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
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
Cheri L Harris says
July 14, 2019 at 4:13 pmWe used to call these Jiffy Cookies. Our family has been making them for almost 100 years. We always laid out wax paper on the counter to drop them on. When we came home from school and saw the wax paper on the counter we got so excited. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Sam says
July 14, 2019 at 9:07 pmYou’re very welcome! Love the name Jiffy Cookies!
Lisa says
July 15, 2019 at 10:21 pmIs it possible to replace the 3 cups of instant oats with flour? If so, how much flour?
Sam says
July 17, 2019 at 9:49 pmI’m sorry but I wouldn’t recommend it
Peggy says
July 20, 2019 at 2:19 amWith flour? Why would you want to use flour? Flour has to be cooked or baked in order not to, just taste like flour. Oats are pretty much the last thing you add, so if you added flour last (instead of oats) then no way it would be cooked enough. Were you wanting to try and make a different kind of cookie maybe?
Brittany says
July 6, 2019 at 10:12 amCan I make this without the peanut butter?
Sam says
July 6, 2019 at 3:05 pmYup!
Darcy says
June 16, 2019 at 11:18 pmGood recipe, quick and easy to make, but the cookies are too sweet.
Darya says
June 13, 2019 at 4:09 pmGreat recipe!
Sam says
June 13, 2019 at 4:14 pmThanks, Darya! So glad you enjoyed 🙂
Christina Nichols says
May 29, 2019 at 1:07 pmThese are delicious! Never made them with brown sugar just made these exactly as you wrote it and they turned out fabulous thank you!
Sam says
May 29, 2019 at 2:33 pmI am so glad you enjoyed the cookies, Christina! 🙂
Rhondajacobs says
May 31, 2019 at 8:38 pmThank been looking for the recipe for while they turned out great!
Sam says
May 31, 2019 at 9:03 pmYou’re very welcome 🙂
Mary says
May 16, 2019 at 1:44 amI followed your recipe, except that I used old fashioned oats, which made the cookies very, very chewy. Yours look way better in the middle, a different texture entirely. Next time, quick oats. Still yummy though.
Sam says
May 16, 2019 at 9:14 amI am so glad you enjoyed the cookies, Mary! 🙂
Mary says
June 8, 2019 at 12:40 pmI made these cookies a second time using Quick Oats, per the recipe, instead of Old Fashioned. Much better. Also, I started the timer after several large bubbles had formed. The first time I stated it too soon, I think, which made the cookies too fudgy.
I could really have a lot of fun with this recipe as a springboard. Nutella instead of peanut butter. Coconut instead of oats. Etc.
I am wondering if a “blonde” version, without cocoa powder, would work.
Sam says
June 8, 2019 at 3:52 pmI’m so glad you enjoyed, Mary! and yes, you can make them without cocoa powder. I’ve also made them a cookie butter version.
Brenda says
May 24, 2019 at 6:44 pmCan rice krispies be used instead of oatsBrenda
Marsha Beck says
May 2, 2019 at 7:37 pmI was first Introduced to Chocolate No Bake Cookies at Girl Scout Camp in 1966. 10 years ago I wanted to make some. Gathered all my ingredients, I had no Peanut Butter. I had Cream Cheese on hand and used that in place of the PB. OMStars! DELICIOUS😋🤗
Sam says
May 3, 2019 at 9:09 amThat sounds like an interesting substitution, I will have to give it a try! 🙂
Rosita says
May 2, 2019 at 4:49 pmPamella, what do you mean by a prepared baking sheet?
Dena says
April 29, 2019 at 11:06 pmCould these be made with skim milk?
Sam says
April 30, 2019 at 9:31 amI haven’t tried with skim milk, hoping someone else who has can chime in!
Joy McKellips says
May 13, 2019 at 8:42 pmWorks just fine with skim milk.
Diamond says
July 13, 2019 at 3:16 amAlmond milk?
Afej says
May 11, 2019 at 7:53 pmI used 2% milk and that worked well.
Rah says
June 8, 2019 at 1:09 amI used lactaid 2% for a lactose free version. Works great!
Valerie Esque says
April 28, 2019 at 6:18 pmI have made no-bakes many times but never used brown sugar in mine, only granulated sugar. I wonder what the difference it makes in the cookies?
Sam says
April 28, 2019 at 8:19 pmHi Valerie! It adds a little more depth of flavor. I think you’ll really enjoy it. Give it a try and let me know how you like it. 🙂
Joyce says
April 26, 2019 at 5:11 pmCould these be made Keto with Stevia or another natural sweetner?
Sam says
April 27, 2019 at 10:17 pmUnfortunately I’m not sure, hoping someone else can chime in!
Courtney says
April 24, 2019 at 10:09 amIf I am making a double batch should I boil for 2 minutes? Or do I just keep it at the 1 minute mark? I fail everytime during this stage but am determined to get it down!
Sam says
April 24, 2019 at 1:37 pmHi Courtney! It still only needs to boil for that 1 minute. 🙂
Carlene Herring says
April 24, 2019 at 9:19 amBetter than my old recipe
Sam says
April 24, 2019 at 9:30 amI’m so happy to hear you enjoyed, Carlene!
Pamella says
April 15, 2019 at 12:16 pmI made this recipe over the weekend and they are great. I have never really liked No Bake Cookies but they are one of my moms favorites. I like the taste and texture of this recipe much better than the one my mom uses.
Sam says
April 15, 2019 at 3:36 pmI am so glad you enjoy the cookies, Pamella! 🙂