No Bake Cookies

I remember my Mom making these easy no-bake cookies at the holidays when I was little. But it wasn’t until I became a Mom myself that I appreciated how good and fast they are to make. They feel fancy, but come together in just minutes, which is exactly the type of timesaving treat recipe I need. I reduced the sugar in this classic drop cookies recipe and I like to change them up with various mix-ins.

Ingredients To Gather

Another plus for these chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies is that they require just a few ingredients. And the ingredients required are all easy-to-find pantry staples. 

• Creamy peanut butter – any brand of creamy peanut butter will work. I used Jif Natural creamy peanut butter when testing. While I prefer creamy natural peanut butter since it melts nicely, crunchy peanut butter works too, and adds a nice texture element. For a hazelnut flavor, try nutella. For a peanut butter-free treat, use a different nut or seed butter, such as almond butter or sunflower seed butter. 
• Honey – most no-bake cookie recipes call for cane sugar, but I like to make most treats with a more natural, less processed sweetener, like honey. I use pure honey in this recipe and cut back on the amount. I think they’re perfectly sweet, even with the reduced amount of added sugar. Maple syrup or regular cane sugar also can be used. 
• Oats – for this recipe, use quick-cook oats (not old fashioned rolled oats), which make the right chewy texture and are easier to eat than old fashioned oats in the finished cookies. In addition to being naturally gluten free, oats introduce more nutrients to this recipe, including beta glucan fiber, B vitamins, a lot of manganese, and moderate amounts of other minerals, like potassium and calcium. 
• Butter – I use unsalted stick butter, but for a dairy-free option, use solid coconut oil or plant-based butter (like margarine). This addition of some saturated fat is what helps these cookies stay soft and prevents the sweetener from crystalizing as it cools and hardens.  
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – this standard baking ingredient adds the iconic chocolate flavor and dark rich color to these drop cookies. 

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Prepping No-Bake Cookie Batter

This is such an easy recipe to make and comes together in two simple steps, as shown in the photo tutorial above. 

1. Heat the chocolate peanut butter mixture. In a medium saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop, combine the  peanut butter, honey, butter, and salt. After the mixture is very hot, melted, and almost simmering (a near boiling time of about 1 minute), remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the cocoa powder. Then, add the oats, mini chocolate chips, and any optional mix-ins, stirring until the chocolate chips are melted. 
2. Drop mounds onto a baking sheet. Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop 2-tablespoon portions of the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using hands, flatten and shape each mound until a round cookie shape. Then, chill the cookies in the refrigerator or freezer until hardened. While these cookies hold up best when chilled, the first time I tested this new recipe, I set one out on my counter and let it come to room temperature. I was pleasantly surprised with how well it held together. 

For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.

Chill and Enjoy!

Once these no-bake cookies have chilled for 15 minutes or longer, they’re the right consistency to be enjoyed. Personally, I love one with a cup of coffee or tea in the early afternoon. 

For the holidays, I add them to a tray with other festive family favorite cookies, like Snickerdoodles and sugar cookie cut-outs.  

Store Cookies In The Fridge

Once they’ve chilled (which can be done in either the fridge or freezer), I package the cookies into an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. They also can be frozen in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months. To enjoy, I let one thaw at room temperature for a few minutes and it’s just right. 

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The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel Cook of Half Acre House.

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