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.
Bonnie
I just finished making these tonight. I only had Old Fashioned Oats, but gave them a few spins in the blender. This has to be one of the best no bake that I have ever made. My husband will be so surprised in the morning to see these, as they are his favorite. 😋
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for trying our recipe, Bonnie! We hope your husband loves them 🥰
Jane
will it work with rice krispies
Sam
Hi Jane! I personally haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Let me know hot it turns out if you do. 🙂
Donna
I made these last night for my husband trips, if you go by the recipe precise they will be perfect, for the first time not making these kind of cookies in a long time they came out perfect. Thank you for the best recipes yet.
Barbara
Awesome no bake cookie recipe. I had all the ingredients except the cocoa powder but was able to work without the cocoa powder. My son absolutely loves them. Quick and delicious 😋. Thank you.
Tiffany
I have made there before and they turned out fantastic! So easy and yummy! I wanna try adding rice cereal this time instead of oats to make them like a star crunch cookie, do you think that’d work? Thank you!
Sam
Hi Tiffany! I haven’t tried it so I really can’t say how it would turn out. 🙁
Deb
Hi, I’ve never made this recipe before. can you use Quick 1 minute oates instead?
Sam
Hi Deb! The recipe calls for quick oats. 🙂
Ronda Willingham
that sounds yummy. Expensive ‘try-out’.
I wonder if they would lose their crisp
I’m going to experiment. I need Rice Krispies
Nothing but Snap Crackle and Pop will do tho
Sandra
I’ve not tried rice crispys either Sam, but I know those star crunch are kinda chewy. Perhaps adding a few caramel squares and possibly decreasing the peanut butter would work with making a chewier texture along with the rice crispys. Just a thought. But I love this recipe ❤️
Patricia Vermette
my grandma made these cookies all the time..she gone now and I make them.the last batch I made this Christmas turned out great but the dark brown color faded by the next day and I can’t figure out why..I thought maybe it was because I used butter instead of marg.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Patricia! It could be, but either should work just fine. Hopefully they still tasted just as good!
Jen
The FIRST TIME my cookies FINALLY SET!! Thank you sooo much!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Woo hoo! We are so happy to hear it Jen ❤️
Susan O
I am not good at baking, so I tried this highly rated no-bake recipe. I followed the recipe meticulously….it was NOT difficult. The cookies turned out super and tasted great. They were a big hit at my very first cookie exchange party!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Wonderful! We’re so happy they turned out for you Susan. Let us know if you try any of our other recipes 🙂
Anne
I only make this recipe of no-bake cookies! They are delicious! They caramelize perfectly, and they have an amazing texture. I found this recipe over two years ago and I make it quite frequently. I have even substituted the milk and butter with water and earth balance (a dairy-free butter substitute) for some friends of mine and they LOVED them! Thanks, Sam for this recipe!
Jerry
Can you use margarine instead of butter? I love this recipe for no bake cookies but butter has gotten to expensive and I don’t always have it on hand.
Sam
Hi Jerry! I haven’t tried it, but I think margarine could work here.
Pay
They were great. Going to make them again today!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so glad you love them! 😊
Erin
I have had trouble with these cookies setting up in the past. I am just wondering if you know the temperature that you should cook the butter-sugar-cocoa-milk mixture to in order to avoid variations in stoves or humidity?
Sam
Hi Erin! I don’t have the exact temperature, but humidity will definitely cause issues even if you do everything perfectly.
Paula
Used to make these all the time. When I was younger and into sweet, these were my go to easy cookie. Made these for my children, too. Oh my goodness! That was 60 years ago!
Renee
Extremely sweet, I would cut sugar in half if I used this recipe again.
LG
I decided to make these into snack bars and they were moist and amazing!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Wonderful! Thanks for letting us know how they turned out for you 😊
Laurie Hindman
Do you have to refrigerate these?
Sam
Nope. They can be stored at room temperature in an air tight container. 🙂
Libby
I had never made these on my own as an adult, only with my mom and siblings as a child. I chose this recipe because I only had 3/4 a cup of white sugar. That along with the 1 cup of brown sugar was the perfect amount of sweetness! The texture was so smooth and just melted in your mouth. It was simple enough that my 3 and 4 year old could “help” with it. I definitely will use this recipe in the future.
Kyle
Turned out a bit dry for me, but tastes great.