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These No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies are quick and easy treats that are wonderfully simple and SO delicious! You only need a handful of simple ingredients and under an hour of your time to make a batch of these no bake cookies.
“No bake.” Those are two of my favorite words ever! As much as I love baking, sometimes it can be really nice to not have to worry about preheating and all that jazz. Besides just being super easy to whip up a batch of, these cookies are also perfect because of how delectable they are. Chocolate and peanut butter anything – yes please!
With flavors of chocolate and peanut butter all combined with old-fashioned rolled oats, these cookies are hard to pass up on. They’re chewy, thick cookies that hit the spot every time. And if you have little ones in the house, they’ll love helping make them! While it’s technically best to use tools that don’t make a mess, it’s also fun to get your hands a little dirty when making these no bake cookies, especially if you’re making them with the kids.
I love making no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies all year long. They’re perfect for cookie exchanges around Christmas, goodie bags during Halloween, and as a chocolatey treat on a summer night. I mean really, what time of the year isn’t made sweeter with chocolate and peanut butter?! Once you taste how chewy and delicious these cookies are, you’ll also be craving them 24/7 like me!
How to Make No Bake Chocolate Cookies
The joys of no bake recipes are unparalleled. No preheating, no warming up the whole kitchen, and no waiting forever for the cookies to bake! These cookies are almost too easy to be true.
- Prepare. Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment.
- Boil. Bring the sugar, milk, butter and cocoa to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, then let boil for 1 minute.
- Stir. Remove from the heat once it boils for a minute. Then add the oats, peanut butter, vanilla and salt, and stir to combine.
- Cool. Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, and let sit at room temperature until cooled and hardened, about 30 minutes.
How to Store Leftovers
In an airtight container in the fridge, these easy cookies will stay fresh for up to 3 days. While I enjoy them cold right out of the fridge, you can also let them adjust to room temperature for about 20 minutes before enjoying if you’d prefer.
Variations and Substitutions
I think these cookies have the perfect amount of sweet flavors and chewy texture. However, there are quite a few things you can switch up or add to really make them your own! Here are just a few ideas –
- Add chopped peanuts for additional peanut taste and a delightful crunch. However, you may need to add a little bit more butter and milk to keep the consistency just right.
- Make these no bake cookies vegan by swapping out the regular dairy milk for a plant based alternative, like almond or oat milk.
- If you want to make these cookies even sweeter, try adding a tablespoon of dark brown sugar to the mix! Of course, you could always add an extra splash of vanilla extract as well.
- Salted or unsalted butter both work well in this recipe, it’s really just up to what you prefer. Salted butter gives the sweet ingredients a nice balance of salty and sweet, while unsalted butter goes pretty undetected and helps only with the consistency, not the flavor of the cookies.
More easy no bake recipes!
- No Bake Chocolate Mousse Pie
- No Bake Peach Pie
- No Bake Banana Split Pie
- No Bake Monster Cookie Dough Bites
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No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
Equipment
- baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment.
- Bring the sugar, milk, butter and cocoa to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, then let boil for until the mixture comes to 230˚F on an instant read thermometer or candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.
- Add the oats, peanut butter, vanilla and salt, and stir to combine.
- Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, and let sit at room temperature until cooled and hardened, about 30 minutes.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Grandma, you’re busted! You said this was YOUR secret recipe….I love the fact that so many love them too. As far as consistency goes I bring mine to a soft rolling boil for 2 minutes. Humidity and altitude also change them…trial and error my friends…and remember, you can eat the mistakes.
” I would like to think that I would die a heroic death, but its more likely I’ll trip over the cat and choke on a spoonful of cookie batter”
Thank you for your comment! This is always a fan favorite!
I make them all the time here lately and I use carbo powder not chocolate because I’m allergic to chocolate. They are so delicious and I let it boil for 1 minute they set up great and we love them. But I think I might be using the wrong kind of oatmeal because the oatmeal is hard to chew. But so delicious.
We used rolled oats for the recipe and it softened up pretty well.
Can you add some chocolate chips to them?
Grace
Hi Grace, You can fold in chocolate chips but they will likely melt when mixing because the mixture is warm. Maybe sprinkle some mini chips on top while they’re still soft.
are these gluten free
They are gluten free.
Love it
Thank you so much!
I used half the butter and substituted a banana instead. Adds a whole new level of flavor!
Will definitely have to try it your way!
Can I replace half the sugar with Stevia?
I haven’t tried it with stevia so I can’t say for sure.
these are so yummy
Thank you so much!
Tried this recipe twice, both times failed. Once they were way too wet, this time they’re way too dry! Couldn’t even form a cookie dry. It’s a shame because the taste is great, if only I could get the recipe to work for cookies!
Hi Liz, In the instructions it does suggest using a candy thermometer to ensure you cook it to the correct temperature so I would suggest trying that. If you don’t cook it long enough, they will be too gooey and if you cook it too long they are dry and crumbly. There is a sweet spot that can only be determined by checking the temperature. I’m sorry you’re having a tough time with them.
My mom used to make us stovetop chocolate and peanut butter mixture to spread on sandwiches. I have never found a recipe but I think this recipe might work if I leave out the oats. Would have to spread on the sandwich before it hardens beyond spreading.
This would totally work, especially if you cook it for a little less time so it doesn’t set up as much!
This is THE shit. Not even lying if you have never had these… you have not lived.
Best comment ever.