No Bake Cookies

These Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies have been a staple in my household since a friend shared the recipe with me over a decade ago. They’re simple to make with just a handful of ingredients that you probably already have on hand.

No Bake Cookies are made without flour and eggs and (as you may have gathered from the name) do not require an oven… it doesn’t get much easier than this. 

No Bake Cookies are one of the easiest cookies I’ve ever made.  Made without flour and without eggs, they’re a bit different from so many of my other cookie recipes, and taste something like a hybrid between cookie and candy.

A friend shared this recipe with me years ago when I was a kid wanting to bake cookies but without so much as a half cup of flour in the house. I’ve held on to the recipe it ever since and have made it probably hundreds of times.  The scrap of paper that the recipe was scrawled on has since been rendered completely illegible by hundreds of chocolate thumbprints, so fortunately I’ve committed it to memory.

No Bake Cookies are richly chocolaty, nice and chewy (thanks to the oats), and have shiny chocolate exteriors. If you’ve never made them before, you’ll want to try this recipe for yourself and see what you’ve been missing out on.

These cookies are very, very simple to make, but there is one part where it’s possible to go wrong that I want to address, so let’s talk about that.

Making these No Bake Cookies calls for stirring together and melting butter, milk, sugars, and cocoa powder over low heat.  Once the ingredients are melted, you’ll increase your heat to medium-low (not high, keep the heat on medium-low and it will come to a boil eventually) and continue to stir until it reaches a boil.

Once the mixture comes to a boil, continue to stir for a full minute (I strongly recommend using a timer, because the minute is critical) and then remove your pot from the heat and continue to stir for a few more seconds before adding your peanut butter and vanilla, and finally your oats.

If you don’t boil your cookie mixture long enough, the ingredients may not set up when you try to scoop them and you’ll have cookie puddles.

If you boil the ingredients for too long, your cookies will become dry and crumbly.

See why I recommend using a timer?

Do No Bake Cookies Need to be Refrigerated?

No, they do not need to be refrigerated.  No Bake Cookies should be stored in an airtight container and will last about a week at room temperature.  If you prefer to refrigerate them you can (still in an airtight container) and they will last longer, but refrigeration is not necessary.

Can You Use Old Fashioned Oats to Make No Bake Cookies?

Yes. I prefer to use quick oats because I like the texture best, but you can substitute old fashioned oats, and you would use the same amount of oats as is called for in the recipe.

How Do You Make No-Bake Cookies?

No Bake Cookies

These Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies have been a staple in my household since a friend shared the recipe with me over a decade ago. They're simple to make with just a handful of ingredients that you probably already have on hand. These cookies are made without flour and eggs.

4.96 from 129 votes

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Course: Dessert, cookies

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 4 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 22 cookies

Calories: 195kcal

Author: Sam Merritt

Ingredients

• ½ cup salted butter cut into Tablespoon-sized pieces (113g)
• ½ cup whole milk (120ml)
• 1 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed (200g)
• 1 cup sugar (200g)
• ¼ cup cocoa powder (25g)
• 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter (165g)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups instant oats (285g

Instructions

• Prepare two cookie sheets by lining with wax paper and set aside.
• Combine butter, milk, sugars, and cocoa powder in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat.  
• Stir ingredients frequently until butter is completely melted (I recommend using a long wooden spoon as a metal spoon can become really hot).
• Increase heat to medium and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil.
• Boil, still stirring constantly, for 1 minute (I recommend using a timer, see post for more details on why it's important to not over or under-boil) then remove from heat. Continue to stir the mixture for several seconds.
• Add peanut butter and vanilla extract, stirring until peanut butter is completely combined and melted into the mixture.
• Add oats and stir until coated in chocolate.
• Drop no bake cookie mixture by approximately 1 ½-2 Tablespoon-sized spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet.
• Allow to cool (approximately 20-30 minutes) before serving, the cookies will harden as they cool.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 195kcal

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