These quick and easy Chocolate No-Bake Cookies are made without peanut butter for a fudgey, nut-free take on the classic. They are a snap to throw together and great for packing into a lunchbox or serving as a movie-night snack.
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No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies Without Peanut Butter
Trust me - we love peanut butter in our house. Especially when it comes to no-bake cookies, which are usually made with peanut butter. But, when you want to go pure chocolate, these Chocolate No-Bake Cookies without peanut butter seriously hit the spot.
They are also great for school functions or kids sporting events where there are peanut restrictions in place. No nuts, no problem! They’re the perfect super easy, go-to cookie whenever you are short on time because you don’t need to wait and preheat an oven and they can be ready in about 30 minutes flat.
Ingredients in Chocolate 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.
- 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. For a slightly different flavor, try substituting either almond extract or coconut extract.
How To Make Chocolate No-Bake Oatmeal 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 over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once the mixture comes to a boil, boil for 1 minute and then remove from the heat (it should be between 235-240 degrees F on a candy thermometer).
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Add the vanilla 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 or waxed paper) and let them cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature before either eating or storing in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks for Perfect Chocolate No-Bake Cookies
- Making your no-bake cookies in a non-stick pan really helps with the cleanup.
- We can’t say it enough - the most important thing is to make sure to boil the sugar for 1 minute! This is what creates the overall texture. The best way to make sure is to use a candy thermometer and cook to 235-240 degrees F.
- Make sure to use the correct kind of oats.
- If you want to make these double chocolate, add in ½ cup of chocolate chips along with the rolled oats.
- Be sure and measure all of your ingredients ahead of time and have everything ready because this recipe goes fast!
- A cookie scoop is a great way to portion out the cookies and make them all the same size.
FAQs
The best way to store Chocolate No-Bake Cookies (or any no-bake cookies for that matter) is in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh this way for up to about five days.
If you want to store in the fridge or freezer, you can, and they will last for a little bit longer. But, just keep in mind that both of these introduce moisture that does not play nice with these and they can become a little soggy.
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.
Most issues with no-bake cookies result from either cooking the sugar mixture too long or not long enough. If you cook it for too long, your cookies can become grainy and crumbly. If you don’t cook it long enough, they won’t set properly. The best way to be sure is to use a candy thermometer and cook until the sugar mixture reaches about 235-240 degrees F.
Chocolate No-Bake Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup Butter
- ¼ cup Milk
- ¼ cup Cocoa Powder
- 1 cup Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 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 the mixture to a rolling boil. Once the mixture comes to a boil, boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
- Add the vanilla 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 sheet 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
- Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bakes
- 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
- Nutella Haystack Cookies
More No Bake Recipes
- Nutella Cheesecake
- Easy Cheesecake
- Mini No Bake Cheesecakes
- No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
- No Bake Chocolate Dip
- Cheesecake Dip
- Fruit Dip
- More No Bake Recipes
- More Dessert Recipes
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These Chocolate No-Bake Cookies are super yummy, super easy and seriously hit the spot. Made without peanut butter, this version is great for whenever you need a quick, nut-free cookie option.
Sandi
These were the perfect treat to make.
Ashley
We love these so much. So easy and always delicious!