Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies! Such a great after-school (or work!) snack. They’re made with cocoa powder, peanut butter, oats, sugar, butter, and milk. Drizzle with extra peanut butter to make these peanut butter no bake cookies extra special!
Photography Credit: Cindy Rahe
No Bake Cookies will always and forever remind me of my mom, who made tons of them when my brother and I were teenagers — probably because they were super easy, could be made with pantry staples, and were perfect for that time between extracurriculars and dinner.
Plus, her no bake cookies included both cocoa and peanut butter, which is basically one of the best combinations ever.
Chocolate + Peanut Butter = Best Combo
Just like the peanut butter no bake cookies of my youth, the ones I’m sharing today are easy to make with just a few ingredients.
These no bake cookies are full of oats, and have a flavor almost like peanut butter brownies but with a texture that’s more like pecan sandies.
Quick Tip for Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
This peanut butter no bake cookie recipe is similar to the one my mom used, but with a little less sugar and a little more cocoa. I suggest using your favorite brands of cocoa and peanut butter in these – these ingredients give the most flavor to these peanut butter no bake cookies, so using something you like will make the difference!
Lastly, because I can’t help myself, I drizzle these cookies with some extra peanut butter at the end, making these peanut butter no bake cookies extra delicious.
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Make These Cookies Dairy-Free
- Use margarine instead of butter.
- Use coconut oil instead of butter.
- Use the non-dairy milk of your choice.
Other Swaps for No-Bakes
- Use quick oats instead of rolled (old-fashioned) oats. The texture will be a little different, but the shape of the cookies will be the same. Do not use instant oatmeal.
- Swap crunchy peanut butter for creamy.
- Swap almond butter for peanut butter.
- Use natural peanut butter, well-stirred, instead of regular peanut butter. Depending on the brand you use, the finished cookies may be stiffer, or spread more.
Storing & Freezing No Bake Cookies
- At room temperature, the cookies will keep about a week.
- Refrigerated, the cookies will keep for a month. (Refrigerating helps the optional peanut butter drizzle stay firm.)
- To freeze the cookies, first let them chill in the refrigerator until firm. Well wrapped in plastic, the cookies will keep in an airtight container in the freezer up to 3 months.
More Peanut Butter Treats!
No Bake Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
Method
1 Line a baking sheet with parchment and set to the side.
2 Make and mix the cookie base: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, butter, milk, and cocoa powder. Cook until the sugar and butter are melted, stirring to combine.
Bring the mixture to a boil, and then continue to boil for 1 minute.
Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl and stir in the peanut butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the rolled oats.
3 Scoop the cookies: Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop and place the cookie dough on the lined parchment baking sheet. If you don’t have a cookie scoop, use a tablespoon measure and scoop well-mounded tablespoons of dough for each cookie.
You can either leave them the shape of the scoop or shape them by gently rolling and flattening between your palms.
4 Make the peanut butter drizzle (optional): If you’d like to add the peanut butter drizzle, melt the peanut butter and coconut oil together in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir to combine, then drizzle over the cookies using a spoon.
Skip this drizzle if you’re planning to pack up the cookies for eating on the go; the drizzle softens a little when the cookies are at room temperature, which can make them a little messy when eating on the go.
5 Refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up the cookies and set the drizzle. Transfer to an airtight container.
Cookies will keep for about a week at room temperature, or a month if refrigerated. If you added the peanut butter drizzle, keep refrigerated so the drizzle stays firm.
