This is the classic No Bake Cookies recipe that my family used to make growing up. They’re easy to make in about 15 minutes, and always taste so delicious.
Raise your hand if you grew up making these no bake cookies as a kid!
And…raise your hand if you still make them now?
Good, me too.
Because when you’re in the need for a quick cookie fix, this retro no bake cookie recipe will never letta girl down. First of all, it’s super-duper easy to make in just about 15 minutes. It calls for 7 basic ingredients that I bet you already have stocked in your kitchen. It requires zero use of your oven. And with chocolate, peanut butter and oatmeal involved, there’s no doubt that these are always going to be delicious.
Let’s make some no bake cookies!
No Bake Cookies Recipe | 1-Minute Video
No Bake Cookie Ingredients:
To make this chocolate no bake cookies recipe, you will need:
- Butter: One stick (1/2 cup) of salted butter. Or if you have unsalted, just add in a pinch of sea salt.
- Sugar: We’re going old school with lots of granulated sugar here.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: To make these nice and chocolatey.
- Milk: I typically use cow’s milk, but any kind of milk will do.
- Peanut butter: Creamy or crunchy, you can choose.
- Vanilla extract: Homemade or store-bought.
- Old fashioned oats: Or quick oats can work in this recipe too.
How To Make No Bake Cookies:
To make these no bake oatmeal cookies, simply:
- Combine your ingredients in a saucepan. Melt the butter, then stir in the sugar and cocoa, followed by the milk. Continue cooking until the mixture comes to a boil.
- Boil. Boil for 2 full minutes. (This step will help the mixture to cook and thicken.)
- Stir in remaining ingredients. Remove pan from heat. Then stir in the vanilla and peanut butter, followed by the oats.
- Scoop the cookies. Drop the cookies spoonfuls onto parchment paper, either using a spoon or (my preference) a large cookie scoop. If the cookies spread too much or have a wonky shape, feel free to just use a knife to scooch the edges in so that the cookies are nice and round. (Although they will be delicious however they look.) ;)
- Let cool. Then let the cookies cool until they have reached room temperature and hardened. And…enjoy!
To store the cookies, place them in an airtight container and either store at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Possible Variations:
If you’d like to mix things up with this recipe, feel free to:
- Use a different nut/seed butter. Any nut or seed butters can be substituted for peanut butter in this recipe.
- Add coconut. Use 1/3 cup less of oats, and in their place, add in 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut.
- Add nuts. Feel free to add an extra 1/2 cup of your choice of nuts to the cookie batter.
- Add Oreos. For an ultra-decadent retro twist, feel free to add in 6 chopped up Oreos into the mix after stirring in the oats.
More Favorite Cookie Recipes:
Looking for more cookie baking inspiration? Here are few more of my classic faves:
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Brown Sugar Cookies
- Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
No Bake Cookies
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 24 -30 cookies 1x
Description
The classic No Bake Cookies recipe that my family used to make growing up. They’re easy to make in about 15 minutes, and always taste so delicious.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup milk (any kind)
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sugar and cocoa, and stir until combined. Add in the milk, and stir until combined. Continue cooking until the mixture comes to a boil, then boil for 2 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat. Stir in vanilla and peanut butter until completely combined. Stir in oats until combined.
- Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper, and let the cookies cool until hardened.
The main problem with these cookies is: how long to cook them? If you cook them too long, they harden into something you could break a window with. If you don’t cook them long enough, they sit there, gooey and sticky, and you wind up scraping them off the wax paper and eating them from your fingertips.
Some people say cook until candy thermometer reaches F280*. I’ve read : “boil until bubbles start to crawl up sides of the pan”. That works for me. Some people set the timer for 3 minutes. I think it depends on your location. Humidity plays an important roll in how these cookies set up. If you live in a humid area, cook them longer.
As far as substitutions go, I like to substitute one cup of rice crispies for the oats. It reminds me of a “Krackle” by Hersheys. The texture is more interesting, and the cookie bonds well with the cereal and sets up better.
You can also leave the cocoa out of it. My mother used to make them both ways when I was a kid and they are both really good.
My family’s recipe includes the coconut, and without any peanut butter. :3
A favorite at our house! We make a double batch and freeze. Yum!
Such wonderful memories. I LOVE no bake cookies, haven’t had one in ages but you’re making me want to make them again!
By the way Ali – you’ve won a little award. Check it out at https://mo-pieplease.blogspot.com/2010/04/aw-shucksan-award.html
He he!
No-bake cookies have the best texture! These look awesome — way to go, Ali’s Mom!
At our place and growing up these babies were called
Chocolate Coconut Haystacks. No peanut butter but a half cup of chocolate chips for extra chocolate goodness. Made them about a week ago.
These are always a favorite!
I love when people share their mom’s recipes. I think handing down recipes from one generation to the next is wonderful. Thanks for sharing this one.
I’m a lousy baker so I like no-bake stuff. Your cookies look really cute and tempting!