The BEST No Bake Cookies

Name: The BEST No Bake Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 cups sugar; 2 Tablespoons butter; 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder; ½ cup milk; ¼ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon vanilla; ¾ cup creamy peanut butter; 2 cups quick oats

Jump to Recipe

52 Comments

5 from 3 votes

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

These classic No Bake Cookies are the absolute best! You can make these chocolate peanut butter cookies on the stove top in less than 15 minutes from start to finish.

Growing up, our Mom had a few dessert staples that we all loved. One of our absolute favorites were these No Bake Cookies.

They are the perfect treat to make when you are short on time because they can be made from start to finish in less than 20 minutes.

Whenever we need a quick treat, I love making these cookies because I always have the ingredients on hand.

Ingredient Notes

Sugar
Butter
Cocoa Powder
Milk
Salt
Vanilla
Creamy Peanut Butter
Quick Oats

How to make The Best No Bake Cookies

Combine sugar, butter, cocoa and milk in a saucepan over medium heat.

Sugar, butter, cocoa and milk in a saucepan

Whisk until smooth and stir constantly over medium heat until it begins to boil.

Remove pan from heat once it begins to boil. If you let it boil over the heat for too long, your no bake cookies will be too dry.

Add creamy peanut butter and vanilla and whisk until smooth.

Peanut butter in chocolate sauce mixture

Add quick oats and mix until well combined.

NOTE: You can use old fashioned oats if you don’t have quick oats on hand, but the texture will be different. We prefer the texture and consistency of quick oats.

Drop by spoonfuls or using a cookie scoop onto foil or waxed paper. These will hold their shape, so however you let them cool is how they will look.

A cookie scooper scooping Best No Bake Cookie dough

Let cool.

Best No Bake Cookies cooling on a piece of foil

Storing and Other TIps

Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days on the counter or in the fridge.

If you are having a problem with your cookies crumbling too easily or being dry, be sure to take them off the heat earlier.

If you want rounder cookies use a cookie scoop, but growing up our mom always spooned them onto foil so it is totally a preference thing!

Other No Bake Desserts You’ll Enjoy

Serves: 24 servings

The BEST No Bake Cookies

5 from 3 votes

Chocolate peanut butter cookies that can be made on your stove top in a matter of minutes. These are the best no bake cookies!

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 0

Total Time 15

Print Pin

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
½ cup milk
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups quick oats

Instructions

Combine sugar, butter, cocoa and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Stir constantly and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, remove from heat and add the salt, vanilla and peanut butter and mix until well combined.
Add oats and mix until full incorporated.
Drop by spoonfuls or using a cookie dough scoop onto foil or waxed paper.
Let cool before eating.

Notes

You can use old fashioned oats if you don’t have quick oats on hand, but the texture will be different. We prefer the texture and consistency of quick oats.

Nutrition

Calories: 149 kcal · Carbohydrates: 23 g · Protein: 3 g · Fat: 6 g · Saturated Fat: 2 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 3 mg · Sodium: 72 mg · Potassium: 90 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 18 g · Vitamin A: 37 IU · Calcium: 13 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Equipment

Recipe Details

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Cost: $5

Author: Steph Loaiza

Join The Discussion

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Questions & Reviews

Ali says:

Hah, the alternative name cracks me up. Around here they are known as "PMS Tamers"
Sarah @ Modern Country Style says:

I'm definitely going to call them Gorilla Poops! That'll have my children in stitches!! So funny. ;-) But they sound completely delicious too. Yum!

I've signed up to follow you!

Sarahx
Liz Marie says:

I just made these thanks to you!!! I hope they turn out.. they are in the fridge cooling now :)
Jess says:

Ha, the name alone made me stop and click! These look and sound great though, easy treats are always a must!
Jill says:

What a name for them! But they do look yummy!!

Just stopped by to let you know that I featured your t-shirt beachy necklace on my round tuit post this week!
Round Tuit 61
Thanks again for linking up! Hope you have a great week!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success
Ashlie says:

LOVE all the alternative names for these cookies!!! I just had a LAUGH OUT LOUD moment and I SOOOO needed that today!! these cookies are the best and so fast and easy. THANKS for sharing :) have a great day. [email protected]
Cécilia says:

I made these yesterday and they taste great but they never turned into a cookie. Have to eat them with a spoon after scraping them off the paper. Not sure where I went wrong. Thoughts appreciated! :-)
master says:

Would love to make these but have peanut allergy. Any suggestions for a substitute?
Key Fam says:

Master: My family's recipe is the ONLY one I've ever seen that does not use PB or any kind of nut butter in no-bake cookies. Let me know if you'd like the recipe. (I personally prefer the no PB cookies over PB no-bake cookies.)
Unknown says:

Cecelia- I have the same problem. I've tried to make these numerous times with them not hardening at all. Would love some insight into this problem too.
Unknown says:

Cecelia- I have the same problem. I've tried to make these numerous times with them not hardening at all. Would love some insight into this problem too.
zookeeper18 says:

ROFL! We call them cow patties!
Lisa Lou says:

Here's what we do to make them harden: let the boiling mixture boil for one minute EXACTLY, don't use any sort of low-sugar, no-sugar, organic PB, and mix in the oats ASAP. That seems to help in our house with hardening. Humidity can play a factor as well.
beckygrider says:

Could you email me this recipe?? [email protected]
Jessica says:

I made these and they ended up pretty dry. Any idea what may have cause that?
Bloggin' Bees says:

These were so easy to make and oh so yummy! :o)
isingintheshower says:

What is a "T"? As in "2 T butter or shortening" and "2 T cocoa"? Is it a teaspoon or tablespoon?
Key Fam says:

The capital "T" is a Tablespoon. If it were a lowercase "t" it would be a teaspoon. :)
Lea Hollowell says:

What???? I'm supposed to wait until they are cool to eat them? lol

I have a similar recipe that uses a full stick of butter, twice as much cocoa,and 3 cups of oats. The main trick is in the timing. You MUST begin timing 1 minute as soon as it starts boiling, and immediately stir the other ingredients in after that minute. Too little- a runny mess. Too much- dry crumbly cookies.

I'll have to start calling them Gorilla Poops. My kids have always loved that I call Monkey Bread, Monkey Balls. I'm a bad mom that way.
27angels says:

my family make this cookie but instead of cocoa powder we use chocolate chips and they are put in at the same time as the peanut butter..They are known as Grandma Hanks or PMS Cookies
5
Faith Ann says:

My family calls them haystacks.
Wendy La Puma says:

These are delicious! I make a modification with mine though...I use Splenda, and only use 1 cup because otherwise it is too sweet for my husband and I, which also means I only use about a cup and a half of the oatmeal. Thanks so much for sharing! :)
Charity Furcsik says:

I would like it too! I made these with PB and they turned out great! Made them and just left out the PB and they never hardened! ?? [email protected]
Elizabeth Cline says:

I have made a recipe similar to this one, and the key to having them set up is to allow the butter/milk/sugar/cocoa mix boil for AT LEAST one min. I usually go longer just to be safe. This is what makes the sugar crystallize and become hard as it cools turning them into cookies! Hope this helps!
Elizabeth Cline says:

Let the mixture boil for 90sec or 1.5 + min before you add PB and remove from heat.
Tammy says:

Can I use old fashioned oats instead of quick uncooked oatmeal?
Angie says:

About 30 years ago my husband worked with a good friend who would rummage through his lunch. One day he found a bag of no bake cookies all melted together and asked, "what's this? Gorilla Poop?" From that day on we called no bake cookies, gorilla poop. I thought it was just our family....
Where did you hear that name?
Six Sisters says:

Our mom had a friend growing up and one day he told her that these cookies looked just like Gorilla Poop. The name stuck and since that day that is what we call them. We thought we were the only ones with that name! We've never seen gorilla poop, but maybe they are true to their name....ha ha!
Bird Girl From Goshen blog says:

This comment has been removed by the author.
Bird Girl From Goshen blog says:

I LOVE these-I just now made them and they are totally divine. I ate like five! But, mine as well turned out a bit crumbly-I ate two of them with a spoon, from a bowl. Next time I will add more of the wet ingredients, maybe that'll help.Thanks for this recipe! ;)
Christine says:

We also have been calling them "Gorilla Poops" since my son (at 3 or 4 years old) said "These look like big, fat gorilla poops"! He just turned 30. Before that we called them "No-Bake Cookies", boring! Funny how one name can stick from so many different families.
MicheleAnn says:

Just took these out of the pan and there were perfect. My husband prefers them a little dry so cooking at a rolling boil for two minutes produced just the right consistency. Thanks for the recipe!
Sherry W. says:

Love this recipe! Thought I would comment since I have made them 15 or 20 times since discovering them. Our kids and my picky husband are always asking me to make them. Quick, easy and so far bullet proof to mess up. Thanks for a great recipe. They are wonderful for a quick treat and to take camping.
Kathleen says:

I would love to have the recipe for the no-bake cookies but with out the peanut butter. I use to make these all the time when I was in elementary school before my peanut allergy !
Mollie says:

Me too, please! [email protected]
Paula Eckman says:

I learned to make them 37 years ago in Home Ec class and they were always a big hit with everyone at Christmas. Always had to make my favorite uncle his own to take home. Only difference is that I add raisins to them.
Trom says:

I agree with you. The part about mixing it in a pan is not clear at all unless you have made these before. Someone could just mix it in a pan and not realize you had to actually boil not just melt the butter. Thanks for your reply.
Cyd says:

I've gone to the post and updated the directions. Sorry about that, it is now more descriptive. Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you like the cookies!
Meaghan says:

I have made these several times, they are GREAT! super easy and sooo good!
Emily says:

I've been making these for years, but have always used coconut instead of peanut butter. They're to-die-for. Try it! (:
Olivia Rowe says:

I use a candy thermometer and heat it up to 250° then just use my cookie scoop to get them out and press them down so they evenly cool
Sarahsnana says:

I read all the comments about needing to boil the mixture for one minute, a roiling boil. A comment from (I assume) the OP said she had gone back to the recipe and made changes to make it include the one minute boil and easier to understand. Unfortunately, I just looked at the recipe and it doesn't say anything about boiling for a full minute. Could this be corrected?
Jeana says:

That's what my husband's family calls them! We've been married 20 years and I still can't get myself to call them that. Haha!
lisa breeden says:

Will this recipe turn out all right if you leave the cocoa out. my husband wants a no bake peanut butter cookie. no chocolate
Cyd says:

This recipe might be better. Just leave the chocolate drizzle off of the top. https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/no-bake-peanut-butter-chex-bars/
Zoe says:

They give these hints on their YT channel
Tonia Buhrig says:

Yep! Just leave the cocoa out. They turn out great. We do it both ways at our house.
Dee says:

I have made these cookies since I was in Jr. High, more than 50 years. I add all kinds of "extras". Coconut, can't forget the M&M's and even a few nuts if you want. If you like it try it. They are the best!
Laura says:

I just made these cookies. They are very good but I have one problem. They are way too sweet for everyone in the family. I Have a couple of sweet tooth kids and it was even too sweet for them. Instead of 2 cups of sugar can I cut back on that? Will the cookies still come out OK?
Lynette says:

Add dark cocoa to enrich the chocolate flavor. I do 1/2 dark and 1/2 regular. All dark makes it too dry.
Michelle says:

I would love the no peanut butter recipe “Key Fam “ please email? Thanks so much!
Michelle says:

Mine always turn out grainy :/ gross...