No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies come together in less than 10 minutes with 7 simple pantry staples. They're pretty much the easiest to make and quick to quench a sweet craving!
No oven or mixer required for this treat! Grab your measuring cups, a saucepan, 7 basic ingredients you likely already have on hand, and wax paper and you're all set! Also known as preacher cookies, the irresistible combination of chocolate and peanut butter is sure to become a favorite for the whole family.
Whether you're craving a sweet pick-me-up or need a quick dessert fix, these No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies are sure to hit the spot! You can also make these no bake cookies without the cocoa for a delicious peanut butter cookie treat!
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If you love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, be sure to check out my decadent Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting, Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream desserts!
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Quick and Easy Recipe: With no mixer or oven required, these no bake chocolate peanut butter cookies are one of the easiest cookies. They come together in just minutes with little clean-up!
- Minimal Ingredients: You likely have all 7 simple ingredients on hand, making this no bake cookie recipe a convenient and budget-friendly treat.
- Sweet Memories: These peanut butter chocolate cookies bring back sweet memories of lunch ladies serving them in elementary school or mom or grandma whipping up a batch for a special treat!
- Perfect Balance of Flavors: The combination of rich cocoa, creamy peanut butter, and sweet vanilla creates the perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors that's simply irresistible.
Laura Ashley's Tip: You can make these any flavor you like with different mix-ins. Also remove the cocoa powder for a peanut butter oat no bake cookie.
Ingredients
Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below
- Salted Butter: Provides richness and helps bind the ingredients together.
- Milk: Adds moisture and helps create a smooth consistency in the cookie dough.
- Sugar: Sweetens the cookies and helps create a chewy texture.
- Cocoa: Adds rich chocolate flavor, acts as a thickener and binder, and gives the cookies their signature color. Use either Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder.
- Quick-Cooking Oats or Old Fashioned Oats: Provide texture and chewiness to the cookies. I personally prefer whole rolled oats over quick oats. Do not use steel cut oats.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the cookies.
- Creamy Peanut Butter: Adds creaminess, richness, and a hint of nutty flavor to the cookies, complementing the chocolate perfectly. I'm partial to non-natural style creamy Jif peanut butter.
Tools You'll Need
- Medium Sauce Pan
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Scoop
- Spatula
- Wax Paper or Parchment Paper
How to Make No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Once the butter is melted, add the milk, granulated sugar, and unsweetened cocoa powder to the saucepan. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Cook for 1 minute.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a full boil. Let it boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Immediately stir in oats, creamy peanut butter, and vanilla extract until well combined and starting to thicken, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of the cookie mixture onto wax paper or parchment paper. Leave a little space between each cookie as they will spread slightly as they cool.
- Allow the cookies to cool and set at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
Pro Tips and Substitutions
- Prep Ingredients Beforehand: Measure out all your ingredients before you start cooking. This will make the cooking process smoother and prevent any mishaps.
- Perfect Texture: For looser cookies, use 1 cup of oats. For tighter cookies use 1 ¼ cup.
- Cookie Size: This is up to you! You can drop them by 1, 2, or 3 tablespoon cookie sizes with a spoon or scoop.
- Cooking Time: Be careful not to overcook the mixture after it comes to a boil. Boil for exactly 1 minute and then remove from heat promptly to avoid the cookies becoming too dry or crumbly.
- Peanut Butter Substitutions: For a twist on the classic recipe, try using crunchy peanut butter for added texture and crunch. If you have a peanut allergy or prefer a different nut butter, you can substitute creamy almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter in place of peanut butter. Just be aware that it will change the flavor profile of the cookies.
- Cocoa Powder: If you prefer a richer chocolate flavor, you can use Dutch-process cocoa powder instead of natural cocoa powder.
- Mix-Ins: Feel free to add mix-ins like chopped nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate chips for extra flavor and texture. Add sprinkles to the top after you've scooped them on paper and while they're still wet.
- Butter: If using unsalted butter, add ⅛ teaspoon salt to the mixture when you stir in the oats.
- Milk: You can opt for whatever milk you prefer. You can use regular milk, almond milk, cashew milk, or lactose-free milk.
Storage
Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. They can also be frozen for longer storage. However, the texture will be slightly compromised. Simply place the cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag or container.
Frequently Asked Questions
While natural peanut butter can be used, keep in mind that it may alter the texture and flavor of the cookies slightly. Give it a good stir before measuring. You may need to adjust the amount of sugar or add additional liquid to achieve the desired consistency.
Yes, you can substitute almond or cashew butter for peanut butter if you prefer. Just be aware that it will change the flavor profile of the cookies.
Old-fashioned oats or instant oats are an essential ingredient in this recipe, as they provide texture and structure to the cookies. However, if you have a gluten intolerance or allergy, you can try using gluten-free oats or a combination of other gluten-free grains like quinoa flakes or rice cereal.
More Scrumptious Cookie Recipes
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- ¼ cup salted butter
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened 100% cocoa powder or special dark cocoa powder
- 1 cup old-fashioned or quick cooking oats
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Once the butter is melted, add the milk, granulated sugar, and unsweetened cocoa powder to the saucepan. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Cook for 1 minute.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Let it boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Immediately stir in oats, creamy peanut butter, and vanilla extract until well combined and starting to thicken, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of the cookie mixture onto wax paper or parchment paper. Leave a little space between each cookie as they will spread slightly as they cool.
- Allow the cookies to cool and set at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
Video
Notes
-
- Prep Ingredients Beforehand: Measure out all your ingredients before you start cooking. This will make the cooking process smoother and prevent any mishaps.
-
- Perfect Texture: For looser cookies, use 1 cup of oats. For tighter cookies use 1 ¼ cup.
-
- Cookie Size: This is up to you! You can drop them by 1, 2, or 3 tablespoon cookie sizes with a spoon or scoop.
-
- Cooking Time: Be careful not to overcook the mixture after it comes to a boil. Boil for exactly 1 minute and then remove from heat promptly to avoid the cookies becoming too dry or crumbly.
-
- Peanut Butter Substitutions: For a twist on the classic recipe, try using crunchy peanut butter for added texture and crunch. If you have a peanut allergy or prefer a different nut butter, you can substitute creamy almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter in place of peanut butter. Just be aware that it will change the flavor profile of the cookies.
-
- Cocoa Powder: If you prefer a richer chocolate flavor, you can use Dutch-process cocoa powder instead of natural cocoa powder.
-
- Mix-Ins: Feel free to add mix-ins like chopped nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate chips for extra flavor and texture. Add sprinkles to the top after you've scooped them on paper and while they're still wet.
-
- Butter: If using unsalted butter, add ⅛ teaspoon salt to the mixture when you stir in the oats.
-
- Milk: You can opt for whatever milk you prefer. You can use regular milk, almond milk, cashew milk, or lactose-free milk.
LINDA KALLOGER
I MADE THESE FOR BOOK CLUB LAST NIGHT! DELISH!
Laura Ashley
YAY!! So happy you liked them so much!
Martha Connors
Thank you. An old school lunch favorite!
Laura Ashley
You're very welcome! So happy you liked it! 🙂