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Plate stacked with chewy no bake oatmeal cookies from the best no bake cookie recipe

The Best No Bake Cookies (with Oatmeal)

Kendra Boettner
With just a few pantry staples (7 ingredients!), these no bake cookies come together in minutes, no oven required: just stir, scoop, and let them set. They’re rich with cocoa, creamy peanut butter, and sweet oats, making them the ultimate kid-friendly (and mom-approved) treat.
5 from 14 votes
Author: Kendra Boettner
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack, treat
Cuisine American
Servings 24 Cookies
Calories 177 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • ½ Cup Salted Butter (113 g)
  • 1 ¾ Cups Granulated Sugar (350 g)
  • ⅓ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (32 g)
  • ½ Cup Milk (120 ml)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • ⅔ Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (160 g)
  • 3 Cups Quick Oats (275 g)

Instructions
 

  • Line two baking sheets or the counter with parchment paper. I'm always for less dishes so I skip the baking sheets and simply put parchment paper down.
  • In a medium saucepan combine butter, sugar, cocoa, and milk. 
    ½ Cup Salted Butter, 1 ¾ Cups Granulated Sugar, ⅓ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, ½ Cup Milk
  • Set over medium heat, and cook stirring frequently until it reaches a full boil.
  • Allow mixture to boil 60 seconds without stirring. 
  • Remove from heat, immediately add in vanilla, peanut butter and quick oats. 
    1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, ⅔ Cup Creamy Peanut Butter, 3 Cups Quick Oats
  • Stir mixture until well combined then, using a medium (2 Tbsp) cookie scoop or two spoons drop mixture onto parchment paper.
  • Allow to rest at room temperature until set, about 20 - 30 minutes (to speed up setting refrigerate).

Notes

 
  • These no bake oatmeal cookies work because of simple kitchen science. When the sugar, butter, and cocoa mixture boils for a full 60 seconds, the sugar reaches the “soft ball” stage. This chemical change allows the cookies to firm up instead of staying gooey. Skipping or rushing this step is the #1 reason no bake cookies don’t set.
  • This no bake cookie recipe has been tested multiple times in my own kitchen to ensure consistent results. If you’re new to candy-making science, don’t worry—the oats and peanut butter make this process more forgiving than traditional fudge.
  • For a fun variation, swap peanut butter for almond butter or sunflower seed butter. It changes the flavor profile slightly, but the texture of these no bake cookies stays delicious.
  • Using quick oats keeps these no bake oatmeal cookies soft and chewy. If you prefer a rustic texture, try old-fashioned oats—the recipe still works, but the bites are heartier.
  • Want to explore more easy no bake desserts? Browse our no bake recipe collection for tested favorites that use the same principles of time, temperature, and technique.

Nutrition

Calories: 177kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 34mgPotassium: 104mgFiber: 2gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 126IUCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg
Keyword baked goods, Chocolate, classics, cookies, kid friendly, no bake, oatmeal, peanut butter, quick
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