No oven. One pan. Ten minutes.
Fudgy chocolate, peanut butter and oats, cooked on the stovetop.
- Prep 5 min
- Cook 5 min
- Set 20 min
- Makes 24
Easy no bake cookies come down to one thing: boiling the chocolate mixture for exactly one minute. Get that right and they set soft, fudgy and chewy every time.
Seven pantry ingredients and a pinch of salt. Ten minutes at the stove.
Set a timer. Guessing is how good no bake cookies go wrong.
The secretOne minute makes the cookie
The one-minute boil
Long enough to set the cookies, short enough to keep them soft.
Quick oats
They soak up the chocolate fast, so the cookies hold together.
Pantry ingredients
Nothing to shop for specially.
No oven
Good for hot days, and for kids helping out.
In the panSeven pantry staples
- ButterSalted or unsalted. It carries the flavor.
- SugarPlain granulated. It is what makes the cookies set.
- MilkWhole milk gives the fudgiest texture.
- Cocoa powderUnsweetened. Sift it if it is lumpy.
- Peanut butterRegular creamy. Natural, oily peanut butter can stop them setting.
- Quick oatsNot old-fashioned, and not steel-cut.
- VanillaAn alcohol-free vanilla flavoring keeps the cookies alcohol-free.
Handy helpersTools worth having
A roomy saucepan matters, because the mixture bubbles up as it boils.
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Easy No Bake Cookies
Chocolate, peanut butter and oats in ten minutes.
- Prep 5 min
- Cook 5 min
- Set 20 to 30 min
- Makes about 2412
Ingredients
Method
- Get ready first. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Measure the peanut butter, vanilla and oats so they are ready to go in.
- Melt. In a saucepan over medium heat, stir the butter, sugar, milk and cocoa until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
- Boil for 1 minute. Bring it to a full rolling boil, with bubbles across the whole surface. Start a timer and boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring the whole time.
- Stir in the rest. Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla and salt until smooth, then stir in the oats.
- Scoop quickly. Drop heaping tablespoons onto the parchment. Work fast, because the mixture thickens as it cools.
- Let them set. Leave at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, until firm.
Tools used
3-quart saucepan • 1.5 Tbsp cookie scoop • Pre-cut parchment sheets • Silicone spatula set
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Cookie rescueWhen a batch misbehaves
Make it yoursFour easy twists
- Nut-free: use sunflower seed butter in place of peanut butter.
- Coconut: swap ½ cup of the oats for shredded coconut.
- Chunky: use crunchy peanut butter.
- Chewier: use old-fashioned oats, pulsed a few times in a food processor.
Keep them freshCounter, fridge or freezer
For laterSave this recipe
Pin it to your no-bake dessert board.
Good to knowYour questions, answered
Why are my no bake cookies not hardening?
The mixture did not boil long enough. It needs a full minute at a rolling boil, timed from when bubbles cover the whole surface. Very humid weather can also slow the set.How long do you boil no bake cookies?
Exactly 1 minute from a full rolling boil. Less and they stay sticky. More and they turn dry and crumbly.Can old-fashioned oats be used instead of quick oats?
Yes, but the cookies will be looser and chewier. For the best result, pulse old-fashioned oats a few times in a food processor first.Why are my no bake cookies dry and crumbly?
They were boiled too long, so too much liquid cooked off. Use a timer rather than counting.Can no bake cookies be made without peanut butter?
Yes. Use the same amount of sunflower seed butter, almond butter or cookie butter. Leaving it out completely makes the cookies too soft.How should no bake cookies be stored?
In an airtight container with parchment between layers. They keep 5 days on the counter or 2 weeks in the fridge.Keep goingMore no-bake treats
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