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.
Sunshine baker
These were easy to make and they are disappearing quickly.
Missouri Momma
These were great! I loved these cookies as a kid and was looking for something my 5 year old good help me with. So easy!!! Thank you for the delicious recipe
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much! 🙂
V.m.t.
Great cookies. I made them for a few people and it was a hit!
P.S. I’m 9.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much!!! I love seeing young bakers try my recipe. I am glad that you share the same passion for baking. Thanks for commenting. )
V.m.t.
great cookies I made them for a few people and it was a hit!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that everyone enjoyed them! Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Traci
I made these with almond milk and substituted coconut oil for butter because I cannot have dairy and they came out great. Thanks!
Sam
Thanks for the updates on your substitutions, Traci! I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies. 🙂
LeighAnna Yoder
I was out of milk so I used Half and Half. These were my best no bake cookies. Thank you for the extra tips and step by step walk through with troubleshooting. I find these really helpful. I added salt to the unsalted butter which I would not have done. Great recipe.
Sam
You’re very welcome, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed, LeighAnna! I appreciate your comment! 🙂
Nikita
Absolutely loved the cookies…very easy to follow and turned out so good. I will definitely make them again. After your pound cake recipe I tried these and feel so good about stumbling onto your recipe page 🙂
I used Old fashioned oats…what is the difference I am supposed to see/tasted compared to quick oats?
Also I think I can do with 15-20% less sugar….should I adjust the brown sugar or white sugar or 20% less of both?
I followed the recipe to the T and the final output turned out great, they set really well and aren’t dry at all 🙂 Do you expect any crunchiness from the oats? Just curious…mine are not crunchy.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Nikita! I talk a bit about the difference in the types of oats in the post above, that may be helpful. Reducing the sugar that much should be fine, which one you reduce is just a matter of personal preference. And nope the cookies should not be crunchy so sounds like everything turned out perfectly 🙂
Alice
I made these cookies and this recipe is awsome. The cookies came out great. Thank you for sharing your amazing recipe.
Alice
Sam
You’re very welcome, Alice! I’m so happy you enjoyed!
Karenine Ornevil
I think these are great! I followed the recipe exactly, and I am very satisfied with the results. Thank you!
Sam
Thank you so much, Karenine! I am glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Teresa Cronkhite
So easy and sooo yummy!
What is the shelf life? I want to send some to my son. Should I freeze before shipping?
Sam
Hi Teresa! These cookies should last at least a week at room temperature. 🙂
Anabelle
Do I have to use salted butter; can I substitute it for unsalted?
Sugar Spun Run
Unsalted butter will be fine, Anabelle! 🙂
Elizabeth H
I have made these 4 times now over the last couple months. These are hands down the best no bake cookies I’ve ever made or ate. I always use quick oats never old fashioned or steel cut. Sometimes I add a heaping 1/4 c cocoa powder because I love chocolate!! They are so soft but not like to soft or sticky soft. I just love how they come out so perfect every time. Thank you for this recipe, I’ll keep it for life.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy to hear how much you enjoyed them, Elizabeth! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Katie
I just want to thank you for your amazingly detailed and well thought out recipes. I enjoy cooking and baking and my two older boys (12 and 10) decided last night that they had watched me enough over the years and wanted to try their hand at making something (sweet) 100% solo. I found your recipe and knew that your tips would guide them through. Let me tell you the amount of giggles and brother chatter was a perfect boredom buster during these sometimes depressing evenings that we have during quarantine. And they turned out AMAZING!! So again thank you for the work that you put into this site and you provided us with a wonderful evening.
Sugar Spun Run
Your comment made my day, Katie! I am so glad that this recipe could give your family such sweet memories. I am happy that the cookies turned out well and that your boys had fun making them. Thank you so much for commenting. I can’t wait to hear what recipe they try next! 🙂
Lydia
These are the BEST and believe me because I am a very picky person. Follow her directions exactly (boiling for 1 minute is key! and definitely use quick oats) and they will set up perfectly and yet still be very moist. Thank you so much for the detailed recipe. The best no bake I’ve ever had!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much for trying my recipe, Lydia! I am so glad that you enjoyed the cookies and found the instructions detailed. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Donna Geitz
Hi Sam
Can you use quick cook steel oats in this recipe ?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Donna! Yes, I recommend quick oats for this recipe. 🙂
Jenna
I think you could cut the sugar in half and add more peanut butter and some salt. The sugar is incredibly sweet in these cookies. Yes, they’re good, but one and done because of how sweet the sugar makes them. I used the mix of cane and light brown sugar. I also used almond milk and they set up well.
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for trying my recipe and for your feedback, Jenna! You are welcome to adjust the recipe to your sweetness level. 🙂
Skydrifter5
The best no bake cookies I’ve ever made! Some are dry and crumbly but not these! Perfecto as written!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies! 😊😊
Madie
Best no-bake cookies i’ve ever had, this is definitely going in the recipe cabinet. Delicious!!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Madie! I am happy you enjoyed them! 🙂
DarkRedAngel27
I tried this tonight but placed them in a small muffin tin, then put 2 to 3 mini eggs in hoping they would look like bird nests, but they wouldn’t harden beyond quite tacky, so disappointed, but I them in the freezer and that works enough before it gets to gooey to eat. They taste fantastic though.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so sorry to hear that you experienced an issue. From the sound of it, the chocolate just needed a little more time to cook. Regardless, I am happy that you enjoyed them. 🙂