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.
jeroline
Ur one cup is 200g and my 1 cup is 250g. If I make it according to my measurements will it be a problem
Sam
I’m not sure, I’ve only made it with the measurements listed
Reda
This recipe has benn in my family for over 69 years, and they were known as Missouri Cookies. You can use Quakers 1 minute oats as well.
Jade
These looks so yummy can I use Rice Krispies instead of Oats if someone cant eat the Oats? would that makes a difference?
Kim
Can stevia be subbed for the white sugar? And stevia also makes brown. Would the amount be different?
Leslie Wester
Has anyone tried using coconut milk instead of whole milk?
David Hagemann
Personally….I like them much better by leaving out the peanut butter….just good chocolate flavored “cookies”. If I want nuts, I use chopped walnuts, or pecans. And, I have added other ingredients, such as coconut, (from the bag, or toasted), and/or raisins, even chopped maraschino cherries.
Amy
My Mom always made them without the peanut butter. I have not been able to find a recipe without PB.
What do I put in place of the PB, i.e. more oats?, or do I just omit the PB, and not replace? – Amy
Diane
Could you use rice bubbles or cornflakes instead of the oats. Or a mixture of oats and one of the other.
Leslie
Been making these no bakes for over 40 years…never saw them calling for brown sugar however. Sitting here eating them using 1/2 white sugar and half brown, real good, change is subtle. By the way, it is extremely humid here in Illinois. To me, the critical part of these cookies is the timing, MUST be one full minute AFTER they come to a boil. Less and they run, more and they are dry and crumble. I know folks!! 😁
Sam
Glad you liked the brown sugar addition, Leslie! Thank you so much for commenting!! 🙂
Linda Doran
These are fabulous. I never got them to turn out until I watched the video. Turned out perfect. Loved them!
Sam
I’m so glad the video helped!
Deborah
I have everything to make these in my house right now, but my peanut butter is crunchy. Will that make a difference?
Sam
The cookies will just have a little extra crunch, which is totally fine 🙂
Sandi
I see you already answered my question. Ha ha guess I should have read the comment first. Just got excited.
Sam
It’s OK I get excited when there are cookies involved, too 😉
I hope you and your grandsons love the cookies, Sandi!!
Valerie
Can you use skim milk instead of whole milk?
Heather
FYI everyone, I’ve been making these for 30+ yrs and one thing to remember is that they are VERY temperamental. Don’t make them on humid/rainy days. They won’t set up properly. And, like you mentioned earlier, don’t put them in the fridge, they’ll dry out. So, follow instructions exactly (except for brown sugar….use just white sugar) and they should be good. Just remember, not rainy or humid days. Gosh, now I’m craving these! Lololol. Gotta go make a batch!
Sam
So true, so many recipes are affected by the humidity. I do disagree with you about the brown sugar though, definitely use it, it makes a subtle difference but it’s worth it!!
Hope you love them, Heather!
BR
I have made these many times and they’re always a hit. I will say the over and under cooking is exactly true. I’ve had it happen both ways
I’ve never tried them using brown sugar, I will have to have to try this version and see if it makes a difference in the taste
Sam
I hope you like them if you try them! The brown sugar just makes a subtle difference, but I really like it 🙂
Angie
These turned out fantastic! The “time” on the recipe is wrong though. Shows prep time is 15 min, cook time is 4 min, and total time is 15 min. Might want to update that. It took me a lot longer to get the chocolate to boil. More like 30+ min to bring to a boil. Not sure I want to share the cookies… they are so good! May add coconut to the next batch.
Sam
Hmm, I’ve never had it take quite that long for it to come to a boil, it’s usually only a few minutes for me! Unfortunately the cook time for this specific recipe will vary depending on how the specific heat of your burner, but I do appreciate the feedback! I am glad you enjoy the cookies, I never want to share them either!!
linda jasman
i have made these cookies for years and always requested and your right sam the boiling is of utmost importance but my recipe calls for 2 cups sugar and no brown sugar
Sam
I think the original recipe that I started with years ago was the same. Over time I subbed in some brown sugar, it makes a subtle difference but one I really like and think you might too 🙂
Daphne
Oats is raw, not toasted or boil? just mixed in so don’t think it can be cook. As what I know raw oats can’t be eaten.
Sam
Uncooked oats 🙂
Cindy
I use uncooked oats all the time
Cynde
I eat raw old fashioned oats all the time! I also use the old fashion oats to make the No Bake Cookies too. Can’t get enough fiber!!!!