No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies come together in less than 10 minutes and are the easiest cookie to make. All ages young and old will love these simple cookies that are great to make in advance.
No oven or mixer required for these No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies! 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.
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You can also make these no bake cookies without the cocoa, or swap the nut butter to a different type of sunflower butter for a nut-free cookie.
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!
I made these for book club last night! Delish!! – Linda
Thank you. An old school lunch favorite! – Martha
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Quick and Easy Dessert 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!
- 7-Ingredient Cookie. You likely have all 7 simple ingredients on hand, making this no bake cookie recipe a convenient and budget-friendly treat.
- A recipe passed down through our family. 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!
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.
Expert Tips
- Find the Perfect Texture: For looser cookies, use 1 cup of oats. For tighter cookies use 1 1/4 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.
- 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.
- Type of Cocoa Powder to Use: If you prefer a richer chocolate flavor, you can use Dutch-process cocoa powder instead of natural cocoa powder.
- Add 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.
- 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 for up to 2 months.
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
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 1/4 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
- 1/4 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
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- Prep Ingredients Beforehand: Measure out all your ingredients before you start cooking. This will make the cooking process smoother and prevent any mishaps.
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- Perfect Texture: For looser cookies, use 1 cup of oats. For tighter cookies use 1 1/4 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.
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- Butter: If using unsalted butter, add 1/8 teaspoon salt to the mixture when you stir in the oats.
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- Milk: You can opt for whatever milk you prefer. You can use regular milk, almond milk, cashew milk, or lactose-free milk.
Nutrition
About Laura
Taught by some of the best, cooking and entertaining has always been my favorite hobby. Food is my love language! The conception of Dinner in 321 came from my family talks that sharing our dinners would help others learn new skills, tasty recipes, and make cooking fun! Read more…
I made these cookies. Turned out perfect except I wish they were not so dull in color. Was told that if one uses margerine instead of butter they would be shiny. Is that true?
I’m so happy you liked them! Here are the troubleshoots I see of the dullness you experienced:
Reasons why it happens:
– Overboiling the Mixture: Boiling for too long after it reaches a full boil is the biggest cause of dry cookies.
– If not boiled enough, they won’t set; if too much, they dry out.
– Humidity: High humidity or rain can prevent cookies from setting properly, often causing them to be gooey or, conversely, requiring a longer boil that might make them dry.
– prettyIngredient Ratios: Using too many oats compared to the liquid base will make the cookies dry.
– Cold Environment: Working in a very cold kitchen can cause the mixture to set too quickly, making it harder to scoop and reducing the glossy finish.
I love these cookies/candy This recipe comes out perfect every time. Thank you for sharing it with us. My family loves it as well and they do not last long
Awwww!! That makes my heart so happy to hear!! Thank you SO much!!!🥰 I’m so happy they’ve been such a big hit!!
Awwww!! That makes my heart so happy to hear!! Thank you SO much!!!🥰 I’m so happy they’ve been such a big hit!! I love when they don’t last
Best no bake chocolate peanut butter cookie recipe I’ve had as of yet!
AWESOME!! YAY!!! I’m so happy you made them and liked them SO MUCH!!! Thank you SO much!!!🥰
Thank you. An old school lunch favorite!
You’re very welcome! So happy you liked it! 🙂
I MADE THESE FOR BOOK CLUB LAST NIGHT! DELISH!
YAY!! So happy you liked them so much!