Delicious and easy no bake chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cookies made with only 7 ingredients. These classic cookies are so good and naturally gluten free. No bake cookies are near and dear to my heart. It has become a tradition for me to make these cookies often throughout the year, but especially during the holiday season.
Funny that these chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies were the first dessert I learned how to make, and you don’t even bake them! These no bake cookies were taught to me by my late grandmother. I began making them very young with the assistance of my grandma until I was able to make them by myself. Baking with her are some of my favorite childhood memories.
(I would not recommend a child make these by themselves as the recipe instructions do call for boiling the ingredients and a hot sauce pot. It is important to have an adult make this recipe and allow your kids to do the things you see fit.)
I still have her handwritten recipe (in hot pink pen of course, which was sooo like my grandma), displayed in my kitchen, framed on a shelf. She wrote it on the same sheet as her buttercream recipe.
My family was always so impressed when I could make these as a young girl without messing them up because my mom actually struggled to make these believe it or not! Probably because my grandma’s written recipe did not go into details (like the type of oats to use) like this blog post does. It’s not like they had computers and detailed recipe blogs then! I am here to ensure you do not fail! Just follow my steps, and you will have delicious no bake cookies in no time!
In full transparency, I have tweaked this no bake cookies recipe just a tad here and there to allow for less error when making them, like doubling the recipe every time (I understand you might not need 50 cookies, but they do freeze wonderfully and you definitely can still halve the recipe if desired), adding more oatmeal, and more cocoa powder. The main roots of the recipe remain the same. This is just a no fail version!
Variations of these cookies can also be known as cow patty or cow pile cookies! (LOL) Don’t let that stop you from making them!
Jump to:
- Ingredients for No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- How to Make No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Variations for No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Equipment for No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- How to Store Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
- No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients for No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies call for 7-8 simple ingredients. There is nothing super fancy about these, but they are a classic drop cookie and not the traditional flour based cookie you think off when you hear the word cookie.
- Butter: My grandma only ever had salted butter on hand and that is why her original recipe did not include added salt. When she wrote down butter, she meant salted. Unsalted butter was not common like it is today. You can use either salted or unsalted. The results will be the same.
- If you use salted butter, follow the recipe as intended without adding any extra salt.
- If you use unsalted butter, be sure to add ½ teaspoon of salt in with the boiled mixture.
- Old Fashioned Rolled Oats: Be sure to use old fashioned oats and not quick oats. Quick oats will produce a different result. These are my favorite gluten free oats if you want to ensure this recipe is gluten free.
- Creamy Peanut Butter: Be sure to use creamy and not crunchy. You may also add up to ¼ cup more peanut butter in this recipe and it will work beautifully if you want more peanut butter flavor. I have experienced with increasing the amounts of peanut butter, but I would not decrease the amount. Additionally, do not use natural peanut butter that tends to separate as this will yield different results and flavor. You could use a natural no stir kind that doesn’t separate, but the results will taste different.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: The natural cocoa powder gives the chocolate flavor to the cookies. I always recommend a higher quality of cocoa powder for the best flavor, but any brand will do. Keep in mind that this recipe calls for unsweetened natural baking cocoa powder, and not a dark cocoa or Dutch processed cocoa. If you use a different cocoa powder it should work, but the final result will taste different than the recipe intends, however it would still be good.
- Granulated Sugar: This recipe calls for what seems like a lot of sugar, but you need this amount to dissolve in the wet mixture in order for the recipe to set correctly.
- Milk: Whole milk or 2% milk both work. These are the only milk options I have tried with this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: Use real vanilla extract here for optimal flavor.
How to Make No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Making chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies is easy, but it is not a traditional cookie you make then throw in the oven. Instead, we use the stovetop to boil a wet mixture, then add in the remaining ingredients, and drop the cookies on to wax paper to allow them to cool.
You need to work quickly and precisely. The first few steps are more of a stirring and waiting game. Once the mixture starts to boil, the timer is on and it’s game time! These are not cookies that you can multitask with. Once you begin, complete them from start to finish.
The first thing you want to do is mise en place. This basically just means having everything in place and all of the ingredients measured out before you start. It is my #1 tip for success with all dessert making and baking! Having everything set out ahead of time makes this cookie recipe a breeze and will certainly make your life easier!
Next step is to prepare your supplies and work surface which is part of getting everything in place before you actually start cooking anything. Be sure to have all the tools you will need out and have the parchment paper or wax paper laid out on the counter where you will drop the cookies on. Once the cookies are ready to be scooped, you do not want to be multitasking.
Combine butter, sugar, cocoa powder, salt (if using unsalted butter), and milk to a big pot (one you would boil water in for pasta!)
Using a heat safe spatula or wooden spoon, stir to combine the ingredients while the stove is on med-high heat. Continue stirring until all the butter melts, then bring the mixture to a boil.
Once the mixture begins to rapid boil, leave the heat on but turn it down just a bit, and set your timer for 3 minutes. The mixture needs to boil for 3-4 minutes TOTAL and you need to keep stirring continuously the ENTIRE time so that nothing burns. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT walk away. Keep stirring!
I recommend setting the timer to 3 minutes because by the time you take the time to set the timer, and then remove from the heat after 3 minutes, the mixture will still be very hot and continue to cook which accounts for that additional minute. I’ve made this plenty of times and if you boil over 4 minutes, you are actually going to over cook or potentially burn the mixture. So 3 minutes is a sweet spot. Ensure you go the full 3 minutes while stirring constantly though – super important!
After 3 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and place it on a heat proof trivet or surface. Be careful – it’s hot! Mix in the old fashioned oats, peanut butter, and vanilla. Stir until the peanut butter melts and all of the mixture is uniform.
Ingredients should all be combined well and look like the above photo. You will want to begin dropping the cookies right away. If the mixture cools too quickly, the cookies could have trouble setting up.
Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop 1.5-2 tablespoons of mixture on wax paper. Drop all the cookies and then let the cool at room temperature for at least one hour until you can pick them up.
Tip: If using a cast iron Dutch oven or stainless steel pot, the heat from the boiled mixture will actually last A LOT longer and keep your cookie mixture more liquid. I have found from experience that you can go much slower dropping your cookies when the pot is made of a material that stays hot for an extended period of time, such as cast iron or stainless steel. If using a nonstick pot or any others that might not retain heat, you will need to work quicker. If using a pot that retains heat, you can actually wait a few minutes before you even start to scoop the cookies and you may want to if you want a thicker cookie versus one that spreads out more.
Variations for No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
I do not recommend variations of this recipe other than you can increase the amount of creamy peanut butter up to an additional ¼ cup if you wish to have more peanut butter flavor or find that your cookies have trouble setting. I only know that there is flexibility in adding more peanut butter from trying it myself. I would also not use a natural peanut butter or other nut butters as those tend to me much more liquid and could provide different texture and flavor results, which completely changes this recipe.
I definitely would not decrease the amount of any ingredient either. I know it sounds like a lot of sugar, but it is a double recipe and you need it here!
If you do try any successful variations, I’d love to hear about it! But, these classic cookies are super delicious just the way they are. They provide a sense of childhood nostalgia for me that will always be special.
Equipment for No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
You really only need a few things that you most likely already have in your kitchen if you cook or bake. You will need some type of nonstick paper or foil to lay on the counter. This could be parchment paper, wax paper, or even aluminum foil. You do not and should not grease anything. The cookies should not stick if you use any of the above. I tend to use wax paper or parchment paper the most and have never had issues with sticking.
You will also need a heat resistant sturdy spatula or wooden spoon to stir the dry ingredients in. The cookie mixture will get thick, so you just want something sturdy and heat resistant.
Having a cookie scoop also makes it really easy to scoop and drop the no bake cookies quickly. You can also use a spoon to do this as well and it works perfectly fine! Additionally you may want a heat proof pot trivet to set the hot pot on while you are scooping the cookies. If you have a heat proof surface, you may not need a trivet, but I always use one to protect my counters.
How to Store Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days or in the refrigerator for 7-10 days. I love eating them straight from the fridge! These chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies also freeze really well for up to 3 months. Just be sure to store them in an airtight container that is also freezer safe to avoid freezer burn.
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No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Equipment
- parchment paper, wax paper, or aluminum foil to let cookies dry/cool on and prevent sticking to the counter
- large pot or Dutch oven to boil the wet ingredient mixture in
- cookie scoop or spoon to scoop and drop the cookies
- stove top/burner
Ingredients
- 6 cups old fashioned oats
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted if lumpy)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- First, start by measuring out all of the ingredients. Lay large sheets of parchment paper or wax paper on to the counter where you will be dropping the cookies.
- Put the butter, sugar, cocoa powder (sifted if lumpy), and milk into a large pot. Set the stove to high and stir with a wooden spoon or heat resistant spatula until combined. As the mixture comes to a boil, things will start to happen quickly. You want to continue stirring every 30 seconds or so until the mixture is at a full boil.
- Once mixture comes to a rapid boil, reduce the heat and immediately set your timer for 3 minutes. Stir constantly the entre time – this is very important! Stir carefully but do not stop.
- Once the 3 minutes is up, shut off the stove, and carefully remove the pot from the heat. Quickly add in the oats, peanut butter, and vanilla extract. Then stir to combine completely, about a minute.
- With a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop 2 tablespoon sized cookies out on to the parchment paper. Continue scooping and dropping cookies until all of the mixture is gone.
- Let cookies cool at room temperature to firm up, about an hour. Once firm, enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for later!
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