The Best No Bake Cookies (with Oatmeal)
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.
Author: Kendra Boettner
Equipment
- 1 parchment paper for lining counters or pans
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
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!