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Get a quick chocolate peanut butter fix with these delicious No Bake Cookies. From start to finish, they take less than 15 minutes to make.
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’re playing board games or watching movies. And no bake means you don’t need to heat up the house with your oven. Just a little stove top stirring and you’re done!
How to Make No Bake Cookies
Chances are, you have every ingredient you need to whip up a batch of our no bake cookies right now. Once you’ve gathered everything together, here are the steps:
- Measure out the quick oats, peanut butter, and vanilla into a mixing bowl. Don’t stir them together, simply set the bowl aside for now. Spread a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet, or on a clean countertop to prepare for the cookies.
- Next, add salted butter, sugar, milk, and cocoa to a heavy saucepan. I prefer using 2% or whole milk. I feel this helps the cookies set up better. Stir constantly over medium heat. When the mixture comes to a full boil, set a timer for one minute. After a minute, remove from heat. At this point you can either add the ingredients from the mixing bowl to the saucepan, or pour the hot mixture from the saucepan into the mixing bowl. You need to move quickly and stir everything together until it is well blended.
- I like to have an extra set of hands in the kitchen to help with this step – the kids or my husband are usually very willing. Using two spoons, or a cookie dough scoop, swiftly scoop the cookie dough onto the parchment paper to form the cookies.
- The cookies will set as they cool. Depending on the temperature and humidity in your kitchen, this can take anywhere between 10-20 minutes. Keeping everyone away from the cookies as they cool is the most difficult step in this recipe!
Tips for the Perfect No Bake Cookie
Set a timer! When boiling the butter, sugar, milk, and cocoa you want to make sure to boil it long enough that the no bake cookies will set up properly, but not too long or the cookies will turn out dry, hard, and crumbly.
Stick with real sugar. Try to avoid switching out ingredients in our no-bake cookies. Many recipes can swap out sugar for sugar substitutes, but these cookies need the real thing to cook up right.
Use quick-cooking oats. Quick oats work best in this no-bake cookie recipe. You can use old fashioned oats, but they don’t cook as quickly so the texture will be a little thicker and chewier. To avoid this, blend old fashioned oats for a few seconds in the blender. The smaller oats will cook and taste better for these cookies.
Ways to store. Keep these cookies in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to a week. They freeze beautifully for up to three months.
Add-in options. If you do want to add a little something extra, you could toss in chopped nuts or coconut to give the no bake cookies an extra dimension.
Frequently Asked Questions
They are gluten-free as long as you use gluten-free oats. Not all oats are gluten-free so be sure to check the packaging before preparing these cookies for someone who can’t have gluten. Otherwise, all the other ingredients are gluten-free and you are good to go!
This happens when the sugar/butter mixture isn’t boiled long enough. It should be at a full boil for one minute. Make sure you allow the cookies to cool. They will continue to set up and harden as they cool.
You will have the opposite result, the cookies will be hard and crumbly. The boiling time needs to be exact for the best result.
More No Bake Recipes
When you’re looking to whip up something quick without the oven, yet still wow guests with gorgeous treats, we have more no bake recipes to choose from! Here are a few of our 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.
These sound like a Krispy treat with PB and chocolate. These will be so delish to try!
So easy to make and so good. A hit no matter where you take them.
Simple, easy and delicious! Gone in no time at my house!
I have seen these cookies in a local bakery/grocery, and thank you for sharing this recipe. I simply love them ! And the tips you give are so helpful. These tips help with making a perfect cookie, baked or no-bake. I do like no-bake cookies and cheesecakes. I refer/use your recipes for main entrees/and desserts as well as some old time favorites which I find has been made better by referring to the tips. Delicious recipes. Thanks/ tried and proved by you-and that makes all the difference’ made with love !! Martha
We used to call these Washday cookies! My mother added coconut to them too. Many memories of taking these on car trips to visit my uncle near Cleveland! My Mom always took them wrapped in wax paper in a shoe box so they’d be protected for the trip! I loved these cookies. A family favorite for sure!
Love this cookie
I never thought about adding pecans or even raisins to my no bake cookie recipe. I will certainly do that on this recipe! Sounds good, can’t wait to try one !
I love thes cookies!! So simple, and so good!
Love these cookies! They remind me so much of cookies my grandma would make during the holidays. Such a wonderful memory
Is it busy Teacher, I appreciate being able to make things that are no bake. My students love treats so I can make these while I’m doing some of my lessons. These are perennials favorite for my students. If there’s any left I might even get one or two! I love these
Absolutely love these cookies! They’re so quick to whip up and so delicious will be the hot if the party. I’ve shared this same exact recipe with many people over the years and they all still make them for their parties or little get togethers. And I love how you explain the importance of cooking them the exact amount of time stated, so many people have called me over the years asking why theirs didn’t turn out and that’s the number one reason. Guess I should’ve explained as well as you guys have lol. Great choice!!
When I was in grade school the lunch ladies served this cookie and they were SOOOO good! I searched high and low for a recipe that would compare. I’m 64 years old and found this to be the closest to theirs! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Love no bake cookies! Easy to make even with the youngest of my grandchildren!!! Outstanding best no bake recipe!
This DOES sound pretty easy! I ALWAYS have trouble making these. They end up crumbly. I can’t wait to try your recipe.
I use to love these as a kid! I hadn’t found a recipe for them so glad you shared this one! Can’t wait to taste them again!!
These look like they would be a gift cookie to do with kids
Agreed! It’s a quick and easy recipe – and kids love them!
Easy to make, tried Boling a )title longer, it work, now I have from cookies.
Oh so good! I never get tired of these. I usually boil mine too long and they turn into a pile of crumbs before they all get eaten. You’d think I would stop boiling a bit sooner. Maybe I will next time. But the taste is what counts. Now seems like a perfect time to try again!
I bake all kinds of Christmas cookies, but the no bakes are fun and delicious and always get rave reviews.
So easy to make. Myfamily love them