No Bake Cookies

Chocolate No Bake Cookies are rich, fudgy, loaded with texture and the perfect combo of chocolate and peanut butter favor. The best part is that they come together in about 15 minutes and no baking or oven required.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate no bake cookies, no bake cookies

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Cooling/Set Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 140kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup whole milk (can also use evaporated milk)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (sliced into 4 pieces)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups quick oats

Instructions

TIP : I recommend measuring out the peanut butter, vanilla extract, and quick oats so they are ready to go immediately when you take the pan off the stove top. You won't have much time to measure them once the mixture is off the heat.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper so you are ready to scoop the no bake cookies as soon as the mixture is done. Set them aside for later.
^{*You can also just lay parchment paper or wax paper on the countertop, and skip the cookie sheets.}
In a saucepan, over medium heat, add the granulated sugar, whole milk, sliced butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt. Stir constantly until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy.
2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Once completely melted, keep stirring, and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Once the whole surface is bubbly and boiling, set a timer for 1 minute and boil for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
^{*The whole surface needs to be boiling and not just the edges. At first, the edges will be bubbly and boiling, but you need to keep stirring and cooking until the middle and surface are also bubbly and boiling.}
Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately stir in the creamy peanut butter and vanilla extract until the mixture is completely smooth and shiny.
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stir in the quick oats until thoroughly combined and every oat is coated, and it thickens into a spoonable, glossy batter.
3 cups quick oats
Drop the mixture onto the parchment-lined baking sheets using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop. Let the cookies rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes until set, then serve and enjoy!

Notes

Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the cookies out of the bowl and onto the parchment paper. This makes the cookies a more even and circular shape, and it makes the scooping process much quicker and easier.
I do not recommend substituting whole, old-fashioned oats instead in this recipe. Quick oats provide the best texture for these no bake cookies.
I normally prefer baking with salted butter, however, in this recipe for whatever reason I prefer the taste using the unsalted butter + added sea salt. You can use salted butter and maybe reduce the salt slightly. Like only use 1/8 teaspoon salt.
It's very important that you do not boil the mixture for more than 1 minute - the mixture can become too concentrated, and the cookies more than likely will turn out dry and crumbly one the oats are stirred in and they have set.
This recipe really depends on the boil. Wait until the mixture is bubbling across the whole top surface before you start timing for the 1 minute boil. Gentle boils around just the edges are not enough to get the proper set for the cookie. The whole top surface needs to be boiling.
I always tell people to set out your measured ingredients so they're ready to go. Once you remove the pot from the heat you need to immediately add the peanut butter and vanilla… and then the quick cooking oats. You won't have time to measure those things out because the pot can't just sit there for a few minutes while you measure, or else the mixture will start to cool.

Nutrition