This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These classic No-Bake Cookies are a quick, nostalgic treat that satisfies a chocolate-peanut butter craving without ever turning on the oven. These easy no-bake cookies are fudgy, chewy, and rich yet take only minutes to make. All you need are 8 ingredients, a saucepan, and a spoon to make the Best No-Bake Cookies.
Growing up, I asked my Mom if I could bake cookies every single day.
She had a big, deep drawer filled with cookbooks and I am pretty sure that I had them all memorized, at least, the cookie section.
If my Mom didn’t want me to get out the mixer, I would make no-bake cookies on the stovetop. They were super easy and required no baking so we could eat homemade cookies in no time at all.
I decided to do the ultimate No-Bake Cookies Recipe Bake-Off. I analyzed my classic recipe and wanted to see if there were tweaks to be made to make the smoothest, fudgiest, chewiest cookies (no dry or grainy cookies allowed)!
I set out to make 4 different recipes and have my taste testers rank each one to find the Best No-Bake Cookie Recipe. Here’s what we did…
COOKIE #1:
This one had a little less sugar, the most peanut butter out of any of the cookie recipes, and the least amount of oats.
COOKIE #2:
This one had more sugar and used both sugar and brown sugar, less peanut butter than #1, and more oats.
COOKIE #3:
This one had the same amount of sugar and brown sugar as #2, had slightly more peanut butter, and less oats than #2.
COOKIE #4:
This one had the same amount of sugars as #2 and #3, had less peanut butter than any other recipe, and the oats were right in the middle of recipe #1 and #2.
The GOOD NEWS is that there wasn’t a bad cookie in the bunch! All 4 no-bake cookie recipes turned out. No dry or grainy cookies!
The HARD PART was choosing the best one. Number one was the least popular with no votes…so it came down to recipes 2, 3, or 4.
This is when it could come down to personal preference since if you love peanut butter, you may go with #3 since it has a good amount of peanut butter. If you like a little less peanut butter and a tad more chocolate flavor, you may go with #4.
It came down between #2 and #3 and it was a tight contest! Since they are so similar, I will include both recipe variations. The big differences between #2 and #3 is the peanut butter and oats ratios. If you want a fudgier recipe, you may want to use slightly less oats.
Let’s get down to business and talk ingredients and techniques! Even though this is an easy cookie recipe, it does come down to the ingredients you use and the techniques.
If you love saucepan cookies or one bowl cookies, check out these easy cookie recipes:
- One Bowl Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- I Want to Marry You Cookies (Marry Me Cookies)
- MJ’s Saucepan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Browned Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
You only need 8 ingredients to make these homemade chocolate peanut butter oatmeal no bake cookies!
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder:
Cocoa gives these cookies their deep chocolate flavor. Use a high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder for best results. Dutch-process cocoa yields a darker, smoother flavor, while natural cocoa adds brightness.
Butter:
Butter adds richness and helps bind the mixture.
Brown Sugar:
Brown sugar brings a touch of molasses flavor and chewiness. It also helps prevent the cookies from being too brittle.
Granulated Sugar:
Granulated sugar is key to sweetness and texture. It dissolves and helps create that glossy fudge-like finish.
Milk:
A splash of milk smooths everything out and helps dissolve the sugars. Whole milk gives the richest flavor, but 2% works fine too. I have even recipe tested them with skim milk and they worked out great.
Creamy Peanut Butter:
Peanut butter adds creaminess, flavor, and helps the cookies set. Use creamy, no-stir peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy) for consistent results. Natural peanut butters that separate can make the cookies oily or crumbly.
Vanilla Extract:
Vanilla rounds out and balances the chocolate-peanut butter flavors. Use pure vanilla extract if you can.
Quick Oats:
Quick oats give the cookies their structure. They absorb the hot mixture better than old-fashioned rolled oats, creating a tender chew.
BAKING TIPS:
Measure ingredients before starting — the recipe moves quickly.
Use a medium saucepan with plenty of room for boiling.
Stir continuously to prevent scorching.
Always time the boil — the 1-minute rule is the key to success.
How to make the Best No-Bake Cookies:
- Prepare your baking surface
Line a large baking sheet or countertop space with parchment paper or wax paper. This is where you’ll drop the cookies to cool. I prefer parchment paper as the cookies don’t stick to it at all. - Combine the base ingredients
Heat a medium saucepan over LOW HEAT. Add butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder and milk. Keep stirring to allow the butter to slowly melt. Use a whisk to smooth out any cocoa powder lumps. - Melt and bring to a boil
Once the butter is melted, increase the heat to MEDIUM and stir constantly. Watch for the mixture to begin to bubble (may need to stop stirring for a few seconds to see if it is slightly boiling. You just need to see bubbles on the edges of the pan. - Boil exactly 1 minute
Once it begins boiling, set a timer for 1 minute. Keep stirring while it bubbles. Timing is critical — less than 1 minute and the cookies may not set — longer than 1 minute and they may become dry and crumbly. - Remove from heat and stir in flavorings
Take the pan off the stove. Stir in vanilla extract and peanut butter until smooth and fully incorporated. - Add the oats
Stir in the quick oats until evenly coated. The mixture should be thick but still glossy. - Drop the cookies
Using a spoon or cookie scoop, quickly drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto your prepared parchment paper. Work somewhat fast — the mixture sets as it cools. - Let them set
Allow the cookies to sit at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes until firm. For quicker setting, you can place them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Tips for Perfect No-Bake Cookies:
Avoid graininess: Make sure the sugar fully dissolves before the mixture boils, and stir constantly.
Avoid dryness: Do not boil longer than 1 minute. Overcooking evaporates too much liquid and dries out the cookies.
Glossy finish: Stir in peanut butter and oats while the mixture is still hot and smooth.
Storage:
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They are best the day you make them.
For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or freeze in layers (separated by parchment paper) for up to 3 months.
No Bake Cookie Mix-Ins:
Fold in shredded coconut, chopped nuts, or mini chocolate chips after adding oats. Make sure it is slightly cooked before adding chocolate chips or they will melt. Another option is to sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the cookies after dropping them on the pan.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Recipes:
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
No Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Butter (salted)
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Brown Sugar (packed)
- 1/2 cup Milk (whole or 2% preferred)
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter * (Jif or Skippy's)
- 2 3/4 cups Quick Oats * (up to 3 cups)
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients, measure, and set aside. Read all instructions before starting. Line a large baking sheet or countertop space with parchment paper or wax paper. This is where you’ll drop the cookies to cool. I prefer parchment paper as the cookies don't stick to it at all.
- Heat a medium saucepan over LOW HEAT. Add butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder and milk. Keep stirring to allow the butter to slowly melt. Use a whisk to smooth out any cocoa powder lumps.
- Once the butter is melted, increase the heat to MEDIUM and stir constantly. Watch for the mixture to begin to bubble (may need to stop stirring for a few seconds to see if it is slightly boiling. You just need to see bubbles on the edges of the pan.
- Boil exactly 1 minute. Once it begins boiling, set a timer for 1 minute. Keep stirring while it bubbles. Timing is critical — less than 1 minute and the cookies may not set — longer than 1 minute and they may become dry and crumbly.
- Remove from heat and stir in flavorings. Take the pan off the stove. Stir in vanilla extract and peanut butter until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Stir in the quick oats until evenly coated. The mixture should be thick but still glossy.
- Using a spoon or cookie scoop, quickly drop spoonfuls of the mixture into circles onto your prepared parchment paper. Work somewhat fast — the mixture sets as it cools. Let them set.
- Allow the cookies to sit at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes until firm. For quicker setting, you can place them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
