These peanut butter no bake cookies come together in about 10 minutes with just a handful of ingredients! Soft, chewy, and packed with peanut butter chocolate flavor, they’re perfect for when you don’t want to turn on the oven.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
This is a brief summary of the recipe. Jump to the recipe to get the full details.
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Cooling Time
30 minutes
Total Time
45 minutes
Servings
24 cookies
Difficulty
Easy
Calories *
156 kcal per serving
Technique
Heat sugar, butter, milk, and cocoa powder; add remaining ingredients, scoop, and chill.
Flavor Profile
Chocolate-peanut butter, and oat cookies.
* Based on nutrition panel
I absolutely love these chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies! The combination of rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter is a match made in heaven! Even my kids enjoy these cookies and want more over the weekends! […]⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Janice
Why You Will Love This
- No oven needed! You only need the stove top and patience to let the cookies set at room temperature.
- Pantry staple ingredients. You can make these cookies with ingredients you probably already have on hand.
- Perfect texture. Soft, gooey texture from the peanut butter with a slight chewiness from the oats.
- Great for getting kids involved in the kitchen!
These peanut butter no bake cookies have a soft, gooey texture with a slight chewiness from the oats and a bold, classic chocolate peanut butter flavor. Both kids and adults enjoy them. Just like these chocolate cake pops! They are great for any special occasion, holiday, birthday, or regular rainy day.
This recipe is perfect for days when you do not want to turn on the oven. Looking for other great no-bake recipes? Try this banoffee pie recipe or this no-bake French silk Oreo pie! You may be looking for another fun chocolate combination. Check out these strawberry brownies!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Granulated Sugar: It sweetens the cookies and helps with structure. Don’t substitute with a sugar alternative, as it will affect how the cookies set.
- Unsalted Butter
- Milk: This recipe works with any type of milk, regular cow’s milk or your favorite dairy-free option.
- Cocoa Powder: Provides a deep chocolate flavor. Use unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
- Peanut Butter: I prefer all-natural varieties for most recipes, like my peanut butter banana bread, but like these chewy peanut butter cookies and 4 ingredient peanut butter cookies, I think that these cookies have the best taste and better texture with conventional peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. All-natural peanut butter will work, but it produces softer, moister cookies that take longer to firm up.
- Vanilla Extract
- Quick-Cooking Oats: You can use old-fashioned oats, but the cookies will be chewier. For gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oats. Quick-cooking oats provide better texture than old-fashioned rolled oats.
Variations
- Coconut lovers: Stir in ½ cup shredded sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes with the oats. If you really love coconut, then make sure you try this no bake peanut butter pie too!
- Add some crunch: Mix in ½ cup of chopped nuts, such as almonds, pecans, or peanuts.
- Sweet-salty balance: Top with flaky sea salt before the cookies set.
- Make mini cookies: Use a small cookie scoop for a tablespoon to create mini one-bite cookies.
What Are No Bake Cookies?
No bake cookies skip the oven entirely—they’re cooked on the stovetop and set at room temperature. Most recipes include oats, sugar, fat, and flavorings that come together quickly with a brief boil. Since they never see the oven, they stay soft and moist rather than developing a crispy exterior.
How to Make Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
Use these instructions to make these super easy no-bake peanut butter cookies! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine and boil. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, butter, milk, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Make sure you pick a pot that will fit all the oats. We don’t want oats flying everywhere.
Step 2: Boil for exactly 1 minute. Once boiling, continue boiling for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. This timing is crucial for proper texture.
Set a timer on your phone or watch before it starts boiling so you can press start once you see bubbles.
Step 3: Add peanut butter and vanilla. Remove from heat immediately and stir in peanut butter and vanilla extract until completely melted and smooth.
Step 4: Fold in oats. Add quick-cooking oats and stir until evenly coated.
Step 5: Drop onto parchment. Use a cookie scoop or two spoons to drop spoonfuls onto wax paper or parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Step 6: Let the cookies set. Allow the cookies to cool, then set at room temperature for 20–30 minutes until firm. Don’t refrigerate during this time.
Recipe FAQs
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 days or in the fridge for a week once fully set. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Enjoy frozen, chilled, or at room temperature.
Since they are never baked in an oven, they don’t develop a crispy exterior. The stovetop cooking and room-temperature setting keep them soft and chewy.
Not necessarily. They can be stored at room temperature, but refrigeration keeps them firmer, especially in warm weather.
Recommended No-Bake Recipes
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Summer
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below! I love hearing from you and your comments make my day!
Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups quick-cooking oats
Instructions
- Combine and boil. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, butter, milk, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Boil for exactly 1 minute. Once boiling, continue boiling for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. This timing is crucial for proper texture.
- Add peanut butter and vanilla. Remove from heat immediately and stir in peanut butter and vanilla extract until completely melted and smooth.
- Fold in oats. Add quick-cooking oats and stir until evenly coated.
- Drop onto parchment. Use a cookie scoop or two spoons to drop spoonfuls onto wax paper or parchment paper.
- Let set. Allow the cookies to cool, then set at room temperature for 20-30 minutes until firm. Don’t refrigerate during this time.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!Before You Go
I hope you enjoyed this no-bake cookie recipe. Check out our other delicious no-bake dessert recipes like this creamy Italian panna cotta or these Oreo rice krispie treats!
With the essential tremors, measurements are difficult for me. However, I was able to make this recipe with minimal mess. Thank you!
The cookies are delicious!
Hi TH! This absolutely made our day, thank you for sharing that. So happy they worked for you! Happy baking! ~gvd team
These are great no-bake cookies! I want to teach my niece how to make cookies without the oven, and she loved them! I feel like these no-bake cookies are a quintessential part of any childhood.