No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
You don’t need to use the oven for these easy no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies! They’re supremely satisfying with lots of oats and delicious peanut butter.
Everyone in my house loves a sweet treat, which means we often have a batch of Oreo krispie treats or mini chocolate chip cookies on the counter, ready for the taking.
Sometimes, though, I want to make something that is even easier, so I keep these no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies on rotation. I love that they don’t require a lot of ingredients, and we always have everything on hand!
These cookies take only minutes to make. Sure, there’s the time needed for the cookies to set, but even that doesn’t take long — especially if you pop them into the fridge or freezer.
Whenever we’re craving something sweet but don’t want to turn on the oven, I turn to this easy recipe! If you’re a fan of chocolate peanut butter flavor, you’ll love these too!
Ingredients for no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies
Full list of ingredients with quantities is located in the recipe card.
You’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Milk
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Vanilla
- Creamy peanut butter
- Quick oats
If you don’t have quick oats on hand, you can briefly pulse rolled oats in a food processor to chop them.
Make sure you use unsweetened baking cocoa, not cocoa drink mix!
Tools
To make these cookies, you’ll need a saucepan, silicone spatula or spoon, 2 baking sheets, and parchment paper or waxed paper.
Optional but really useful is a medium cookie scoop, which will portion out the “batter” perfectly. If you don’t have one, you can simply use two regular spoons.
How to make this recipe
Line two baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper.
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar, butter, milk, cocoa powder, and salt. Cutting the butter into chunks first will help it melt faster. Stir to help sugar and butter melt and mix ingredients.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then let boil undisturbed for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla (be careful, it will bubble!) and peanut butter, mixing well to melt the peanut butter.
Stir in the oats until fully mixed, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pan. You can add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup of quick oats if the mix seems too thin.
Use a cookie scoop or two spoons to portion the mixture onto the cookie sheets. The cookies will start to set immediately, so get all of the cookies onto the pans quickly.
Let the cookies sit until completely set. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, this can take 2 hours, but you can speed up the process by popping the sheet pans into the refrigerator or freezer.
Once set, peel the cookies off the paper and transfer to an airtight container. I keep them stored in the fridge, with wax paper between the layers.
Recipe tips
Make sure you let the sugar mixture boil for a full minute, or the coating will not get hot enough to properly harden the cookies.
If you like a nuttier cookie, you can use crunchy peanut butter, or stir in finely chopped peanuts with the oats.
Note that this recipe may not work the same if you use a natural peanut butter or other kind of nut butter. The texture of natural peanut butter can vary a lot, so it might make your cookie mixture too runny. You can add more quick oats as needed.
These no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies are such a great snack for taming your sweet tooth. Everyone loves these chewy treats!
No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup 2% milk
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pinch fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 cups quick oats
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, wax paper, or foil.
- Combine sugar, butter, milk, cocoa powder, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then let boil undisturbed for 1 full minute.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and peanut butter, then mix in oats. Use two spoons or a cookie scoop to portion onto lined cookie sheets. Let rest until set.
Notes
- Make sure to use a saucepan that is large enough to fit all of the ingredients. You can also transfer the chocolate mixture into a mixing bowl to be able to add the oats.
- If the cookie mixture seems too runny, you can add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of additional oats.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate based on online calculators and provided as a courtesy. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guideline only.
