My chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies are fudgy and chewy, and come together so easily. They’re perfect, especially on hot summer days, when cookie cravings hit, and you just don’t want to turn on your oven but want to serve a treat that everyone will love.
I recently re-tested this recipe to ensure you achieve the perfect cookies every time. I nailed down an exact boiling time and temperature for the sugar and butter mixture, so you lose enough moisture for the cookies to firm up well, but not so much that the cookies set up dry and crumbly. I also included modifications for a gluten-free version, a nut-free version, and ideas for lots of mix-ins like dried fruit and nuts!
A reader, Amanda, says: “Made these this morning. The recipe is incredibly easy, and they taste so good, I’m eating too many. My kids are loving having no-bake cookies that taste right. Thank you so much.” ★★★★★
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
You only need five main ingredients to make these easy no-bake cookies! I also add a touch of butter and vanilla extract to enhance the flavor for the richer cookies. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
Milk — there’s a lot of flexibility in the type of milk you can use. I’ve used whole milk, evaporated milk, and nondairy milk with great success! Just be sure that the milk you choose has some fat in it to help the ingredients combine properly. Skim milk or nonfat milk can cause the cookies to fall apart when they set.
Cocoa powder — natural unsweetened cocoa powder is all you need for a rich chocolatey flavor. Since there is sugar added to these cookies, using sweetened cocoa powder will cause them to turn out too sweet. You can use natural cocoa powder or Dutch process cocoa for a deeper flavor.
Sugar — granulated sugar is needed in this recipe not only to sweeten the cocoa powder, but to produce the correct texture in the cookies. You are essentially making a fudge base for the oats, so the sugar has to be boiled to roughly the soft ball stage for the mixture to set up firmly when cooled. If desired, you could use brown sugar in place of white sugar.
Oats — quick oats are great for these cookies because they are rolled extra thin, meaning that they need minimal heat or cooking time to tenderize. If you use certified gluten-free oats, this becomes a gluten-free no bake cookies recipe!
Peanut butter — a creamy, no-stir peanut butter is my favorite option for no-bake cookies. However, you can use natural peanut butter, keeping in mind that the texture will be a bit harder and drier when the cookies set. Alternatively, you can use other creamy nut butters in place of peanut butter as well, which is great if someone in your household has peanut allergies. Some readers have even replaced the peanut butter with creamy cookie butter with great results for a completely nut-free version!
Can I use old-fashioned rolled oats?
Yes, but the texture of the cookies will change. Old-fashioned oats are thicker than quick-cooking oats and will be chewier and denser in the cookies. As you can see in the images below, the quick oats absorb some of the melted butter and chocolate fast for a sturdier, thicker cookie.
If you use rolled oats, I recommend pulsing them a few times in a food processor to make them a bit smaller, similar to the texture of quick cooking oats. Or, for a balance of textures, you can use half quick-cook and half rolled oats!
Boil The Sugar Mixture For The Right Consistency
Boiling the sugar mixture is super important for the resulting texture of your no-bake oatmeal cookies. Boiling evaporates some of the liquid and ensures the sugar dissolves and thickens enough before the other ingredients are added. You are aiming for the sugar to reach just below the soft-ball stage (235°F), which means that it will firm up when cooled but will still be somewhat soft in texture. I find this reliably happens when boiling for exactly 1 minute (60 seconds).
Boiling the sugar and cocoa powder mixture for less than 60 seconds means the sugar won’t thicken enough to set properly, and the cookies may be too soft or stay runny, even after you let them cool. Boiling the mixture for too long can result in it not having enough moisture, and the sugar becomes too hard, which makes the cookies dry and crumbly. Remember, the oats will absorb some of the moisture while the cookies set for the proper chewiness.
Set a timer so you know it boils for a full minute, and don’t start the timer until the mixture is fully boiling.
High-altitude adjustment: If you’re at a higher altitude, your mixture will start to boil at a lower temperature (around 203°F). That means it will take longer to boil to the correct consistency. It should take closer to 2 minutes, but I recommend using a candy thermometer for better accuracy. The sugar mixture should reach 230-234°F before you remove it from the heat.
FAQs and Troubleshooting
The likely culprit is that the sugar mixture did not boil for long enough. Start timing the 60 seconds only when the mixture is boiling fully. A too-short boiling time causes the cookies to have too much moisture, so they will stay runny.
The sugar mixture was probably boiled for too long, so it reached too high a temperature and lost too much moisture. This causes them to dry out while they set, and they’ll crumble apart because there isn’t enough moisture to hold them together.
Yes, you can add a maximum of ¾ cup of mix-ins to the cookies along with the oats in Step 3. Don’t add more than that amount, or the cookies can turn out dry or fall apart, as there won’t be enough moisture to compensate for the extra dry ingredients. Some delicious additions to these no-bake cookies are roasted salted peanuts, toasted pecans, toasted walnuts, sweetened or toasted coconut, chopped dried cherries, dried cranberries, or candied orange peel.
Pro Tips For The Best No Bake Cookies
Scoop the mixture quickly once it’s stirred together. The cookie batter will start to cool down and stiffen up fast, so work quickly to scoop the cookies before the mixture sets. If it starts to harden, put it back over low heat and stir until it loosens up slightly.
Use a cookie scoop for uniform size and shape. Using a cookie scoop is the easiest way to ensure all the cookies are the same size, so they all set at the same pace.
For a flatter cookie shape, immediately after a cookie has been scooped, spread the top slightly with the back of a spoon or small spatula.
How To Make No Bake Cookies
Below, I’ve highlighted portions of the recipe in step-by-step process images along with instructions for making chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.
1. Add the sugar, butter, and cocoa powder to a medium saucepan.
2. Pour in the milk and place the saucepan over medium heat.
3. Stir now and then until the mixture reaches a boil. Once boiling, stop stirring and let the mixture cook for exactly 60 seconds (or to 230°F). Then remove from the heat.
4. Immediately add the quick-cooking oats to the boiled sugar and cocoa mixture.
5. Then add the creamy peanut butter and vanilla extract. Use a silicone spatula to stir the mixture together until well combined into a cookie batter. The peanut butter should be fully melted with no streaks throughout.
6. Use a cookie scoop to drop mounds of the cookie batter onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Allow the no-bake cookies to set at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before enjoying.
No Bake Cookie Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Medium pot
- Baking trays
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
- ½ cup milk (120ml)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113g)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (25g)
- 2½ cups quick oats (250g)
- ¾ cup creamy no-stir peanut butter (200g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa powder and place over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the mixture reaches a boil.
- Once it’s boiling, stop stirring and allow the mixture to boil for exactly 60 seconds (set a timer!), then remove from heat. Add the oats, peanut butter, and vanilla. Stir together with a silicone spatula until well combined.
- Use a cookie scoop or spoon to drop heaps of the mixture onto the lined baking sheets (about 2 tablespoons each). Let the cookies cool until set, 20 to 30 minutes.
Notes
- Milk options: You can use a variety of different types! 2% milk, whole milk, evaporated milk, or a nondairy option like almond milk or oat milk will work. Just be sure it isn’t fat-free.
- When boiling the sugar mixture, use a thermometer if needed: If you are cooking at a high altitude or prefer to be very precise, check the mixture with an instant-read thermometer. The cocoa and sugar mixture should reach 230-234°F before you remove it from the heat. At a higher altitude, this can take longer than 60 seconds.
- Storage: The cookies will keep well in an airtight container for up to a week at room temperature or 2 weeks in the fridge.
Nutrition
How To Store No-Bake Cookies
These cookies keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Can I freeze no-bake cookies?
Yes! Pop them into a freezer bag or freezer-safe container (with sheets of parchment paper or wax paper between the layers of cookies to prevent sticking) and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for a few hours.
More Dessert Recipes To Try
Here are more simple, decadent dessert recipes to try!
Oreo balls are fudgy and chocolatey. They keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator, so they’re a wonderful make-ahead dessert option.
Top my easy no bake cheesecake with preserves, chocolate sauce, or caramel to wow guests at your next gathering. No need to turn on the oven!
Classic chocolate chip cookies are a favorite cookie recipe for good reason! They have crisp edges, a soft center, and plenty of melty chocolate in every bite. You can chill the dough or scoop the cookies immediately!
Homemade Lofthouse cookies are super soft and cakey, and topped with a delicious pink buttercream frosting.
Rainbow cookies are also called rainbow cake and tri-color cookies. They have a sponge cake base flavored with almond extract, which complements the raspberry jam spread between the layers.
If you’ve tried this no bake cookie recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
MartyinDenver says
I too remember these cookies from childhood. My mom made them for years and I still love them. She called them “boiled cookies”. Thanks for sharing! I love your site and can’t wait to move next door to you guys and be your tester.
Lonna says
I love watching you on youtube and your recipes are awesome!!
jkanell says
Thank you!!
smr says
Could you gently tell me for an alternate for peanut butter?!
jkanell says
Hi! you should be able to use almond butter. Just add salt if it’s bland and make sure the mix it really well before adding.
Jessica Rollo-Smith says
I’ve made this type of cookie since I was a child in the Philippines. We couldn’t get peanut butter or chocolate chips that would stand the heat, so we had to use all cocoa powder. That was a long time ago though when air freight was so expensive and still took a long time to reach us, not overnight. This recipe, however, is absolutely amazing! I love the addition of peanut butter and chocolate chips! The quality, fair trade, cocoa is so important! Thank you so much for giving me a new spin on something that reminds me so much of my childhood!
jkanell says
Thank you so much for sharing that memory!!
Debi says
My mother always made these cookies for Christmas when we were kids. She would place those candied red and green cherries sold at the grocery store during the holidays on the top center of each cookie to make them Christmasy (is that a word?). These were always the first cookies eaten up.
Beth says
Amazing! The addition of chocolate chips to this old time recipe really made a really good recipe even better!
Mimimisah4 says
Made these with gluten free quick oats and gf milk chocolate chips and I added chopped pecans; amazingly delicious! This recipe was so quick and easy to whip up. This will be one of my go-to “GF” cookie recipes for taste and simplicity.
Olga says
Thank you for the recipe! It sounds very easy to make! I will definitely try it!
Alex Hoshor says
I love these cookies! My mother has a unique name for them, that my children now them as… “toenails”. I know, not exactly appetizing. But hey, not even a gruesome name can ruin these delicious treats!
Joanie says
awesome