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]
Don’t use crunchy peanut butter. They will be too dry.
I like to add some shredded coconut to mine. (Same recipe, just add a half a cup of coconut)
Yes, you are so correct! Many cooks make the mistake of “shutting off the heat” once the butter mixture “reaches a rolling bowl”.
It’s at “this point” they need to STIR consistantlyfor the time the recipe states”.
THEN pull it from heat source and add other ingredients and gently stir till combined well”
Same with making “fantasy fudge recipe(on the bake of a jar of “Marshmellow creme) READ your directions over 2 to 3 times, and “double check again” while putting it together”.
So many cooks, “miss” the most important steps…
In making fudge, “the constant 3-4 minutes it states”starts After the mixture comes to a full rolling boil”.Otherwise you’ll have “grainy” texture.
Happy Holidays!
Tip***After removing from heat….Add crushed “plain Bugles” to this mix! and remove the oatmeal. Use “crunching peanut butter…YUM!
You are not the only one who “never heard of these till recently! and I’m 65 years old! lol
I actually see them being sold in Walmarts bakery department!
Easy fast to make, great taste thanks
These are really delicious, I was taught a bit differently and never thought to add Vanilla. The vanilla does give a sweetness to the cookies I was not used too. The texture of these was better than my old recipe. My boyfriend and nearly ate the whole batch at once. So, you know these are a winning cookie!
Hi Gethin, So awesome to hear you enjoyed these! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review! :)
can this also be used for peanuts, pretzels and potato stix? someone told me it is the same ?
Hi Donna, Ooooh I bet you could! That sounds delicious!
I made a double bash , but they didn’t get hard. How can I make them get hard. I can’t get them off the paper, un less I use a spoon. They are really good
Hi Judy, Oh no! It sounds like maybe they needed a smidge more boiling time. You could try popping them in the refrigerator to set up and see if that helps!
I followed the instructions
MY cookies turned dry and crumbly
What am I doing wrong
Hi Daniel, You may need to cut back on the boiling time slightly. Some burners run hotter than others, and I think that’s what probably happened.
About how many cookies will this recipe make? I need to make 10 dozen for a cookie exchange!
Hi Josie, Approximately 2 to 3 dozen, depending on how large you make them.
I would very much like to make the peanut butter no bake cookies. But can you make them with out putting the cocoa in.
Because I do not like chocolate… And I just want to make the peanut butter.
Thanks
Hi Robin, I think that should work, though I’ve never tried it!
I had these when I was a little girl we called them cow patties. Lol. I just made them a few days ago and my kids ate them in a day. And I had made 44 of them, I may have had 4 total.
I knew how to make them i just forgot about of I needed vanilla. But thank you for putting this site on I havent had these in forever and I’m so happy my 3 kids enjoyed them as much as I did when I was young. 😊
You are so welcome Dawn! Thrilled to hear that you and your kids enjoyed the cookies :)
Such a great recipe! Easy to follow and delicious results!
Thanks Rachel, I’m glad you found the recipe useful! Thanks for leaving a review!
Best no bakes ever!
Thank you Janette, and thanks so much for taking the time to stop back and leave a review!
Hi. I love these things and have to tell you that tbse are the only cookies that I remember one of my grandma’s ever making.
The fact that these boiled vs baked really stuck out to me cause I remember, years later, asking her to make her boil cookies.
Unfortunately, for me, she had no idea what I was talking about and I hadn’t seen a recipe, for them, until after she had passed away.
Anyway – to me these always remind me of my grandma and make me smile.
Aww thank you so much for sharing this memory. I’m so sorry you lost your grandma; there really is nothing like them, xo.
I have so much trouble getting my cookies to “set”????
Hi Suzanne, I would try boiling for an extra 15-30 seconds and see if that helps!
These cookies turned out great , just added smarties to them for the kids .
I made these today and they are delicious….thanks for the recipe….Happy Thanksgiving
Anything no-bake is FAB!!
Think I used too much cocoa powder in mine as they were very dark, but they still taste yummy!!!
I put mini marshmallows in as I didn’t have vanilla essence…. i must say, they turned out really wow!
Only got 20 out of the recipe, but then I must admit, mine are all different sizes and quite lopsided lol. Still learning the art of cookie making! :D
Love these cookies!!! I use crunchy peanut butter and add walnuts for an extra crunch!! :)
Can the quick one minute oatmeal be used instead. I tried a recipe very similar to this one, but it set up too fast and was very hard.
Hi Karen, I don’t recommend quick oats, as they will get absorbed too quickly and the texture will end up too mushy and may not set.
These are amazing. I remember having them in the cafeteria from first grade up. Love love love them!!!
This is such a classic recipe! This particular one is foolproof,due to the larger amount of peanut butter. Love it!
Sometimes these cookies will not set up properly. They stay sticky. I have been making them for years and it
still happens at times. Suggestion?
Hi Rebecca, I would try boiling them just a bit longer;.
Mine turned out to be way too dry and crumbly. I used to make this all of that time at our beach house in the 1970s. We didn’t have an oven and they turned out perfectly .What did I do wrong?
Hi Marsha, If they were a little crumbly, the mixture was probably boiled just a tad too long. Usually the time is spot-on, but it can also be affected by how humid or dry the air is in the kitchen.
No-bake cookies are one of my husband’s favorites! But! He only likes them warm! If you have never tried a warm no-bake cookie then you are missing out! We eat them with a spoon about 5 minutes after they are dipped out : ) still gooey and delicious!
You can make “ultimate ” no – bakes by replacing some of the oats with chopped pecans and coconut. Its delicious!
I have always LOVED these cookies. My mom made them pretty frequently for us and when I was in junior high school and took Home Ec and started doing a good bit of cooking, this was probably one of the 1st things I learned to make. I guess I’ve been making them for about 50 years now and I never get tired of them, they just melt in your mouth. They are definitely comfort food for me!
These were so easy to make! I was worried that the mix was going to burn but it didn’t. I did stir it a lot. I also made them much smaller and used a tablespoon scoop. I dipped the scoop in water to make them come out easier.
I’m out of sugar and can’t make it to the store to get some more. Is their a sugar substitute I can use for this without changing the taste?
Hi Aryth, Unfortunately, I don’t know if a sugar substitution that would work in this recipe, as it’s necessary to help the cookies set up.