No bake cookies are an old-fashioned and ever-popular candy/cookie hybrid. They come together in about 15 minutes without even turning on the oven. Recipe includes a how-to video tutorial.
Peanut Butter & Chocolate No-Bake Cookies
No bake cookies are quite possibly the easiest cookie you’ll ever make, and one of the first dessert recipes I ever mastered. They’re irresistible and nearly on-par with rice krispie treats in terms of ease. I think you’ll love them just as much as I do!
What’s To Love:
- Hundreds of five star reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Since I first shared this recipe over 5 years ago, it’s garnered hundreds of rave reviews and a dedicated following, with people calling them “perfect”, “easy”, and giving them “two thumbs up”.
- Basic ingredients, but not boring. Ready in minutes and calling for just basic pantry staples, you might not expect much. But the end result is anything but basic, with a rich, fudge-like texture, peanut butter/chocolate flavor, and undertones of vanilla. They can hold their own against even the best chocolate chip cookie recipe.
- Versatile. The peanut butter or cocoa can be omitted (though I don’t recommend it unless you’re in a bind or have an allergy!), the oats are adjustable, and the recipe works with both traditional and natural or homemade peanut butter.
- A helpful recipe. Because it is prepared like a candy, the recipe, while easy, can still go awry if you don’t know what to watch out for. My recipe and tutorial include lots of helpful tips to make sure they set up firmly/properly without being dry or crumbly.
What You Need
These cookies are so simple that I bet you already have all the ingredients to make them! Here’s what you need (and what you don’t!):
- Butter. While I generally reach for unsalted butter, when it comes to no bake cookies I usually just reach for the salted. If you don’t have any on hand, just add a pinch (¼ teaspoon) of salt when you are melting the butter.
- Milk. I recommend whole milk and this is all I ever personally use, but a number of commenters have reported that 2%, almond, and even evaporated milk have all worked too. Gotta love a versatile recipe!
- Sugar. Here’s one of the things that really sets my version apart from most. After years of using only granulated sugar, I switched to using a blend of granulated and brown sugar. And I’ve never looked back. It adds a special touch and depth of flavor that you just can’t get with granulated.
- Peanut butter: Since publishing this recipe, I’ve tested it with both store-bought, natural, and even homemade peanut butter and all work well (just stir the natural peanut butter well before using). Some people have substituted sun butter or even left out the peanut butter with no issue in texture.
- Cocoa powder. My preference is natural unsweetened cocoa powder for the best and most traditional flavor. If you only have Dutch process, that would work, but the flavor will be different.
- Oats. My preference is to use instant or quick oats, because they yield a chewier, more compact cookie; however, you could use the same amount of old fashioned or rolled oats if that’s what you have on hand.
Possibly worth noting: these no bake cookies are both egg-free and flour-free!
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make No Bake Cookies
No-bakes are quite different from other cookies, and if we’re getting technical, they’re actually more similar to a candy (think peanut butter fudge) than a cookie. Because of this, they can sometimes be a little tricky to make, especially in humid environments. Keep this in mind and aim to make them on a cool, dry day for best results.
- Step 1: Combine the cocoa, milk, butter and sugar and heat until the butter is melted and everything is nice and smooth, then bring everything to a boil and boil for 1 minute (if it’s raining/bad weather, I usually boil a bit longer). Very important: The sugar needs time to slowly dissolve, so don’t crank up the heat to melt the butter or your no bake cookies won’t set up properly and will be no-bake puddles.
- Step 2: Remove the pot from heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla, and stir until the peanut butter is uniformly combined into the mixture.
- Step 3: Add the oats and quickly stir until they’re completely coated with the chocolate mixture.
- Step 4: Drop by spoonfuls (I use a 1.5 Tbsp cookie scoop) onto a wax or parchment lined baking sheet. Let them cool until firm (usually 15-30 minutes) before removing and enjoying.
SAM’S TIP: I recommend using a timer when you reach the boiling step. If you don’t boil the mixture long enough, your cookies may not set properly. On the other hand, if you boil it for too long, your cookies will be dry and crumbly. Using a timer for one minute avoids these issues and sets you up for beautiful, perfectly textured cookies!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you rushed through melting the butter and sugar in the beginning, kept your heat too high, or you boiled for too long, the cookies will be dry, crumbly, and likely won’t spread much or at all when you scoop them. Be patient while cooking, keep the heat on low/medium, and boil for only one minute (use a timer!). If you are in a particularly dry and arid environment, you may want to check the cookies 10 seconds sooner.
Most likely you simply didn’t boil your mixture long enough, which can leave the cookies looking like puddles (so always use a timer!). However, the weather can also be a factor. If it’s a humid or rainy day, sometimes the cookies need a bit more time. Always use a timer, and if you’re battling wet weather I recommend you boil them for a bit longer (roughly another 20-30 seconds or so). Once you’ve made these enough you’ll get a knack for it and intuitively know how long to cook them!
Not to brag, but my no bake cookies have quite the reputation. They’re a family and party favorite, have been a popular recipe on my site for years and they’ve repeatedly gone viral on Facebook and other social media, collecting millions of views 🫢. The secret? Pretty sure it’s in the brown sugar. The added depth of flavor makes the texture smoother and the flavor richer, deeper, and just gives it that extra special touch.
Yes! Just stir them in at the end when you add the oats. Don’t add too much (no more than a cup of add-ins), or you could risk making your cookies dry.
Yes! Place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet or plate and let them firm up in the fridge for a few hours. Once they’re firm, you can transfer them to a freezer bag and freeze.
More Easy Recipes to Try
A lot of people told me in the comments that they had all kinds of fun, unique names for these cookies growing up, I’d love to know what you call them! Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
No Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) salted butter cut into Tablespoon-sized pieces
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk¹
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (25 g) cocoa powder
- ⅔ cup (165 g) creamy peanut butter²
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups (285 g) instant/quick oats³
Recommended Equipment
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. Don't bump up the heat to speed up the process or you run the risk of your ingredients not combining properly and your cookies not setting properly.½ cup (113 g) salted butter, ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk¹, 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (25 g) cocoa powder
- 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.⅔ cup (165 g) creamy peanut butter², 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add oats and stir until coated in chocolate.3 cups (285 g) instant/quick oats³
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
D. Haberman
I don’t see the temperature you’re using for the oven?
Sam
No baking required 🙂
Sheila
I’ve been making these for about 35 years with regular sugar never used with any brown sugar. I thought they were perfect, does brown sugar improve the flavor?
Sam
I definitely think so! 🙂
Kerry
My recipe does not include brown sugar either. Just two cups of white sugar.
Thelma Wagner
Never seen brown sugar used before either…..must try to see if there is a difference
Sam
I LOVE baking with brown sugar, it has such a great flavor. I hope you love the cookies!
Linda
Approximately how many cookies does this recipe yield..with the size you have made? Making these for a grandsons open house.
Sam
It makes about 22 cookies 🙂
Kathy
I also got 22 cookies.
Betty
Can TRIVIA be used instead of the sugar? Diabetics would really like this if you could.
Sam
Unfortunately I’m really not sure as I haven’t worked much with sugar substitutes. Hoping someone else has tried this and can answer your question!
Khalilah
I tried the recipe. It was simple, quick and easy. However, I forgot to use salt since I used unsalted butter. The cookies were great. Thanks for the recipe.
Sam
Glad you enjoyed it!
Ruby Dobbins
I tried making these with Splenda once and they were very nasty. The Brown Sugar is better for diabetics than the sugar substitutes any way. I have talked to a dietician about these cookies as both my husband and I both have diabetes.
Sam
Thank you for this info, Ruby!! 🙂
Gene Miller
I doubt that you can use Truvia as the cooking and then cooling off the sugar is what holds the cookie together. Possibly adding a thickener such as guar gum would work.
Marie
You can use fake sugar. But they don’t last long start to bad after few days
Judy
A family favorite when we were kids too. You can cut the sugar way back and they are still great. Two cups of sugar is really alot!
Christine
Can I remove peanut butter? What would be the best alternative?
Sam
I never have but I believe others have with success, I would check the comments and see what others have done 🙂
Gail
I have made these all my life, never use peanut butter, no need to substitute. Was my mother’s recipe, she didn’t use brown sugar, just 1 cup white sugar
Kathy
Try sunflower butter instead.
Rhonda
Best no bake recipe ever! Thank you for sharing.
Sam
So glad you like it!! 🙂
Anto
Will try with banana in stead of peanut butter. My granddaughter has a peanut allergy.
Sam
I’d love to know how it turns out for you using banana! 🙂 I hope you love them!
Patsy
we left out the peanut butter and replaced with 1/2 cup of chopped pecans
Jan
I have never used brown sugar in mine before just granulated sugar. Will try with brown sugar to which I like best. Also I have used chunky peanut butter before and also have used a little coconut also.
E L Montgomery
Maybe try one of the other available nut butters like hazelnut or almond?
Nena
My son has a peanut allergy as well but we Sneaky Chef. You could also use Wow Butter or Sun Butter. I have made these and my son loves them !!
Kerry
My husband prefers no peanut butter and for me to add coconut instead.
Kathy
Try sunflower butter instead.
Linds
Have you tried Sunflower butter? I like it better than peanut butter. It’s a seed instead of nut.
Kelly Fitzgerald
This was my grandma’s Signature cookie. She made many cookies,but these were everyone’s favorite!! This picture of the cookie was bittersweet to me 😍😥 . I show my sister,guess what I making this weekend, thank you for the memories.
Sam
I’m so glad that these brought back memories of your grandma and I hope that you love the cookies, Kelly <3
Carrie
I Love it! I first had these in elementary school and have for Years tried to figure out how to make these!!! I’m a grandma now, so it’s Perfect! I can make em for my grand children!!💖💖👍 w/o the Coco tho…😊 Thank You 👍
Sam
I hope you and your grandchildren LOVE them, Carrie!!!
Lois stopp
Can u use coconut instead of oats?
Kerry
I don’t see why not. I have always used a combination of oats and coconut.
Kimberly
Id like to know that to!
JJ Meyer
I have used a mix of unsweetened coconut, cornflakes, pretzels, nuts, chex and oats. I have also used coconut oil in place of butter. Really good versatile recipe!
Nancy
Hope this helps, I didn’t have 3 cups of oat so I added some coconut and get thus, grape nuts cereal. Not the flakes, the hard crunchy bits. They turns out delish. I love the texture the grape nuts added.
Cindy Wheeler
I was thinking the same thing.
Janet
I have used part oats and part coconut and I love it. Never tried it with all coconut.
Deena
How much salt would you add if you use unsalted butter? That’s all I usually keep around. Thanks!
Sam
Just 1/4 teaspoon. I almost exclusively use unsalted too so I totally understand that!
Reva
So instead of using 1/2 salted butter. You would use 3/4 of unsalted? Just want to make sure I understand. I only use unsalted butter as well.
Sam
No, you would use the same amount of butter that the recipe calls for (so you would use 1/2 cup unsalted butter) and then you would add 1/4 tsp of salt to the recipe. I hope that helps 🙂
Teri
Have you done the carb count in a cookie?
Sam
I haven’t, but if you go to myfitnesspal .com you can enter the recipe and it should calculate everything for you.
Yolie
Can you use 2% milk?
Rosario
Waiting for my friend to get home to get some quick oats! CAN’T WAIT
Sam
I hope you LOVE them! 🙂