Classic Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
These classic chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies are made with cocoa, crunchy or creamy peanut butter, oats, and a handful of simple pantry ingredients. They come together quickly without turning on the oven, making them one of my favorite easy desserts when we need something sweet in a hurry.
No bake cookies have been a family favorite around here for years. I've officially passed this recipe on to my oldest son, who now makes them when we need a quick dessert to take to a party or get-together.
And while no bake cookies are incredibly easy to make, there is one part that matters more than anything else: the boiling time.
Boil the chocolate mixture too long and your cookies can turn out dry and crumbly. Don't boil it long enough and they may stay soft and sticky instead of setting.
And once you know exactly what to look for, they're incredibly simple. I'll walk you through it!
Why You'll Love These No Bake Cookies
- No oven required. Everything comes together on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Made with simple ingredients. You probably already have most of them in your pantry.
- Quick and easy. They're perfect when you need dessert without a lot of fuss.
- Chocolate + peanut butter. It's hard to go wrong with that combination!
- Easy enough for kids and beginner bakers. Once you understand the boiling step, this is a great recipe to make on your own.
- They store well. Make them ahead for parties, holidays, or an easy treat during the week.
Ingredients for Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
- Sugar - Granulated sugar sweetens the cookies and also plays an important role in helping them set. This isn't an ingredient I recommend reducing because changing the amount can affect the finished texture.
- Butter - Butter adds richness and helps create the smooth chocolate mixture that holds the cookies together.
- Milk - Milk combines with the butter, sugar, and cocoa to make the cooked chocolate base.
- Cocoa Powder - Unsweetened cocoa powder gives these cookies their classic chocolate flavor.
- Peanut butter - Creamy peanut butter melts easily into the hot chocolate mixture and helps give no bake cookies their rich, fudgy texture.
- Vanilla extract - See my tutorial if you want to save a little money by making your own homemade Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract!
- Oatmeal - Oats give no bake cookies their chewy texture and absorb the chocolate peanut butter mixture as the cookies cool.
Quick Oats vs. Old-Fashioned Oats
I prefer quick oats for no bake cookies because they have a smaller, softer texture and absorb the chocolate mixture really well.
Old-fashioned rolled oats can also be used, but they'll give the cookies a heartier, chewier texture.
If you only have old-fashioned oats and prefer the finer texture of quick oats, you can pulse them briefly in a food processor. Don't grind them into oat flour. You're just breaking the oats into slightly smaller pieces.
How Much Oatmeal Should I Use?
The amount of oatmeal you add changes the texture of the finished cookies (see picture below).
Using a little less oatmeal gives you softer, fudgier cookies with more of the chocolate peanut butter mixture surrounding the oats.
Adding more oatmeal makes the cookies thicker, firmer, and more oat-forward.
I like to add the oats gradually toward the end until the mixture looks right. Remember that it will continue to firm up as it cools, so don't keep adding oats just because the mixture looks a little soft while it's still hot.
How to Make No Bake Cookies
Before you begin, measure all of your ingredients and have them ready to go.
Once the chocolate mixture finishes boiling, you'll want to work fairly quickly. This is not the recipe to discover halfway through that the peanut butter jar is empty!
Line a baking sheet or your countertop with parchment or wax paper before you begin.
The Stovetop Method
Add the sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa powder to a medium saucepan.
Heat over medium heat, stirring as the butter melts and the ingredients combine.
Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. A rolling boil means bubbles are actively breaking across the entire surface and the mixture continues boiling even while you're stirring it.
Once the mixture reaches that full rolling boil, start your timer and boil for exactly 60 seconds.
Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Immediately stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until the peanut butter has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Stir in the oatmeal.
Working quickly, drop spoonfuls of the warm cookie mixture onto the prepared parchment or wax paper.
Allow the cookies to cool completely at room temperature until set.
Microwave Method
You can also make these no bake cookies in the microwave.
Combine the sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa powder in a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat according to the original recipe directions until the mixture boils, watching carefully so it doesn't boil over.
Continue with the peanut butter, vanilla, and oatmeal as directed.
The Secret to No Bake Cookies That Set Perfectly
If you've ever made no bake cookies that stayed gooey forever or turned dry and crumbly before they even cooled, you are definitely not alone.
The most important part of making classic no bake cookies is how long you boil the sugar mixture.
Don't start your 60-second timer when you see the first few bubbles around the edge of the saucepan.
Wait until the mixture reaches a full rolling boil, with vigorous bubbles across the surface. Then start your timer.
Boil for too little time and the sugar mixture may not cook enough for the cookies to set.
Boil it too long and too much moisture evaporates, leaving you with dry, crumbly cookies.
For this recipe, one minute at a full rolling boil is the sweet spot.
Recipe
Classic Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
Equipment
- sauce pan or microwave safe bowl
- Cookie scoop or two spoons
- baking sheet & parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup peanut butter crunchy or creamy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups quick oats or old fashioned oats
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet or countertop with parchment or wax paper. Measure the peanut butter, vanilla, and oatmeal before beginning so they're ready to add as soon as the chocolate mixture finishes boiling.
Stovetop Method
- Add the sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa powder to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring as the butter melts.
- Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Wait until bubbles are actively breaking across the entire surface and the mixture continues boiling while stirred.
- As soon as the mixture reaches a full rolling boil, start a timer and boil for exactly 60 seconds.
- Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in the oatmeal until evenly coated. Add enough oatmeal to reach your preferred consistency, using the amount listed in the recipe.
- Working quickly, drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared parchment or wax paper.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely at room temperature until firm and set.
Microwave Method
- Add the sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa powder to a microwave safe mixing bowl. Whisk well and microwave for 2 minutes.
- Stir the mixture and continue to microwave, 30 seconds at a time. Once the mixture begins to boil, watch it closely and set a timer for 1 minute. It's very important that the mixture boils continuously for a full minute without interruptions. TIP: Keep an eye on it so that it doesn't boil over!
- Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in the oatmeal until evenly coated. Add enough oatmeal to reach your preferred consistency, using the amount listed in the recipe.
- Working quickly, drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared parchment or wax paper.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely at room temperature until firm and set.
Notes
Notes
Don't start the timer too soon. Wait for a full rolling boil before beginning the 60-second cooking time. Cookies won't set: The mixture was most likely undercooked. Make sure it reaches a full rolling boil before timing. Dry or crumbly cookies: The mixture may have boiled too long, or too much oatmeal may have been added. Oats: Quick oats give these cookies a softer texture. Old-fashioned oats can be used for a chewier cookie. Storage: Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for several days, refrigerate for longer storage, or freeze.Nutrition
Troubleshooting No Bake Cookies
No bake cookies are simple, but small differences in the cooking process can make a surprisingly big difference in the finished texture.
Why Won't My No Bake Cookies Harden?
The most common reason no bake cookies don't set is that the chocolate mixture wasn't boiled long enough.
Make sure you don't begin timing until the mixture reaches a true rolling boil. From that point, boil it for the full 60 seconds.
If you started timing when the mixture first began bubbling, it may not have reached the temperature needed to set properly.
Warm or humid weather can also make the cookies take longer to firm up.
Why Are My No Bake Cookies Dry and Crumbly?
If your cookies are dry, crumbly, or begin setting before you've even finished scooping them, the chocolate mixture was probably cooked too long.
Even an extra 30 seconds can make a difference.
Remove the saucepan from the heat as soon as your 60-second timer ends, then quickly stir in the remaining ingredients.
Adding too much oatmeal can also make no bake cookies dry.
Why Are My No Bake Cookies Sticky?
Give them enough time to cool completely before deciding they haven't set.
If they're still very sticky after cooling, the sugar mixture was most likely undercooked.
Why Are My No Bake Cookies Grainy?
Grainy no bake cookies are usually related to the cooked sugar mixture. Be sure the sugar is well combined with the milk and butter as it heats, and avoid cooking the mixture longer than necessary.
Tips for the Best No Bake Cookies
- Measure everything before you start. Once the mixture has boiled, the rest of the recipe moves quickly.
- Wait for a true rolling boil. A few bubbles around the outside of the pan don't count.
- Start timing at the right moment. Your 60 seconds begins when the entire mixture is boiling vigorously.
- Don't overcook the chocolate mixture. Longer isn't better here.
- Add the oats gradually if needed. You can always add a little more, but you can't take them back out.
- Work quickly after adding the oats. The cookies will begin setting as the mixture cools.
- Let them cool at room temperature. They'll continue to firm up as they sit.
Variations and Substitutions
The classic chocolate peanut butter version is still my favorite, but there are a few easy ways to change these cookies.
Crunchy Peanut Butter
Use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy if you'd like little pieces of peanut throughout the cookies.
Old-Fashioned Oats
Old-fashioned rolled oats can replace quick oats, but expect a chewier, more noticeable oat texture.
Nut Butter
Another creamy nut butter can work in place of peanut butter, although the flavor and texture may be slightly different.
Because peanut butter contributes to the structure of these cookies as well as the flavor, I wouldn't simply leave it out without replacing it.
Can You Make No Bake Cookies Without Butter?
Butter is part of the liquid and fat ratio that helps give these cookies their classic texture, so I recommend making the recipe as written for the most consistent results.
If you need to make a dairy-free version, a butter substitute may work, but keep in mind that changing the type of fat can also change how firmly the cookies set and how they taste.
How to Store No Bake Cookies
Allow the cookies to cool and set completely before storing them.
Keep no bake cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. You can place parchment or wax paper between layers to keep them from sticking together.
For longer storage, keep them in the refrigerator.
Can You Freeze No Bake Cookies?
Yes. No bake cookies freeze very well.
Once they're completely set, arrange them in an airtight freezer-safe container with parchment or wax paper between the layers.
Let frozen cookies thaw at room temperature before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once the chocolate mixture reaches a full rolling boil, boil it for exactly 60 seconds. Don't begin timing when you first see small bubbles forming around the edges of the saucepan.
The chocolate mixture probably didn't boil long enough. It needs to reach a full rolling boil before you begin timing the one-minute cooking period. Humid weather can also make no bake cookies take longer to set.
Dry or crumbly no bake cookies are usually caused by boiling the mixture too long or adding too many oats. Remove the pan from the heat immediately after the 60-second boil.
Yes. Old-fashioned oats work, but the finished cookies will be chewier and have a more noticeable oat texture. Quick oats create the softer texture I prefer for classic no bake oatmeal cookies.
Peanut butter provides both flavor and structure in this recipe, so I don't recommend simply leaving it out. Another creamy nut or seed butter may work as a substitute, although the finished flavor and texture can change.
How to serve no bake cookies
If you are able to resist eating one before they set up, then you're doing better than my family (ha!). We like to keep them as an after school snack or grab-and-go little protein pick-me-up. Make a batch for a bake sale or even just to take to a friendly neighbor.
These cookies make a nice teacher gift or hostess gift when stacked neatly in a mason jar with a ribbon and note. I like to tuck a few of these on holiday cookie tray with peanut butter blossoms, sugar cookies, cranberry orange cookies, snickerdoodles, and even a plain sourdough chocolate chip cookie. Any cookie goes well on Christmas cookie trays!
I hope you love these cookies as much as we do! I've recently passed the torch to our oldest son, and now he likes to make these cookies whenever we need to take a dessert to a party. It's pretty cool to watch our kids grow up and develop cooking skills!
Enjoy!
Meg
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Oh Meg! We definitely loved these cookies as much as you do! I made a single batch for our family of 8 and they were gone in one night! I used chunky peanut butter! I think it made them more enjoyable to have that extra crunch!
I have never made this kind of cookie before. I can not believe how incredibly easy they were to make! They took me about 10 minutes and then the cooling time. They are perfectly soft/hard once set. Soft enough to chew without a crunch and hard enough to not fall apart!