No hot oven is required to make these totally addicting Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies. With these super nostalgic flavors and unbelievably quick and easy steps, they make the perfect cookies for kiddos to help with, too.
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No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
These Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies taste like childhood. They’re soft and chewy, a little messy and perfect for making at any time of the year for absolutely any occasion. Whether you need an afterschool snack, potluck dessert or last minute bake sale cookie, these no-bake peanut butter oatmeal cookies will be a guaranteed hit.
Another reason to love no-bake cookies is that they make the perfect kitchen project to work on with little ones. Our kids always love mixing up melted marshmallows, peanut butter and sticky syrup, and you can have fun by letting them choose fun sprinkles or chocolate chips to add in.
Ingredients in Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
- Butter - we prefer unsalted for this recipe but if you want to use salted, just cut back on the additional salt in the recipe.
- Cocoa Powder - the better the cocoa powder, the better the flavor of the cookies!
- Milk - either whole milk or 2% will work great.
- Sugar - use regular white granulated sugar.
- Peanut Butter - crunchy or creamy peanut butter will work. We recommend using one of the “regular” brands, such as Jif or Skippy, however if you do want to use natural peanut butter, you'll need to double the amount of marshmallows.
- Marshmallows - we suggest using mini marshmallows as they melt more easily.
- Oats - we like the texture of old-fashioned rolled oats in no-bake cookies.
- Salt - sea salt works great.
- Vanilla Extract - pure vanilla extract tastes best.
How To Make Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
- Boil butter and sugar mixture. In a large non-stick pan, melt the butter, then add the milk, cocoa powder, sugar and salt and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Once the mixture comes to a boil, boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Add the vanilla, peanut butter and mini marshmallows. Stir well until the marshmallows are melted, then add in the salt and rolled oats and stir again to combine.
- Drop, cool and serve. Using two spoons, carefully drop small mounds of cookie mixture onto the prepared baking sheet (large baking sheets lined with parchment paper) and let them cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature before either eating or storing in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Tips for No-Bake Cookies
- Using a cookie scoop instead of two spoons can help ensure that all cookies are the exact same size.
- Be sure and boil for exactly 1 minute. It’s a good idea to even set a timer to be sure because if you don’t boil long enough, the cookies will not set up correctly.
- Use a non-stick pot to keep the cookie mixture from sticking and to make clean-up so much easier.
- Make sure and let your cookies set up for at least 20 minutes before trying to store them or else you risk them falling apart.
FAQs
Do no-bake cookies have to be refrigerated?
Nope - it’s actually preferable to store them in an airtight container at room temperature. The fridge can introduce moisture, actually making the cookies sticky.
Why Do My No-Bake Cookies Turn Out Gooey?
If you don’t bring the sugar mixture to a complete boil for 1 minute, the sugar will not reach a high enough temperature to “set” the cookies. Make sure to either set a timer or count to 60!
How Long Will My Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies Stay Fresh?
They should stay nice and fresh, if stored properly at room temperature, for up to 5 days from the time you make them.
Can I freeze no-bake cookies?
You can store them frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before eating.
How Long Should I Wait To Let My Cookies Set?
Let your no-bake cookies cool at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before eating and/or storing. This will give them enough time to cool down and set up properly.
What are the best kinds of oats to use in no-bake cookies?
We recommend sticking to old-fashioned rolled oats for this no-bake oatmeal cookies recipe. The main difference between old-fashioned rolled oats and quick cooking oats is how thinly they have been rolled, which affects the texture and how much liquid they can absorb.
If you only have quick oats in your pantry, don't despair - just add about ½ cup more for this recipe.
If you love no bake cookies, be sure to try our Peanut Butter No Bakes, Coconut No Bakes, and also our Chocolate No Bake Cookies.
Recipe: Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup Butter
- ¼ cup Milk
- ¼ cup Cocoa Powder
- 1 cup Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Peanut Butter creamy or chunky
- 1 cup Mini Marshmallows
- 2 cups Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large non-stick pan, melt the butter, then add the milk, cocoa powder, sugar and salt and bring to a rapid boil.
- Once the mixture comes to a boil, boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and add the vanilla, peanut butter and mini marshmallows. Stir well until the marshmallows are melted, then add in the salt and rolled oats and stir again to combine.
- Using two spoons, carefully drop small mounds of cookie mixture onto the prepared baking sheets and let them cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature before either eating or storing in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More Easy No-Bake Cookies
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies
- Red White and Blue Rice Krispies Treats
- Nutella No-Bake Cookies
- Coconut Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
- Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
- No Bake Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies
- More No Bake Cookie Recipes
- More Cookie Recipes
- More Dessert Recipes
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These Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies are soft and chewy, a little messy and perfect for any occasion. Plus, they require no hot oven and can be ready in less than 30 minutes.
Nellie Tracy
These cookies are fantastic. My kids love them and I love that I don't have to turn on my oven. Perfect for this heat wave we're having now.
Sandi
These were fun to make last weekend. I love they are no-bake.