These no bake cookies are made with a chocolate and peanut butter combo and have the most amazing chewy and fudgy texture.
These are made in under an hour from start to finish, the only waiting time in this recipe is waiting for them to cool!
These are perfect to make when you don't want to use the oven and you want a quick dessert.
These cookies are made with peanut butter, cocoa powder, quick oats, butter, sugar, and milk. Made quick with simple ingredients, this is the ultimate easy dessert!
If you like chocolate recipes as we do, you should check out our double chocolate banana bread, chewy and fudgy brownies, best ever chocolate cake, chewy double chocolate cookies, dairy-free brownies, and our easy chocolate cupcakes!
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Why this recipe works
- This recipe requires no oven or mixer.
- Made with the best combination: peanut butter and chocolate!
- Made with simple ingredients that you may have in your kitchen right now!
- Made in under an hour from start to finish.
- Can be gluten-free and dairy-free if needed.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Butter- use unsalted butter for this recipe. Only butter will work for this recipe, no margarine, and no coconut oil. Margarine has a weird taste and can ruin the flavor of these delicious cookies.
Quick processed oats- we suggest using quick oats for this recipe, and not old-fashioned oats. Quick-rolled oats are great as well. Quick oats will soften way quicker and will give these cookies a classy fudgy and chewy texture to these cookies.
Dutch cocoa powder– we like to use Dutch-process cocoa powder for our chocolate recipes because we like the deep and rich chocolate taste, but the natural cocoa powder will work great as well!
Milk- we like using whole milk for this recipe, but you can use any of your favorite kinds of milk.
Peanut butter- We used regular processed peanut butter for this recipe. Natural peanut butter will not work for this recipe. We like to use the smooth kind, but you can use the crunchy kind if you like.
Granulated sugar– we like to use granulated sugar, also the most common sugar used in baking. Caster sugar will work great as well.
Vanilla extract– Vanilla extract Is an essential ingredient for most desserts.
Salt– We used kosher salt for this recipe. Salt doesn’t give the cookies a salty taste, it helps to enhance the chocolate flavor.
Instructions
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Start by adding the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and milk into a medium-sized saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
Once the mixture starts to boil (the mixture is bubbly), set a timer for exactly 1 minute.
Turn off the heat and add the peanut butter. Mix until well combined. Add the oats and mix well with a wooden spoon until the oats are covered with the chocolate mixture.
Set a timer for 4-5 minutes to let the mixture cool for a bit before scooping out the cookies.
Scoop the cookies with an ice cream scooper onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet keeping the cookies 2 inches apart from each other.
Place the cookies in the fridge to set for about 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use quick oats for this recipe, and not old-fashioned oats. Quick-rolled oats are great as well. We love using quick oats, they will soften way quicker and will give these cookies a classy fudgy, and chewy texture to no-bake cookies.
- Set a timer when the mixture is boiling, set a timer for exactly 1 minute, and take it off the heat when the timer is over. Cooking this cookie mixture for too long can make these cookies dry, and if you undercook the cookies will not set properly.
- Use a cookies scoop to scoop out the cookies, that way you will have even-sized cookies.
- Don't use margarine for this recipe! Only butter will work. Margarine has a weird taste and can ruin the flavor of these delicious cookies.
- Use regular processed peanut butter for this recipe. Natural peanut butter will not work for this recipe. We like to use the smooth kind, but you can use the crunchy kind if you like.
- Have patience! Before scooping out the cookies, let the hot mixture cool for 5 minutes. Waiting for the mixture to cool a bit will make sure that your cookies won't spread too much.
- Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
- Replace the vanilla extract with almond extract for a different flavor variation.
- Stir the mixture constantly when you cook. Stirring the mixture constantly makes sure that you don't have unnecessary lumps in the mixture.
- Make these cookies your own by adding your favorite add-ins: chopped nuts, chocolate chips, chopped fruit, and shredded coconut. Be creative!
Faq's
Use quick oats for this recipe, and not old-fashioned oats. We love using quick-rolled oats, they are great as well.
Quick oats will soften way quicker and will give these cookies a classy fudgy and chewy texture to these no-bake cookies.
If your cookies turn out dry and crumbly, it may be because you overboiled the mixture.
It is really important to have patience when making this recipe. It's important to follow the steps according to the instructions and bring the mixture to a boil slowly on medium heat.
If your cookies didn't set, you probably didn't boil the mixture for long enough.
We recommend setting a timer for the second the mixture starts to boil for one whole minute. Then remove it from the stove and continue following the rest of the steps.
We like to use Dutch prosses cocoa powder because it gives the cookies a deeper rich chocolate taste, but the natural cocoa powder will work! It’s just a personal preference.
Storing
It’s okay to store these cookies at room temperature. Make sure that you store them in an airtight container. These cookies will last for up to 1 week stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
Freezing
Freeze these cookies after they cooled completely in an airtight freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months.
Substitutions
Gluten-free- oats are naturally gluten-free, just make sure that the oats that you are using are gluten-free. (Just in case)
Dairy-free- it’s easy to make this recipe dairy-free. Simply replace the whole milk with almond milk or any of your favorite vegan milk.
Variations
Add-ins- If you want to spice up your cookies, add some add-ins like shredded coconut, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, Nutella, chopped fruit,
Nutella- replace the creamy peanut butter with Nutella if you don't like peanut butter or are allergic to peanuts.
Peanut butter- replace the peanut butter with crunchy peanut butter.
Extract- replace the vanilla extract with almond extract.
Sugar- replace the granulated sugar with brown sugar.
Tools
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
- Baking sheet and rack set (our fave)
- Cookies scoop set of 3 (the best cookie scoop we used)
More chocolate recipes:
Brownie cookies- These brownie cookies are rich, fudgy, and full of chocolate flavor. These have a crackly top and a fudgy center that tastes just like a brownie!
Small chocolate cake- This small chocolate cake is perfect when you're craving a chocolate cake but don't want to make a big chocolate cake. We made this chocolate cake in an 8x8 inch baking pan.
Double chocolate banana bread- This double chocolate banana bread is filled and topped with chocolate chips, extra moist, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
Best ever chocolate cake- This decadent chocolate cake is made by making two simple cake layers with the easiest and most chocolaty chocolate frosting.
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📖 Recipe
Easy No Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 115 g Butter
- 1 ½ cups Sugar
- ½ cup Milk
- ⅓ cup Cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup Peanut butter
- 3 cups Quick oats
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Start by adding the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and milk into a medium-sized saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
- Once the mixture starts to boil (mixture is bubbly), set a timer for exactly 1 minute.
- Turn off the heat and add the peanut butter. Mix until well combined. Add the oats and mix well with a wooden spoon until the oats are covered with the chocolate mixture.
- Set a timer for 4-5 minutes to let the mixture cool for a bit before scooping out the cookies. Scoop the cookies with an ice cream scooper onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet keeping the cookies 2 inches apart from each other.
- Place the cookies in the fridge to set for about 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Trish
This looks so good!! I want to try this!
I don’t like peanut butter, though.
Can I used almond butter instead?
Thank you!!
RichandDelish
Hi! I never tried it, but it should work!