Chocolate No-bake Cookies were the first thing I learned to cook when I was a kid. They have always been a favorite of mine and I loved being able to make a batch for an afternoon snack. Over the years I’m sure I have made a thousand of these cookies. When my kids were learning to cook, they all tried this recipe out for themselves. No one ever complained about finding a batch of these cooling on the kitchen counter!
Above you can see the recipe in an old well-loved Mennonite cookbook I’ve had for years. The recipe shares a page with the Oatmeal Macaroons recipe, another family favorite. You know it’s a good recipe when the book spine splits on the right page! You can also see a photo of the ingredients for these cookies. All you need is 6 basic staples and you are on your way.
No-bake magic!
These simple cookies are made on the stovetop in just a few minutes. Since you use basic pantry staples for this recipe, you can whip them up at a moment’s notice. First you make a chocolate mixture that is boiled, almost like a fudge recipe. Next you stir in peanut butter and quick oats and they are ready to scoop out and cool. Quick and easy!
No-Bake Cookies Recipe
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup peanut butter, crunchy or creamy
- 3 cups quick oats
Measure the sugar, cocoa powder, butter, milk, and salt into a large pot and stir over medium heat. Continue to stir until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth. Use a whisk to break up any clumps of cocoa powder. I love this whisk and use it every day. Highly recommended!
Once you see that the butter is melted, stir the chocolate mixture into it starts to boil. You only boil this for 1 minute but don’t start your timer until it comes to a full “rolling” boil. You know it’s a full “rolling” boil when the boiling doesn’t stop when you stir.
Why the full rolling boil?
To make these cookies or a fudge that’s supposed to set up or harden, you have to cook the sugar to a certain temperature and evaporate some of the liquid. I find that waiting to set the timer until it’s boiling hard always results in nicely set cookies. Too little boiling and they will be too soft to pick up after they cool. Still delicious, just very messy.
Above you can see the stages of boiling for the No-bake Cookies. First the cocolate mixture is simmering, next it’s at a boil, finally it’s at a full “rolling” boil. When I see the chocolate looking like the third photo I set my timer for 1 minute. After the timer is up, I turn off the burner and add the next ingredients.
Adding peanut butter and quick oats
Scoop in the peanut butter. I like crunchy or extra-crunchy peanut butter but use whatever you like. If you prefer almond or an alternative nut butter that’s great too.
Stir in the peanut butter until fairly well combined. At this point in the recipe you need to work a little quickly, no rushing but no dilly-dallying either. The chocolate will start to set up as it cools so you need to get them scooped out before they cool too much. I love how the base looks with the peanut butter swirled in.
Stir in the quick oats and mix to combine. Use a spatula to scrape the corners of your pot so you don’t have puddles of cocolate with no oats mixed in. Once you get it mixed well, it’s time to scoop out the cookies.
Scooping out No-bake Cookies to cool
Set up a sheet of parchment paper and have a scoop or large soup spoon ready. We always used two spoons for this job growing up. One to scoop up the portion of cookie and the other to scrape off the hot chocolately mixture. Now I’m fancy and have a cookie scoop. If you don’t have one already, it’s worth buying one. I use mine for lots of things like meatballs and pancake batter as well as for cookies.
Once all your cookies are scooped out, you can set them aside to cool for 30 to 35 minutes or until set. You can also eat one while it’s squidgy and hot, I won’t judge! With the cookie scoop I have, I get 2 1/2 dozen cookies per batch. You may get a different amount depending on the size you make.
Let the cookies cool and set before storing in an airtight container at room temperature. I have a collection of vintage cookie tins that I store cookies and baked goods in. I swear they taste better from one of these tins!
No-Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup peanut butter creamy or crunchy, your choice
- 3 cups quick oats
Instructions
- Combine granulated sugar, cocoa powder, unsalted butter, whole milk, and salt in a large pot. Stir over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth.
- Bring to a rolling boil and boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- Add the peanut butter and stir to blend.
- Quickly and thoroughly fold in the quick oats until well combined.
- Scoop mixture out onto parchment paper with a cookie scoop or a soup spoon.
- Cool for 30-35 minutes or until cookies are set.
- Store extra cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
