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.
Hershey
I tried this but it became so soft
Nikki
… Shoot. I should have watched the video too. I definitely did this wrong. I read the thing about bringing it to a boil and then boiling while stirring for 1 min. But it was taking FOREVER to get to boiling. Like… Like on medium heat I was waiting for 10 minutes or more. And it also said not to over boil, and the time given was 4 minutes cooking time so I just went forward from there thinking that maybe I was just stirring it too much to get bubbles?? Well… I guess not. Idk what was up with the stove.
OH. I didn’t have the brown sugar, so I used honey. Don’t substitute with honey, guys. Goodness, I hope this still works… unlikely though 🙁
Nikki
Oh shoot!! I didn’t leave any rating. That just means that I didn’t rate it, right?? It doesn’t get 0 stars guys!! I don’t even know what it tastes like yet XD
Sam
Yikes, sorry it didn’t quite turn out for you, Nikki! We all have those days in the kitchen!
Dori
you can use 2 cups of white sugar — and if you like a little more chocolate – 1/2 cup cocoa. With the white sugar you need to let the mixture come to a boiling boil for 2 minutes exactly. I’ve been making them for over 50 years. You can also omit the cocoa and just make peanut butter no bakes..
Donna
Got to try it! Never made them with brown sugar; sounds good.
Sam
I hope you love them, Donna!
Deb
Could you substitute rice crispies for the quick oats, we have an allergy to oats?
Sam
I haven’t tried it this way, I believe others have though if you want to check the comments
Toni
I don’t see any nutritional info except for the calories. How can you find the other item values?
Sam
Hi Toni! I’d recommend entering the information into a calorie counter, I sometimes use MyFitnessPal(.com) and that works pretty well for me!
LoweAnn
How many carbs?
Debby
2% milk works fine. Have made these since the 60s. I occasionally have omitted the cocoa also & love them also.
Cheryl
Can you add walnuts?
GiGi
Never used brown sugar always used white. But will try it your way and will let you know how it turns out. Sometimes I can make them really good and the next time it’s a flop.
Cindy
You state whole milk for these, can 2% milk be used instead?
Sam
I’m sorry I haven’t tried with 2% so I’m not sure, maybe someone else has and can comment?
Joe
I’ve made w. low fat milk no problem. Margarine also works in place of butter.
Sam
Thanks Joe! 🙂
Susie
yes you can use 2% milk I do
Noreen
Yes, I’ve used it. Works fine.
Peggy Ferris
Getting to where I can’t use my hands to cook much anymore😢. Do you have more simple recipes for I am 68 and had great grandbabies. Thank you.
mimi
could I use Rice Krispies cereal in place of oats?
Sam
I haven’t tried it but I believe others had, I would check the comments or maybe someone else who has tried it could comment on how it worked for them
Barbara Doty
Could I use cream cheesec instead of peanut butter. My granddaughter has a peanut allergy
Sam
I don’ think cream cheese would work, I’m sorry! However others have made these cookies without the peanut butter if you browse through the comments you can see their recommendations. I hope that helps!
Julie
a good alternative for peanut butter is sunbutter from sunflower seeds.
Sam
Thank you, Julie!!
Kathy Koehn
If you leave the peanut butter out, do you need to make other changes in the recipe.
Teresa
To use natural pb, would it work to add a little xtra butter, has anyone tried?
Angie
Teresa, I used 1/2 natural and 1/2 regular peanut butter and they turned out great. I don’t think they needed more peanut butter.