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]
Just made these to the recipe, dough seemed too dry, added extra PB and still too dry. Cookies are crumbly and won’t hold shape. Would cut oats by a half cup next time. What did I do wrong?
Hi Wren, It’s possible it was boiled too long, or the heat was too high (it can certainly vary from stove to stove).
Turned out great added a little coconut
I made these and added shredded coconut and they were amazing!
Craving a childhood favorite but lacking the recipe, I looked up and made these no bake cookies a few days ago using crunchy peanut butter (just like my mom would). They turned out amazing…so amazing that I just finished making a double batch to take to a work pot luck tomorrow. Terrific outcome. Wonderful, straightforward instructions. It’s a new staple in my house.
Hi
I made your no bake cookie and by mistake I put it in the oven at 150degree Celsius and it turned out beautiful crisp and tasty too.loved by all at home
Thank you .will definitely look into your other recipes..dying to try all
Made these cookies because it’s a rainy day and wanted something sweet by didn’t want to mess up the whole kitchen. To my surprise, they taste exactly like what Mom made back in the day. Thank you. This is a keeper!
This makes me so happy!!
I have used the same recipe for no-bake cookies since my Girl Scout days (and I’m 47, so that’s a pretty tried and true recipe). I have tried other recipes from your blog and never been disappointed so I thought why not try your version. Well, yours is now mine!!! My recipe is in the trashcan. From 47 until….whenever…this is the only no-bake cookie I will ever make. Blew my mind. Family loved them. Thanks Michelle.
I grew up eating these cookies and making them
for my kids – the one thing different is that there was no peanut butter in the recipe.. but I’m going to try it with the PB such a new twist on an old delicious recipe I grew up with…
These are remarkable needed something for a gathering and so I looked at pint rest and they were I made them in 15 minutes and was out the door in 30 with them in hand by the time I got to the gathering I had eaten 3 my hubby 2 and everyone there loved them a perfect 10
I used this recipe for a special ESL class where I showed large groups of elementary students how to make no bake cookies. They turned out wonderful every time and the kids just loved them! I got sprinkles for them to decorate the cookies which made them cute as well. Thanks for sharing!
Made the no-bake oatmeal, choc. and peanut butter cookies. Very simple, turned out great. Next time I’d like to use Crisco baking sticks, not butter. Any thoughts?
Hi Carter, I would definitely recommend butter over Crisco – much better flavor and consistency!
These are wonderful, thank you!!!!! Just like my Mom used to make. Quick, easy and delicious! Perfect recipe!
excellent for someone with a massive sweet tooth. came out well and very easy to make. in the future i would make as small candy mold bites,keep refrigerated(taste great very cold),and use as quick energy bite. for a cookie,though i haven’t tested yet,i’d like to cut sugar in 1/2 , and butter in half and increase the oats by half and perhaps use old fashioned oats to up the chewy factor and decrease the candy texture. overall a good recipe for 2 uses.
Thanks for the reminder of the no-bake cookies. I always have these ingredients on hand & they’re so easy and delicious! I’m going to make them with my three foster girls for whom I’m a CASA today.
So I totally just stumbled upon this recipe on your blog, and I love it! Absolutely a throwback to my childhood days…now I need to make a batch! Yum!
Also, as I perused your site, I just wanted to compliment you on how beautiful it is! It is fun, easy on the eyes, and totally on my “blog designs I dig” list ;) I’m just getting started on my own blog biz and I have a whole new appreciation for the aesthetics of a website now!! Props to you and great recipes!
Thank you for the kind words! :)
In place of peanut but what can I use? I was thinking a can of chocolate icing(a small can)
Hi Audrey, I would recommend another nut butter or Sunbutter. A can of chocolate frosting would not work as a substitute.
IN the no bake oatmeal peanut butter cookies can you use half and half instead of milk?
Hi Susan, I haven’t done it, but I think it would be just fine.
Thank you for the video to go with the recipe. It really underscores the simple goodness of these cookies. I grew up making these. My taste is to use only 2 cups of oats. Really good!
These came out wonderfully,I used salted butter and it was fine.I made 22 regular sized cookies out of this recipe.I would recommend this to anyone looking for a quick fix treat !!
Re: Your No-Bake Chocolate Peanut-Butter Oatmeal Cookies: I have made these cookies for 50 years. However, I do NOT milk in the first part of the recipe, I use a small can of Carnation Evaporated Milk. I think it gives the cookies a better taste. I also add 10-12 large marshmallows to the first part of the recipe and let them melt in the boiling mixture. I make the chocolate no-bakes as well as the peanut butter no-bakes. In order to make the peanut butter cookies, simply delete the cocoa (but still add the marshmallows).
This recipe is the perfect combination! It has just the right amount of butter, peanut butter, and cocoa. These are my favorite cookies and I’ve been looking for a great recipe and this is it!
They are delicious
Just made these. They are sooo good. I followed one ladies suggestion and that was to have everything already measured out and teady to mix. I also boiled exactly 1 minute. They are moist and just really good. I will stick with tjis recipe
First time making no bakes, they are my favorite cookie. I can tell before they even set that these will be amazing. Tastes just like i remember, and already i can tell these will crumble perfectly with the best texture. Ill be making these again!
What is the point value and how many cookies for the point value?
I’m not sure what this means?
I am almost 83 years old and I have been making these for years.
One of my twin sons,( now 56 years old) was 9 years old when a classmate’s mother brought these to his school for the children. Doug was so enamored with them, he copied the recipe and brought it home. My children loved to cook. I still have his hand written recipe in one of my cook books!
What is the temperature of the boil
Hi Sheila, Water boils at 212 degrees F, so… I guess that? I didn’t measure it with a thermometer.
Can regular butter be used instead of unsalted? Thats the one ingrediant i forgot and its chirstmas eve and store is closed ?
Yes, just omit the pinch of salt in the recipe.
I have made these cookies for 50 years and I always use “regular” stick margarine (not real butter) which is salted. I can not tell any difference, even though the recipe calls for a dash of salt. I don’t buy or use “unsalted” butter/margarine for anything.
My Mom made these for us as kids and I have wonderful and fond memories of this. As we got older we were able tohelp her. I recently Made these for Christmas gifts and recently had our family party and gave them all away. Husband was look for them the day after and said to me….I can’t believe you gave these all away. So, I’m making more today. Thank you.
Just made these.. last spoon from the pot tasted really good. Mine don’t look like the picture tho. I think, even tho I followed the recipe, 3 C of oats may have been too much. The pic almost look like they flowed out of the scoop & mine were kinda dry & had to be formed into rounds… not shiny either.. any suggestions??
Hi Lesley, I would try boiling them for about 30 seconds or a minute less next time.