No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies are filled with crunchy oats, creamy peanut butter and satisfying sweetness. You don’t even need to turn on the oven to make these easy homemade cookies.
Looking for a different flavor of no bake cookie? These No-Bake Oatmeal Scotchies are another reader favorite! OR give our avalanche cookies a try.
What are No Bake Cookies
No Bake Cookies are cookies that don’t require any baking in the oven.
They’re made with a combination of ingredients that stick together and hold their shape, without the traditional flour and egg in most baked cookies.
Today’s recipe is a classic No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie, one of the most popular no-bake cookie varieties.
- Delicious chocolate-peanut butter flavor
- Chewy oatmeal cookie texture
- No oven required
If you’re looking for the perfect recipe to make with your kids, give these cookies a shot! It comes together easily and doesn’t involve the hazard of a hot oven, making it a stress-free option for families to make together.
Enjoy these chocolate oatmeal cookies with a big glass of milk. Or be like me and pour yourself a fresh cup of coffee! A cup of our pumpkin cream cold brew coffee would be delicious!
Ingredient Notes
- Cocoa powder – This is the prominent flavor of these chocolate oatmeal no-bakes, so we recommend a good quality brand here.
- Peanut butter – The sticky nut butter holds the ingredients together so the cookies keep their shape. We recommend creamy peanut butter over crunchy for no bake cookies.
- Quick oats – These are a more finely chopped version of rolled oats. The finer texture allows them to absorb more of the liquid in this recipe and makes the cookies soft and chewy.
- Unsalted Butter – You’ll melt this with milk, sugar and the cocoa powder to give the cookies their richness and moisture. Salted butter can also be used, just don’t skip the added salt called for in the recipe.
Easy Instructions
- First, have all your ingredients measured and ready. This comes to a boil quickly, and sets up quickly. Also, lay out your parchment paper on your counter before beginning.
- Next, over medium heat, you’ll combine the sugar, cocoa, milk, and butter. You’ll bring that to a full boil. Boil for only ONE MINUTE.
- Immediately remove from heat and add in the vanilla extract, salt, peanut butter, and oats. Stir until combined.
- Working quickly, drop by large tablespoon onto your parchment paper (I use two spoons). Allow to set, about 20 minutes. Try to not EAT it all as it sets, haha!
- Store in airtight container at room temperature. ENJOY.
PRO TIP: You can even make No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies without the chocolate. They’re quite tasty, especially if you toss in the Reese’s Pieces!
Tips and Tricks
- Enjoy chilled: Store your no bake cookies in the fridge for a refreshing chocolate treat on a hot summer day. We love the flavor even more when they’re cold.
- Storing: You can also store these cookies at room temperature! They keep well at room temperature for about 5 days or up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Mine never last that long because we eat them within a day or two!
- Do not overboil. Set a timer and keep it to one minute. Over cooking the sugars results in crumbly cookies.
Recipe FAQs
Rolled oats can be used but the consistency of the cookies will not be the same. Because the oat grains are larger, they do not absorb the liquid as well and will not be as soft and chewy.
If your no bake cookies are consistently falling apart, you may be overboiling the sugar, milk and butter mixture. Over cooked sugar turns no bake cookies into a crumbly mess.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, under cooking your butter and sugar will cause the cookies to have too much liquid. Similar to making chocolate peanut butter fudge, the temperature has to be just right for perfect cookie texture!
We have made this recipe with both natural peanut butter (the kind you have to stir) and regular peanut butter like Jif and Skippy. It works well with both kinds, so feel free to use whatever you have.
More Cookie Recipes
- Twix Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Lemon Butter Cookies
- Soft Molasses Cookies
- Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Easy Dessert Recipes
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No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ΒΌ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Β½ cup milk
- Β½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- Β½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 cups quick cook oats
Instructions
- Over medium heat, cook sugar, cocoa, milk and butter. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute.
- Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, salt, peanut butter, and oats. Stir until combined.
- Drop by tablespoon on parchment paper and cool. Allow to set about 20 minutes.
Notes
- Enjoy chilled: Store your no bake cookies in the fridge for a refreshing chocolate treat on a hot summer day. We love the flavor even more when they’re cold.
- Storing: You can also store these cookies at room temperature! They keep well at room temperature for about 5 days or up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Mine never last that long because we eat them within a day or two!
- Do not overboil. Set a timer and keep it to one minute. Over cooking the sugars results in crumbly cookies.
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Video
Nutrition
No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies are the perfect summer dessert recipe. Whip up a batch in minutes!
Very delicious ππ½ππ½ππ½
These are my oldest grandsons favorite! I always ask each what they want to see on the table for holidays and big family gatherings. Without a pause or breath he shoots back Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies, Honey!
The whole family enjoys them of course, but he knows I make them for him.
I always make mine with 1/4 of peanut butter and 1/4 cup of fluff instead of just 1/2 of peanut butter. This way I get a creamier cookie.
I’ve been making these for me and my family for 50years . But of all the comments nobody’s mentioned the best part , that’s when you’re spooning out the individual cookies save just about 2 or 3. Or 4 spoonfuls on a paper plate , get a big glass of ice cold milk sit back and enjoy.
Would Almond butter work as a replacement for peanut butter? For my daughter whoβs allergic to peanut butter?
Yes absolutely.
Just made them. Looking good so far. Taste great π
Can gluten free oatmeal be used..
My son is celiac and can’t use oatmeal so I use flaked coconut, unsweetened.
But if you don’t have the vanilla extract
Im 69 and have been making these since I was 10. My best friends sister taught me how and she was 10 years older.We called them CACA Cookies because of the way they looked on the wax paper.My family love the. I can never show up to a party without them lol..I do use crunchy peanut butter instead though. There the best !
Made these tonight found them far too sweet next time less sugar otherwise YUM π
I agree. I made them last year and found that they were a bit too sweet. Making them again this year with about 25% less sugar.
I make them with 1 cup of sugar and they are perfect
Just made them .Thanks
Made as listed and added mini m&mβs at the last. They turned out great. Yummy and colorful.
Back when the cafeteria lunch ladies actually made good food for children. How I wish we could have that again for our children today!
My grandmother used 1/4 cup of butter and 1/4 of shortening. think it makes a better texture.
I made these exactly as recipe called for and they turned out perfect! Boiling for 1 minute is key. Delicious!
Your so correct with the boil for exactly 1 min is the the key to make or break these amazing cookies.
I made this no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies with 6 cups of finely crumbled up brownies that had good flavor, but they didn’t hold together. So rather than throw it out, I figured I’d combine it with your recipe to see how they turn out. I had to make a double batch of your no bake chocolate oatmeal cookie recipe in order to incorporate it with my crumble brownie mix. I fell short 1 and 1/2 cups of oatmeal for a double batch, but I think it will work. I might add some chopped walnuts. Could these cookies be baked even though it says no bake?
I don’t think you can bake them. That said, I would take the 6 cups of brownies and add it to fudge, or freeze it and top ice cream with it π
OMG YES!!
I haven’t made these in years but saw you making them in Instagram this week, so I had to make them! Your recipe is delicious, they are just like I remember them!!
Aw thanks girl π
Why do people feel the need to completely try to change a recipe? No you canβt bake them. Did you even read the full recipe? You screwed up brownies and you are trying to screw this one up too!
These were sold in the cafeteria of my elementary school. 1968-ish. We would dig thru couches for 10Β’ to buy one. ?