Chocolate No-Bake Cookies
I fell hard for these irresistible Chocolate No-Bake Cookies decades ago. They’re so easy to make, with no oven needed. Plus, they’re a speedy way to get your chocolate peanut butter fix!
When I was a teen, on a babysitting gig, I found a pan of no-bake cookie batter on the cooktop. Since I knew it was meant for me, I felt obligated to sample. Instantly smitten, my first taste of No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies sold me. You’ll love them, too!
Why You Should Make these No-Bake Cookies
Over the years, I’ve had different varieties of no-bake cookies—some with coconut, some without peanut butter, and I happen to enjoy them all. They are super sweet and always conjure up memories of those tween-ager years when I could load up on sugar and burn it off in an instant! These No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies are enhanced by both peanut butter and chocolate!
- These Chocolate No-Bake Cookies are made in a pan on the stovetop with only 1 minute at a full boil to cook.
- They’re a perfect summer treat when you don’t want to heat up the kitchen by turning on the oven.
- They can quickly satisfy your sweet tooth, especially when you have a peanut butter or chocolate cookie craving.
- There are loads of versions, but this is my favorite!
How to Make No-Bake Cookies
- Totally made in a saucepan, these chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies are quick and easy. I used quick oats, but old-fashioned rolled oats could work, too. It all depends on the texture you prefer.
- The sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa are brought to a boil in a large saucepan.
- PRO-Tip: Essential to success is to wait until this mixture comes to a full, rolling boil, and let it boil for a full minute.
- If you’re a bit uncertain, this is when a Candy Thermometer (affiliate link)comes in handy.
- The goal temperature is 228° even though using a thermometer complicates what is a very simple recipe! After the minute is up, remove from the heat and stir in the rest of the ingredients.
- For equally portioned cookies, I use a Medium Cookie Scoop and scoop rounds of this chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookie batter onto a parchment-lined Half Sheet Pan. (affiliate links).
- If your no-bake oatmeal cookies look more like amoebas than circles, tap the sides with a spatula while the mixture is still warm. That’s a super trick for any misshapen cookie that is fresh out of the oven.
History of No-Bake Cookies
The origin of these cookies, also known as Preacher Cookies, dates back to the days when preachers would visit farmsteads on horseback. Showing up without notice, the farmwife would whip up these cookies for a quick treat for the guests. This name is still common in the Appalachians.
Further west, they’re called cow pies, and the most curious name is from Texas, poodgies. I grew up in the Midwest where the names First Grader Cookies, Peanut Butter Delights, Boiled Cookies, and Chocolate Oaties are more common. I knew them as No-Bake Cookies, though, which is most popular in the Northwest part of the states.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are No-Bake Cookies?
No-bake cookies are a dessert where the eggless cookie batter is boiled to reach a certain consistency, then scooped out into cookies and cooled before eating. No oven is needed since there is no baking involved.
How Do You Store No-Bake Cookies?
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost frozen cookies overnight in the refrigerator before eating.
Are No-Bake Cookies Gluten-Free?
This is a tricky question. IF you must keep a gluten-free diet and you’ve been able to eat oats that have packaging saying they’re not processed in a plant where there can be gluten contamination, you should be able to eat these cookies.
On the other hand, oats DO contain the protein avenin which is a gluten protein. So it definitely depends on your individual diagnosis and situation.
More Easy Cookie Recipes:
These Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies will be the speediest dessert you’ll ever make, but here are a few more easy cookie recipes.
- Easy S’more Cookies from The Cookie Rookie
- Simple Meringue Cookies
- Chippy Bars
- White Chocolate Toffee Cookies
- Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
- Classic M&M Cookies
- Mini Pecan Pies (Pecan Tassie Cookies)
- Plus, for another easy dessert, check out this Chocolate Pudding Cake
- More Cookies Recipes
Ingredient Notes:
- Kitchen Staples – Sugar, Milk, Butter
- Vanilla Extract – Real, never imitation (check your label)
- Quick Oats – Not Old-Fashioned Oatmeal as they’ll be too chewy
- Cocoa Powder – Regular, not Dutch Processed
- Creamy Peanut Butter – Tested with Jif
This recipe was first shared in September 2017. The text was updated in 2021.
Classic Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies Recipe
A super easy cookie recipe with that fabulous pairing of chocolate and peanut butter.
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups quick oats, NOT old fashioned oatmeal
- 1 cup peanut butter, smooth
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa powder to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture is boiling, let it boil for one full minute, then remove from heat.
- Add the oatmeal, peanut butter, and vanilla and stir until well combined.
- Using a medium cookie disher/scoop, scoop out tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Let rest at room temperature until cool.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
18Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 267Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 142mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 2gSugar: 23gProtein: 5g
73 Comments on “Chocolate No-Bake Cookies”
Oops, my rating didn’t post the first time!
I LOVED these as a kid! Thanks for posting! I’m so inspired to make them now!
These cookies are always a hit!
WOW!!!
These were such a hit with my boys and their friends.
I packed a box up to take to the park as a snack and I didn’t have any to bring home!
Great recipe 😀
No bake is perfect for me. I have a tiny kitchen in a small apartment and turning on the oven really heats things up (which I don’t need in Miami.) I love that this uses cocoa powder instead of melted chocolate chips, too.
Those are brilliant! I had not tried no-bake cookies in the past but I love the idea especially when it’s too hot to turn on the oven.
These were my all-time favorite cookies when I was a kid and I probably made them more than any other cookie! They are so yummy and such a tasty treat! Love that you shared this recipe!
I’ve never tried a “No bake” before. Looks yummy!!
I grew up making these with mom. First no bake ever cookie treat! love them great nostalgia thanks for memories
LOVE no bakes! I used half the butter and half the peanut butter, and replaced milk with almond milk for a teensy bit healthier recipe. Boil for 3mins. Good stuff!
Thanks, Kristie! I love how you lightened these up! I appreciate your feedback.
Hi, Kristie,
Thanks for sharing your lightened up version!! Glad you enjoyed!!!
Cookie are sticky, not hard up. What my problem
Russ, from my research, it’s important that the mixture is at a full boil for 1 minute. It’s possible the batter did not get up to the proper temperature. Good luck!
I have trouble with milk, can I use almond milk or coconut milk?
Hi, Angie,
I haven’t tried either of those, but I don’t know why they wouldn’t work. Let me know how it goes!
Of course, the chocolate-peanut combo is irresistible, and we’re definitely trying these out dear Liz, especially now that’s autumn and our sugar cravings are quite strong:):)
Thanx for (another) super yummy recipe!
xoxo
Why do they sometimes come out very chewy/sticky and sometimes they set up perfectly?
I’ve been making these for years and it’s hit or miss for me on how they will set up.
Thanks for any suggestions.
Hi, Allen,
I’m no expert, but it could be anything from the temperature in your kitchen to the boiling time of the batter. First I’d make sure your mixture is at a good boil for a full minute (that’s what most of the recipes recommend to make sure they set up). If that doesn’t work, get a candy thermometer and make sure the mixture gets to the proper temperature (listed in my recipe). Hope that helps!
Liz, my husband doesn’t like peanutbutter, what could I use in place of it? Could I do without and still have it come together and form cookie?
Karen, I answered this same question for another reader. Here’s what I wrote: I just checked out another no-bake cookie recipe without peanut butter. The ingredients were all the same except for only 3 tablespoons of cocoa and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. I haven’t tested it, but it might work for you!
no bake cookies are one of my favorites! They look amazinggggg!
Can I omit the peanut butter and would I need to add more oats?
Hi, Cj,
I just checked out another no-bake cookie recipe without peanut butter. The ingredients were all the same except for only 3 tablespoons of cocoa and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. I haven’t tested it, but it might work for you!
Looks like I need to dig out my candy thermometer!
Did this recipe every bring back memories. A friend here in Aspen used to make these as part of her “Christmas Cookie Box” to hand out to her friends over the holidays. Michael and I waited for that box to arrive at our doorstep. Being the selfish person I am, I separated these chocolate peanut butter drops out for myself (there were enough other varieties in the box to please my hubby). Eventually her list got too long, she couldn’t keep up with the demand and she stopped doing it. We’ve both lost our husbands now but not the memories so think I’ll make a batch or two of these and she and I will relive good times. Memo to Liz: I was a lousy babysitter. Only did it once.
No bake cookies are the best!