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If you’ve never tried No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies, you’ve been missing out! The classic melt-in-your-mouth chocolate peanut butter combo is soo good. Just warm up the chocolate and peanut butter base on the stove, stir in your oats, and scoop! Flatten, and then let set!
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My family and I love no-bake oatmeal cookies! They’re sweet and creamy and hit the spot when we’re craving something sweet, and I am not in the mode to heat my kitchen up with my oven. Plus, with just 20 minutes of hands-on time, these no-bake oatmeal cookies are fast and easy to make.
Recipe at a Glance
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
Dietary Info: Vegetarian, Gluten Free
Key Flavor: Chocolate and peanut butter
Skill Level: Easy
Why This Is So Good
- Kid-friendly: I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like these oatmeal cookies, but kids especially tend to go crazy for them!
- No egg or flour: If you’re looking for an egg-free cookie recipe or prefer cookies without flour, these no-bake oatmeal cookies are for you! The flour-free status also means these cookies are gluten-free (just make sure you use gluten-free oats that were processed independently to avoid cross-contamination).
- Simple list of pantry ingredients: Just a few pantry ingredients plus butter and a little milk from the fridge are all you need!
Ingredients to Make No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies
- Sugar: Use white (granulated) sugar.
- Milk: Both 2% or whole milk will work.
- Butter: Unsalted butter allows you to better control the salt content of your no-bake oatmeal cookies.
- Cocoa powder: Use any type of unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Oats: Quick-cooking oats are the best type to use in these cookies. Do not use rolled oats; quick oats will give your cookies a better, softer overall texture.
- Peanut butter: I use an organic, creamy, no-stir peanut butter. Make sure the peanut butter you use is not too runny but stiff enough to help hold the mixture together.
- Vanilla extract: A splash of vanilla really highlights the chocolate flavor. For a flavor twist, add ½ teaspoon of almond extract instead of, or in addition to, the vanilla.
- Salt: Just a pinch to enhance the flavors and mellow out the sweetness.
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Drizzle chocolate: After your cookies have set, melt some chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or peanut butter chips, and drizzle over the top.
- Add candies: For a “monster cookie” touch, gently press four or five colorful M&Ms or Reeses Pieces into the tops of your cookies before they set.
How to Make No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies
These no-bake oatmeal cookies start with the stovetop. You’ll boil together the chocolate mixture, then stir in your oats and vanilla. From there, it’s just a matter of scooping your cookies and letting them set.
Make the Cookie Dough
- Add the sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa powder to a medium pan.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture comes to a full boil, then let it boil, without stirring, for 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat and add the oats, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt.
- Stir until the peanut butter has melted and the mixture is well-combined.
Set the Cookies
- Use a cookie scoop to create balls of the cookie dough mixture. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Flatten slightly with your fingers. Keep at room temperature until set and hardened.
Tips for Making the Best No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Don’t vary the ingredients: The success of this recipe relies on a exact ratios of ingredients, so please resist the urge to make substitutes other than the ones suggested or add more or less of something.
- Follow the exact times: Be sure to follow the instructions exactly. You’ll want to bring your mixture to a full, rolling boil, then allow it to boil for exactly one minute. More time can result in an overly hard, dry cookie. Not enough time can give you a cookie that doesn’t harden at all.
- Line your baking sheet with parchment: Adding a sheet of parchment or wax paper to your cookie sheet, where you cool your cookies, will make clean-up easy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Allow your cookies to cool and firm up completely, then transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator. They will last for up to 5 days at room temperature or up to 7 days in the fridge.
The chocolate mixture likely didn’t cook for long enough. It’s important for the sugar to crystallize when boiling the mixture for no-bake oatmeal cookies. You’ll want the mixture to come to a full, rolling boil, then allow it to boil for a full minute before proceeding with the recipe. This will ensure that the sugars crystallize and that the cookies will harden.
To salvage this batch, you can freeze them and enjoy them straight out of the freezer.
This can happen when the chocolate mixture boils for too long. You’ll want to bring it to a full, rolling boil, then allow it to boil for exactly 1 minute before removing it from the heat and stirring in your oats.
The name for no-bake peanut butter oatmeal cookies can vary from region to region. These cookies are also sometimes known as preacher cookies, haystacks, peanut butter delights, or even cow patties!
More Dessert Recipes:
- PB Oatmeal Cookies
- No-Bake Chocolate PB Bars
- Classic Oatmeal Cookies
- No-Bake Cookie Dough Bars
- Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips
- No-Bake Chocolate PB Granola Bars
- Hershey Kiss PB Cookies
- No-Bake Pumpkin Oat Balls
If you try this feel good No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups quick oats
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa powder. Cook, stirring frequently until it reaches a full boil. Then allow it to boil for 1 minute without stirring.
- Remove from heat and add in the quick oats, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir the mixture until well combined.
- Using a medium spring-loaded cookie scoop, level, and roll about 1.5 tablespoons of the cookie dough and place it on the prepared baking sheets. Use your fingers to gently flatten the cookies. Allow to rest at room temperature until set and hardened, about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
