No Bake Chocolate Cookies
No bake chocolate cookies are the perfect quick and easy recipe for an after school treat or late night sweet! Made with creamy peanut butter, rolled oats, and cocoa powder, this 10-minute chocolate no bake cookie recipe will become a new family favorite in no time.
Looking for more no bake dessert recipes? Try my Individual No Bake Vanilla Cheesecake, The Best No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars or my Easy No Bake S’mores Bars!
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No Bake Chocolate Cookies
All you need for these delicious no bake chocolate cookies is one pan and 10 minutes — there really isn’t an easier cookie recipe out there. The hardest part about this chocolate cookie recipe is waiting for them to cool!
Probably one of my own “most cooked” dessert recipes, these oatmeal clusters are perfect as an after-school treat, a late-night snack, or even a quick weeknight dessert. These chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies are also great to make ahead of time for a party or special occasion, since they last in the fridge for about 3 days.
This cookie recipe is also perfect if you run into a last-minute bake sale or dessert need! All you have to do is simply boil butter, sugar, milk and cocoa powder for 1 minute, then stir in the peanut butter, oats, vanilla and salt into the same pan. Next, drop spoonfuls of the cookies onto a baking sheet and let them cool — that’s it!
No Bake Chocolate Cookie Ingredients
- Peanut Butter: Personally, the peanut butter is my favorite part of this no bake cookie recipe! I definitely recommend you use creamy peanut butter instead of crunchy. This will ensure your cookies set nice and smoothly.
- Cocoa Powder: Make sure you get unsweetened, natural cocoa powder!
- Oats: I prefer to use rolled oats whenever I make cookies because they result in a more thick, chewy texture. That being said, you can also use quick oats in the recipe if needed.
- Wet Ingredients: You will need unsalted butter, milk, and vanilla extract for this recipe, as well.
- Dry Ingredients: Other baking staples you’ll need are light brown sugar and salt.
How to Make Chocolate No Bake Cookies
- Boil base: Next, combine the butter, sugar, milk and cocoa in a medium saucepan. Then, bring the mixture to a boil and stir occasionally for about 1 minute.
- Add final ingredients: After that, remove the cocoa mixture from the heat and stir in the peanut butter, oats, vanilla and salt.
- Portion cookies: Now, drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.
Then, let your cookie clusters sit at room temperature until cooled and hardened, for about 30 minutes. If you need to speed up the setting process, you can place them in the fridge to cool.
- Drizzle with Chocolate: Once they are hardened you can drizzle your no bake cookies with melted chocolate, if desired. Finally, it’s time to eat and enjoy!
Tips for Making the Perfect No Bake Chocolate Cookies
- Harden the cookies: To ensure your chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies harden and set fully, it’s important that you do not skip or rush the boiling step at the beginning of the recipe. If you’re cookies end up too soft after setting in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, this may be the issue. To test out your mixture, try making just a few cookies at first and seeing how well they set. If they’re too wet, boil the mixture a little longer; if they’re perfect, then you’re ready to go!
- Avoid crumbly cookies: On the other hand, if your no bake cookies end up too dry or crumbly, then it’s likely you over-boiled the mixture. It’s a fine balance that you have to find, so it’s always a good idea to have a test batch first.
- Make ahead and store: These easy chocolate cookies are perfect to make ahead and serve later. You can store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge!
- Choose the right oats: You can use rolled oats, also called old-fashioned oats, or quick oats for these chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies — either will work! Rolled oats will result in a thicker, heartier texture, while quick oats will be thinner.
Here are more dessert recipes to try!
- The BEST Brownies
- Triple Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes
- Double Chocolate Coconut Oil Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy S’mores bars
- Easy Everyday Chocolate Cake
No Bake Chocolate Cookies
Made with peanut butter, oats, and cocoa powder, these 10-minute no bake chocolate cookies are the perfect after school snack.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1¾ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 cups oats
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ¼ tsp salt
- melted chocolate for drizzling, if desired
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Add the butter, sugar, milk and cocoa to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil stirring occasionally for 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter, oats, vanilla and salt.
- Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and let sit at room temperature until cooled and hardened, about 30 minutes.
- If desired drizzle cooled cookies with melted chocolate.