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.

No bake cookies on parchment paper on an upside-down baking sheet.

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!

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
An overhead photo of no bake cookies on parchment paper.

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!

  1. COMBINE: In a medium saucepan, add the butter, sugar, milk, cocoa powder, and salt.
  2. BOIL: Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once at a rolling boil, boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
  3. STIR: Off heat, stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract, then stir in the oats.
  4. DROP: Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons full), drop onto prepared baking sheets.
  5. SET: They can set at room temperature, which takes about 30 minutes.

Save This Recipe

Enter your email address, and we'll send it straight to your inbox!

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

Why Are They Called "Preacher Cookies"?

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.

Why Are My No Bake Cookies Sticky/Gooey or Dry/Crumbly?

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.

A no bake cookie with a bite taken out sitting atop a mound of no bake cookies.

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.

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 on parchment paper cooling.

No Bake Cookies

Yield: 36 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Refridgeration time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
These easy no bake cookies are classic! The combination of chocolate, peanut butter, and oatmeal is delicious, they come together in minutes, and are great to make with kids.
4.91 (120 ratings)
Print Pin Rate

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.
Nutritional values based on one cookie
Calories: 103kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 28mg, Potassium: 48mg, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 170IU, Calcium: 22mg, Iron: 1.3mg

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!

Author: Michelle Lettrich
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

[photos by Whitney Wright]