No-Bake Cookies

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Classic No-Bake Cookies combine creamy peanut butter, cocoa powder, sugar, and oats into sweet, chewy, and ultra fudgy cookies. Top with a sprinkle of sea salt for the best sweet and salty treat. These cookies are the best -- no dough chilling and no baking required!

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, Vegetarian

Keyword no bake cookie recipe, no bake cookies

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 minute

Setting Up 30 minutes

Total Time 51 minutes

Servings -24 cookies

Calories 204kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $4.89

Ingredients

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1-1/4 cups light or dark brown sugar, lightly packed (we like dark best!)
3/4 cup white, granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Note 1)
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (Note 2)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups old-fashioned oats (or quick oats) (Note 3)

US - Metric

Instructions

PREP: Assemble all the ingredients, this recipe moves quickly! Line one extra-large (15x21-inch) or 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silpat liner and set aside.
Cut butter into 1 tablespoon pieces.
CHOCOLATE BASE: Combine butter pieces, milk, salt, brown sugar, white sugar, and cocoa powder in a medium-sized pot over low heat. It'll be tempting to increase the heat, but don't! This base needs to heat low and slow for everything to combine correctly and not end up grainy later. Use a silicone spatula to stir frequently until butter is completely melted. Scrape sides of the pot as you stir.
BOIL CHOCOLATE BASE: Once butter is completely melted, increase heat to medium. Stir constantly until mixture is at a full rolling boil (not just bubbling at the edges). The minute it turns to a full boil, set the timer and stir constantly for 1 full minute. Don't under-boil and don't over-boil or cookies won't set up properly. (If you have a candy thermometer, we're looking for this mixture to hit 230 degrees F). Immediately remove pot from heat and continue to stir for 10 seconds.
FINISH COOKIES: Add peanut butter and stir until it is completely melted and integrated. Next stir in vanilla and finally the oats. Stir to coat.
LET COOKIES SET UP: Use a 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the mixture from the pot into cookies on the sheet pan. Let fully cool and set until cookies are nicely hardened, about 30 minutes (quicker if you pop in the fridge!)
STORAGE: These cookies don't have to be refrigerated, but we prefer them cold--they're SO good straight out of the fridge! They'll also last a bit longer in the fridge -- about 2 weeks in an airtight container. (They'll last about a week stored in an airtight container at room temperature.)
To freeze: Place the finished cookies on the lined sheet pan in the freezer for 1 hour or until very firm. Once firm, transfer to freezer bag (layer cookies separated by parchment paper in bag) and freeze for up to 6 months.

Video

Notes

Note 1: Unsweetened cocoa powder: Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder, not Dutch-processed cocoa powder.

Note 2: Creamy peanut butter: Use creamy, not crunchy, peanut butter for best results. We love and highly recommend Skippy® Creamy Peanut Butter (not sponsored) in these cookies. If you use a no-stir (natural) peanut butter be sure it is well mixed before measuring for this recipe.

Note 3: Oats: Most no bake cookies recipes call for quick oats, which work fine in this recipe. However, we are hooked on using old-fashioned oats instead! You can't beat the chewiness and additional texture these oats provide. Use whatever you prefer.

Nutrition