUND AND USUALLY MAKE THEM AT CHRISTMAS BECAUSE THEY ARE SO EASY AND EVERYONE INCLUDING MY NEIGHBORS (GIVE THEM AS X-MAS TREATS)
Thanks, Gina! Yes, they’re such a classic — and always well-received! 🙂