No Bake Cookies with Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Oats
These easy no bake cookies with chocolate, peanut butter, and oatmeal are a classic; they come together in minutes and are great to make with kids. Sometimes called "preacher cookies", they are the perfect after-school treat, a must for holiday cookie trays, and the best "just because" cookie.
Why You Will Love This Recipe!
These cookies are perfect for those moments when you are desperately craving something sweet and chocolatey, but don't have a lot of time to make a full-blown batch of cookies. They are also great for the dog days of summer when the last thing you want to do is turn on the oven.
These mounds of sugary, peanut buttery, chocolate goodness are incredibly addicting (I’ve often thought these cookies taste like the icing for the Texas sheet cake I love so much). I guarantee they will on repeat at your house!
Cookie Ingredients
A short list of pantry staples is all you need for these cookies. I’ve included substitution tips in the list below:
- Unsalted Butter – If you use salted butter, omit the salt called for in the recipe. The butter in this recipe can be replaced with margarine, vegetable oil, canola oil, or coconut oil.
- Sugar – Regular granulated sugar.
- Milk – Whole or 2% milk is perfect for this recipe. You can also use non-dairy milk such as soy milk, oat milk, or almond milk.
- Cocoa Powder – Regular unsweetened cocoa powder (i.e. traditional Hershey’s cocoa) is best! If you do not have cocoa powder, you can replace it with 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips.
- Peanut Butter – Creamy peanut butter is traditional, but you can use chunky for a little crunch! You can also substitute any other nut butter (or Sunbutter), so long as it is not natural, as there will be too much oil, which will keep the cookies from setting properly. You can also eliminate the peanut butter without modifying the rest of the recipe.
- Vanilla Extract – Homemade vanilla extract or store-bought are both awesome options!
- Quick Oats – These are key to this recipe! Quick-cooking oats are smaller, so they absorb liquid more readily. They work well in this recipe because they absorb the melted mixture and give structure to the cookies; using old-fashioned oats will result in a much chewier/oatier cookie.
Add-In Ideas
Feel free to play around with different ingredients based on your preferences! Here are some ideas to try:
- Chopped nuts (pecans would be great!)
- Raisins
- Shredded coconut
How to Make No Bake Cookies
First, prep! This recipe moves fast, so having everything ready to go before starting helps everything go much more smoothly. Measure out your ingredients and line your baking sheets with parchment paper before you begin.
Now let’s go!
- COMBINE: In a medium saucepan, add the butter, sugar, milk, cocoa powder, and salt.
- BOIL: Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once at a rolling boil, boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
- STIR: Off heat, stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract, then stir in the oats.
- DROP: Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons full), drop onto prepared baking sheets.
- SET: They can set at room temperature, which takes about 30 minutes.
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Storage and Freezing Instructions
The cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
The cookies can also be frozen (in an airtight container or freezer-safe ziploc bag) for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQ
Sometimes no bake cookies are also referred to as "preacher cookies". The reason?
The story goes that these can be made so quickly that a housewife could look out her window and see the preacher coming for a visit; by the time he got to the house, the cookies could already be cooling.
If your no bake cookies are sticky and gooey, then they were not boiled quite long enough.
On the flip side, if your no bake cookies are dry and crumbly, they were boiled a tad too long. You should let the mixture come to a full rolling boil and then time exactly 1 minute from there.
However, some stoves run hotter or cooler, and things like humidity or kitchen temperature can play a role in how they set, so there may be some trial and error involved as you gauge the exact boiling time for your kitchen.
These no bake chocolate, peanut butter, and oatmeal cookies are as easy as they sound and a great recipe to make with kids if you have any little hands eager to help in the kitchen.
I love having quick, easy recipes on hand for a simple sweet treat, and I’m guessing that you do, too. I guarantee this is a recipe that you'll want to stash away and use time and time again.
If You Like This Easy No Bake Cookie Recipe, Try These:
- No Bake Banana Split Dessert
- No Bake 5-Ingredient Granola Bars
- No Bake Butterfinger Pie
- No Bake Oreo Dessert
- No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake
Watch the Recipe Video Below:
If you make this cookie recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating - it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
No Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 2 cups (396 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole or 2% milk
- 4 tablespoons (21 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup (135 g) peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups (267 g) quick-cooking oats
Instructions
- Add the butter, sugar, milk, cocoa powder, and salt to a 4-quart saucepan.
- Bring to a rapid boil and let boil for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract until smooth, then stir in the oats.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (or 2 tablespoonfuls), drop onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Let cool until set, about 30 minutes. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Equipment: Baking sheets / Parchment paper / Cookie scoop
- Unsalted Butter - If you use salted butter, omit the salt called for in the recipe.
- Milk - Whole or 2% milk is perfect for this recipe. You can also use non-dairy milk such as soy milk, oat milk, or almond milk.
- Cocoa Powder - Regular unsweetened cocoa powder (i.e. traditional Hershey's cocoa) is best! If you do not have cocoa powder, you can replace it with 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips.
- Peanut Butter - Creamy peanut butter is traditional, but you can use chunky for a little crunch! You can also substitute any other nut butter (or Sunbutter), so long as it is not natural, as there will be too much oil, which will keep the cookies from setting properly. You can also eliminate the peanut butter without modifying the rest of the recipe.
- Quick Oats – I do not recommend substituting old-fashioned rolled oats, they do not absorb the liquid in the recipe as well.
- Add-in Ideas: Chopped nuts, raisins, and/or shredded coconut.
- Storage/Freezing Instructions: The cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The cookies can also be frozen (in an airtight container or freezer-safe ziploc bag) for up to 3 months.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
[photos by Whitney Wright]
These look absolutely delicious – they’re so simple and I can eat them! Yum!
I made these tonight, and they were a hit! So easy and quick to make!
I love that these cookies have conjured up so many old memories of having these as children or making them with parents or grandparents. I think it’s great when recipes can trigger all sorts of good memories :)
Hi Heidi,
So glad you and your family enjoyed these! They’re definitely a great recipe to make with the kids. Thanks for coming back and letting me know what you thought!!
Mom use to make these no bake cookies for us when we were kids. Some recipes really stand the test of time. They are perfect for the summer months when it seems too hot to turn on the oven too!
My 4 kids and I made these yesterday. We’re in the midst of “Operation-Eat-Up-All-the-Food-in-the-Pantry” so we substituted almond butter and old fashion oats. They were great! I must admit we dug into them before they were fully set, but they were loved by all. They were gone within 24 hours. Thanks for sharing!
OMG I remember these from my childhood! I loved them, thanks for the reminder I must make them!
These are my favorite! First time I had them was in the 70’s at my Grandmother’s. She called them “mud cookies” but when we started making them the name “no-bakes” seemed to win out.
When I make them now I just pour them into a lined pan and when set cut them in rectangular pieces.
My grandaughter taught me to take the mixture off when it JUST came to a full boil (and not boil them for 1 minute). I must say she’s right. They were much creamier and not dry like they can be. So just in case you have that problem.. this will fix it. I do think these are marvelous gems!
Those looks SO good!
Pam
http://www.alovefornewrecipes.blogspot.com
These seem so perfect for the hot days of summer.
Hi Eileen,
My apologies, I just realized this morning I forgot to put the yield in here and went to edit it and then got sidetracked! Depending on size you will get anywhere from 2-3 dozen. I hope you enjoy them!
-Michelle
Michelle,
HOw many cookies does this recipe make? Just curious! I may make these for a 4th of July party this weekend. They look amazing!
Oh my….these look like trouble….I am going to make these for my boys…may have to have one myself.
I make something similar which is delicious but instead of peanut butter has coconut!
Coconut no bake? I have to have that recipe. Could u post it pleeeeese.:-)
I always put coconut in my no-bake cookies. My recipe is exactly the same as yours, I just substitute one cup of oats for one cup of coconut. The quality of the coconut makes all the difference. I get the finely ground dry unsweetened coconut (the good stuff) from our local nut factory, not the icky sticky shredded stuff that has added sugar that they sell in the baking isle (yuck). There is nothing like the smell of freshly ground high-quality coconut.
Oh, also sometimes I add Nutella (hazelnut chocolate spread) too. I just substitute half the peanut butter for Nutella. Yum.
That sounds delicious, will definitely have to try this creation! Thanks
I too have never tasted a no-bake cookie! Your picture makes me want to try one soon!!
I love these… in my part of the world most people call them Preacher cookies. I’m not sure why, but that’s just what they’re always called. I think they’re delicious!
Probably because, “oh no, the preacher is coming over. We need a treat for him, quick!” These are ingredients I always have on file. Thank you for this recipe, Michelle. I’m trying this one for sure!
Maybe because the stove represents hell. Lol
I’m coming across s many great no-bake recipes. This one looks amazing and I will have to try it soon.
I love these-but I’ve never made them! Time to give it a try I say:)
You know, these look great! I have never tried a no bake cookie recipe because for whatever reason they never appealed to me…until NOW…these look really great…I am definitely going to try these!
Hi Mara,
I have to be honest – I don’t think that these are as good as a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie (what is?), but they are very tasty and a great quick recipe! So glad to hear you enjoyed the peanut butter cookies today!
-Michelle
I’ve been making these for 50+ years. The first recipe I got was from a friend’s mom and it was called Oatmeal Fudge, which is a pretty accurate description. Comparing them to a baked cookie is like comparing apples and oranges.
So simple! I’ll have to try this soon!
I have to say that I have never done a no bake recipe. I always wondered if they tasted as good as a true baked recipes. But you have shown they absolutely look good. Next would be to try them out. I did try your peanut butter cookies today. I have to say that Jr. Chef almost didn’t allow the dough to make it to the sheet. It was that good. Thanks!
No bake cookies are the best! So simple and delicious! Yours look tasty.
I made this exact recipe not too long ago, but just haven’t psted it yet. They are fabulous!
Mmmmm…. when I was growing up we called these “monkey meat.” Don’t ask me why, I have no idea!
My husband calls them that, you aren’t alone! :)
I found these a few years ago on the Quaker Oats website… the kids Loved them!
These would be good to make on those hot summer days when you don’t want to turn on the oven. The pictures alone are enough to make me want to go but some peanut butter. :)
These look amazing…and dangerous!
These are so wonderful – a huge childhood memory. One time, my brother and I made some and forgot to put the peanut butter in. Needless to say, they didn’t harden up, but that was totally fine! We just at it with a spoon!
i love these cookies! for some reason i only ever make them at christmas but i love using them for gifts at work cause they’re so easy and quick and i don’t have to deal with the stove all day!
WHOO HOO! I am SO EXCITED! I have looked EVERYWHERE for this recipe. All the other recipes I found either had no picture (so I couldn’t be sure it was really them) or the picture looked gross. YOURS LOOKS So yummy I wanna grab it right off the screen! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! YOU ARE AWESOME! I’m off to check out your other recipes. Those pictures of yours are mouth watering! WOW! Great Blog!
We used to make these all the time when I was a kid and we called them Boiled cookies :)
question about cookies.. how long will they stay fresh ?
Probably a week or so in an airtight container.
I made these cookies and they stayed good for a month.
These also freeze well and are delicious straight from the freezer!
We made these all the time when I was a child (1960s). We called them Cook Court Cookies. No idea why.
I agree ~ in summer, it’s too hot to use the stove. But right now, the “real feel” temp where I live in minus 23. The problem is, my stove has a hard time getting to temp! So no bake is perfect for us right now. These look splendid =)
Good luck with the website, hopefully your glitches all worked out!