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No bake cookies take me right back to childhood. I loved sneaking bites before they had time to set, and now my kids do the same! They’re rich, chocolatey, peanut buttery, and so easy to make.
Why These No Bake Cookie Are Always a Favorite
- No oven needed: Make the whole recipe right on the stovetop.
- Ready fast: They take about 15 minutes to make. Then, just let them cool and set.
- Chocolate + peanut butter: It’s a classic combo that is hard to beat.
- Pantry staples: You only need simple ingredients you may already have.
No Bake Cookies Ingredients
- Use Quick Oats: They soak up the mixture well and give the cookies a chewy texture.
- Prep First: Measure everything before you start. Once the mixture boils, you’ll need to move fast.
How to Make No Bake Cookies
These cookies come together fast, so have everything measured and ready. If you love chocolate and peanut butter, try my Buckeye Peanut Butter Balls or Reese’s No Bake Peanut Butter Bars next.
- Make the Chocolate Mixture: Add the butter, sugar, milk, and cocoa powder to a medium-sized saucepan, then cook over medium-high heat.
- Boil: Bring the mixture to a full boil. Boil for 1 minute, or until it reaches 225°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the heat.
- Add the Rest: Stir in the peanut butter, quick oats, and vanilla, mix until combined.
- Scoop: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use a medium cookie scoop to drop the cookies onto the pan. Let the no bake cookies cool and set at room temperature. You can also chill them before serving.
Alyssa’s Pro Tips
- Time the boil: Start the 1-minute timer once the mixture reaches a full boil.
- Work fast: Scoop the cookies right away before the mixture starts to set.
- Check the texture: Soft cookies may need more heat. Dry or crumbly cookies may have cooked too long.
Must Have Tools Used in This Recipe
- Heavy Bottomed Saucepan: Heats evenly to prevent the sugar mixture from scorching.
- Instant-Read Thermometer: Takes the guesswork out of reaching the right temperature.
- Cookie Scoop: Makes it easy to scoop evenly sized cookies quickly.
- Silicone Spatula: Makes stirring and scraping the pan easy.
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No Bake Cookies
Classic no bake cookies made with chocolate, peanut butter, and chewy oats. They’re quick, easy, and require no oven!
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ¾ cup peanut butter
- 2 ¾ cups quick oats
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, add the ½ cup unsalted butter, 2 cups granulated sugar, ½ cup milk, and 4 tablespoons cocoa powder .
- Bring to a rolling boil for 1 minute or until the temperature reaches 225°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from heat.
- Stir in ¾ cup peanut butter , 2 ¾ cups quick oats and 1 tablespoon vanilla, then mix until incorporated.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a medium-sized cookie scoop, scoop the cookies and drop them onto the parchment paper. Let the cookies set and cool to room temperature or refrigerate them before serving.
Video
Notes
Leftover Instructions
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw the cookies at room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 361kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 6gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 53mgPotassium: 190mgFiber: 3gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 253IUCalcium: 34mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
More No Bake Desserts
When you need dessert without turning on the oven, try my No Bake Strawberry and Cream Pie, No Bake Chocolate Eclair Dessert, or Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding next.
Do I need to use vanilla at all??
You don’t have to add in the vanilla. It does add the perfect touch though.
Wanted to make no bake cookies with my daughter who can’t have dairy. I had some dairy free plant butter I planned to swap for the butter but then realized the recipe also had milk, so I decided to experiment a little and substituted almond milk for the regular milk. It worked great! Took a little longer for them to set up but they did! And they are so shiny and taste great!
Can you use margine instead of butter
Yes, that will be okay with these cookies.
Have used this recipe before it was easy she good. Ib especially appreciate how simple it was to actually get to the recipe. This time I used half light brown sugar and half white sugar. I also added a heaping tablespoon of honey. Both are great.
Can You freeze no bake chocolate cookies?
DO they taste the same
Unfortunately, it does not taste the same and they start to crumble. It is best to eat these right away.
Love your blog. Just made your No Bake Cookies. I had to mix Quick and Old Fashion oats as I didn’t have enough of one. Worked out perfectly and taste wonderful!! Keep up the good work.
That sounds like you made some great cookies! Thank you so much for sharing and for such a sweet compliment! I appreciate your support!
Could you substitute coconut for the oatmeal? Just a thought.
I have not tried it with coconut and not sure if it will set up or not to be honest. These cookies are thick and rich and with coconut I don’t think that you will get a thick and rich combination. It will still taste and look good just smaller portioned and may fall apart with the coconut flakes. Let me know if you try it and how it turn out.
It should work with coconut, you could try 1/2 oatmeal and 1/2 coconut. This would keep them from being too dry. I’ve been making the original recipe for 50 years. Not all of my family liked coconut, I’ve never made it this way, but it sounds good.
I have made these cookies and the recipe I used didn’t call for peanut butter. Would leaving out the peanut butter change these cookies. I can’t find my old recipe and I don’t like peanut butter that well. Thanks
I have never made them without peanut butter. For me, it seems to stick better when setting up and gives it an added flavor of chocolate and peanut butter.
What does the T stand for with the cocoa powder
Tablespoon
thank you I was looking for this same answer! Making them now!
Has anyone tried Wow butter with these?
I have a question regarding the milk for one of the ingredients. My question is,do you think the almond milk would work ok making the no bake cookies or what would you recommend for a milk substitute?
Almond milk may not have enough fat to hold up the cookies perfectly but it will work. Let me know how you like them!
I’ve been making these no bake cookies since I was a child and the important thing about them is once the mixture comes to that rolling boil remove it IMMEDIATELY. I can’t stress that enough. And they taste waaaayyyyy better If you make them into a mound instead of flattened
Love your blog and this recipe. We tried it and they came out good but not great, mostly because I really don’t cook very well, LOL! I will be sharing your dessert recipes in my new Facebook group if you don’t mind.
Love your blog and this recipe. We tried it and it came it good but not great, mostly because I really don’t cook very well, LOL! I will be sharing your dessert recipes in my new Facebook group if you don’t mind.
Can you use something else besides peanut butter
These are great substitutions for peanut butter:
Nutella
Chocolate Peanut Butter instead of Peanut Butter
Add 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Do you think you could substitute Biscoff cookie butter in place of peanut butter?
I haven’t tried that before but it could work and sounds delicious! Let me know how it turns out!
Great recipe! All the other no bake cookie recipes I’ve read state to boil for one minute. What is the added advantage for boiling 2 minutes? Thank you!
This helps the sugar dissolve completely and you will not get the sugar/gritty texture in the cookies.
If you don’t remove it immediately after boiling for 2 minutes they just really taste funny and don’t turn out