These 7-ingredient no bake cookies are filled with oats, peanut butter, and cocoa powder. They’re chewy, fudgy, and easy to make—no oven required!
Who else loves no bake cookies?! Made with simple ingredients like oats, peanut butter, and cocoa powder, these classic treats are chewy, fudgy, and packed with delicious chocolate peanut butter flavor. They’re also easy to whip up on the stovetop—no oven required!
I’ve been making this no bake cookies recipe on repeat lately for two reasons. Reason #1: It’s great for making with kids! My four-year-old Ollie loves mixing and scooping the dough. Reason #2: You don’t have to turn on the oven. On a hot summer day, these no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies are the best way to satisfy a cookie craving. Try them the next time you’re in the mood for something sweet. I think you’ll love them!
No Bake Cookies Ingredients
This chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies recipe calls for 7 simple ingredients:
- Oats! They give these cookies their signature chewy texture. I love to use whole rolled oats (aka old fashioned oats) here, but you can substitute quick-cooking oats if that’s what you keep on hand. The whole rolled oats make these cookies extra-chewy.
- Peanut butter – Feel free to use any creamy peanut butter you like. I typically use natural peanut butter, but conventional peanut butter works here too. If you go the natural route, make sure the peanut butter is runny and well-stirred, not chunky or dry.
- Cocoa powder – It gives these cookies their rich chocolate flavor and helps bind them together. Regular and Dutch-process cocoa powder both work.
- Granulated sugar – For sweetness.
- Milk – Any kind you like! I’ve had success using almond milk and whole milk in this recipe.
- Unsalted butter – It adds richness and helps the cookies set.
- And vanilla extract – For warm depth of flavor.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make No Bake Cookies
This no bake cookies recipe has four simple steps:
- Boiling the sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa powder
- Adding the peanut butter, vanilla, and oats
- Scooping the cookies
- Letting them cool completely and set
Start by boiling the chocolate mixture. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sugar, milk, and cocoa powder and whisk until smooth, then bring the mixture to a rolling boil, with bubbles forming across the mixture’s entire surface.
Boil for 2 minutes, reducing the heat as needed if the mixture looks like it’s going to boil over. This process thickens the chocolate mixture so that it can bind the cookies together.
Next, add the peanut butter, vanilla, and oats. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla. The peanut butter might look slightly separated at first, but as you continue to stir, the chocolate mixture will become thick and smooth. Add the oats and mix until well combined.
Then, form the cookies. Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the oat mixture onto two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. If you like, you can flatten the oat mounds to get more of a “cookie” shape.
Chill the cookies in the refrigerator until firm, 30 minutes or more.
That’s it!
How to Store No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
This recipe uses slightly more peanut butter and slightly less sugar than most, so the cookies come out a bit gooier. As a result, they’re best kept in the fridge. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
They also freeze well for up to 3 months. Let frozen cookies thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or let them sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes to soften.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skimp on the boiling time. Set a timer and let the mixture go for a full 2 minutes! If you don’t boil the mixture long enough, the cookies won’t set up.
- Variations are fair game. Replace the peanut butter with almond butter, or make a nut-free variation by subbing in sunflower seed butter. I also love adding chocolate chips to this recipe. Stir in a few when you add the oats. They’ll melt slightly, making the cookies extra-fudgy and delicious!
More Easy Cookie Recipes
If you love these no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies, try one of these easy cookie recipes next:
Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
Serves 24
These no bake cookies are easy to make on the stovetop with basic ingredients like oats, peanut butter, and cocoa powder. Packed with chocolate peanut butter flavor, they’re chewy, fudgy, and delicious!
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, sliced into pats
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups whole rolled oats
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar, milk, and cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Bring to a rolling boil, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a full boil for 2 minutes.
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Remove from the heat. Add the peanut butter and vanilla and stir until smooth, then add the oats and mix until well combined. Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the oat mixture onto the prepared baking sheets, flattening the cookies slightly if desired.
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Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up. The cookies will become firmer the longer they chill.
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Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
We recently updated this recipe and added new photos. Find the older version in this healthy no bake cookies post.