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]
THANK YOU!!
I came across your site when googling Pizzelles. When I found this recipe I was taken back to my childhood. My grandmother would make these. I just made two batches for the teachers at our school.
Thanks again. I look forward to reading your blog.
You’re welcome Pam! I love recipes that bring back warm memories :)
I made these cookies once before, but I decide to be brave and make them with Sunflower seed butter (my son is allergic to peanuts). They turned out awesome. I thought he was going to miss out on one of my favorite childhood treats, but no more he thought the cookies were great too.
With the weather being as hot as it is, this was a quick and cool treat to make. Plus it tasted great!
Just made these with Rice Krispies because I didn’t have any oats. They’re cooling right now and they look amazing! Can’t wait to try. :)
Hey guys, I’ve been making No Bake Cookies for about 30 years (since I was about 10) and the key to them setting up is to boil them for 2 minutes. Boil two minutes, stirring constantly, and then quickly add your oats and scoop them out on to your wax paper. If you do this they harden almost instantly. Seriously, you will be eating them within about 5 minutes. Don’t boil any longer though or you will have granola! Try it, this is a family favorite and this is how we’ve always done it.
SuzQ, thank you for sharing your expert tips! Much appreciated!
Help!! I’m doing something wrong :(
This weekend marked the third time I’ve made this cookies, and I’ve only managed to get them right ONCE (the first time). This time they wouldn’t harden. Even after 45 minutes on the wax paper, they were still very gooey (we ended up eating a couple of them off the paper, with forks, but they just weren’t the same). What am I doing wrong?? My boyfriend thinks there may have been a bit too much peanut butter. Would that cause this?
Thanks!
The peanut butter really wouldn’t make them not set. I’ve had that problem myself a few times. Make sure they boil. Some one had a good idea, when they get to a rolling boil shut them off instead of waiting the minute. Oh yeah make sure you use quick oats.
I’ve made a few errors making these cookies. Keep trying you will get it right.
Lauren, see my post below.
I made these many times. Last night I used Blue Bonnet instead of real butter. They also did not set, so if you are using a butter substitute, that could be the problem.
It’s ridiculously hot here right now, so I made these tonight. They were great…in fact a little too good – I made huge ones and ate way more than one…ekk! I added marshmellows in to half of the batch and that was tasty too. Thanks for sharing. :)
I made these for my kids all growing up, but always included coconut. Makes a fun variation. I’m making some tonight as its too hot to bake and I plan to add some walnuts this time.
Give me any recipes that you can make or bake in slow cooker, like pies or cakes. My oven is broke, no money to fix it, so everything we eat, is either slow cooked, boiled or grilled in a skillet or fried. Boy these cookies look so good.
I love these cookies. I make them often. My nieces ask for them at every get together, if I don’t make them, I hear about it.
I add 1/2 cup of crushed peanuts to mine and they are great.
They look really good:)
Well, I guess I’m a little late to the party, but these cookies look amazing! Have you heard of anyone using soy or almond milk instead of dairy milk? I know someone who has developed an intolerance for milk, but does OK with butter.
My mom made these when I was growing up… and I LOVED them. I have a similar recipe, and I make it with carob powder, instead of cocoa powder, because I can’t eat chocolate. (I will pause a moment while you feel my pain.) You can’t taste the difference at all when carob is used in this recipe. I have fed it to people who swear to me that they hate carob, and they never noticed, until I gloatingly told them about it later. It makes me soooo happy to be able to have the chocolate taste without the chocolate!
Joy, joy! I just saw your link from the Skip to my Lou blog. These cookies have been a family favorite recipe for a few generations now. As I make them ‘down here in the South’, not too many people have ever seen or tasted them (but they love them once they try them). I had a big smile as I read that you’re from PA. Explains everything – mom’s family is from Everson (teeny, tiny town). Thanks for posting and sharing this great cookie!
I’m from Alabama, we make them down there too. I live in Kansas now, I make them here too. :)
Maybe it’s your recipe sweetie but we’ve always had them in the south.
Made these yesterday. I don’t think I can ever make them again because I ate way too many! :-)
These have been my favorite cookie since my mom made them for me when I was in Brownies(MANY years ago)! I had them for every special occasion:)
can i use 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar on this recipe?
Hi Weng, I haven’t tried 1/2 white and 1/2 brown, but I don’t see why not. Would love to hear about your results!
Thanks, these r the best no bakes i have made!!
My grandma and I used to make these together. For the sake of time, she would spread them in a pan (9×9, I think), and cut them after they set. That is another good way to make them without having to mess around with the shape.
I just made these with my 2 1/2 year old and he loved every bit of it (especially liking the leftovers out of the pan!). He is currently sitting at the counter waiting patiently for them to set. =) Thanks for the recipe!!! Delicious!
My family has made this cookie recipe for years and it’s a real favorite of mine! I’m not the best at baking so this is a perfect recipe for me. Great photos!
I just made these tonight, so delicious~
VERY glad you also put a Photo of the cookies as well!
My Mom had this recipe from someone she worked with and me and her during the Holidays made them, but I havent for years.
There was a little Bakery across the street where I worked a long time ago, and they had in a case “Missouri Mud Cookies”!
Thats when I learned to actual name for them . . . and thats what they look like :D
I just shared the Recipe with 2 Ladies at a Bakery in “Old Town” Monrovia Ca. who will feature them soon!
Can’t wait! :P
My cookies are sitting on the counter cooling.
I am sitting at the computer doing the dishes! You see, my waxed paper was small, and the left-overs have to go somewhere…
Oh, my word! I used crunchy peanut butter, so there are teeny bits of peanut in each bite. I am diabetic, and THESE are what God made Insulin for! (I only used 1.5 C. sugar, but I will have to try this with Splenda.)
Thank you for sharing this recipe! You are my new best friend! LOL
Thank you for posting this! I was looking for a no eggless quick dessert to make (for fun and practice) I will be adding to my site soon.
xo – I use Quaker Oats for these, but yes using the traditional oats instead of the quick oats will definitely alter the texture. I also think you could probably substitute a cereal like corn flakes or rice krispy treats for the oats. Would love to hear about your version!
Thats what i am going to do try it with rice krispies instead of oatmeal . Of course when i make them with oatmeal I usually ad at least 2 talbelspoon of carmal topping in with the peanut butter .But i take 2 tblspns of peanut buuter out before iI add the carmel . I will let you know how they turn out
Also, would it be possible to substitue the oats for corn flakes or frosted flakes?
Or maybe some sort of cereal?
Hi, I made these yesterday and they were delicious, but way too chewy!
I think I used regular oats. They kind of taste heavy, the mixture is so good though .but I also found it to be a tad too sweet.
Guess I’d have to use different oats next time. Will quaker oats do?
thank you for the recipe, it’s yummy!
I just made these today with soy butter because of a child with a peanut allergy. They were awesome! I don’t know that anyone would be able to tell the difference. They were so good!
Yum! I made this recipe for the 2nd time in a week today. Both times I used soy butter instead of peanut butter and today I used turbinado sugar instead of white granulated sugar b/c I was out. I like to put a tray in the freezer to set up superfast so we can eat them faster! :D