These delicious and dangerously easy chocolate no bake cookies are sure to become a new family favorite.
Peanut Butter Chocolate No Bakes
Six ingredients
Super easy to make
Ultra fudgy and delicious
Loved by kids and adults
There’s no need for an oven, and the entire recipe can be made in just about five minutes.
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Easy Chocolate No Bake Cookies
These chewy chocolate cookies are crazy popular, and for very good reason!
When I was growing up, we always made a batch or two for Christmas, along with these Snowball Cookies, which I also highly recommend.
You’ll often find them at school bake sales or church potlucks; and they go by many names including chocolate oaties, cow pies or patties, preacher cookies, chocolate oatmeal cookies, poodgies, peanut butter delights, and chocolate no bakes.
Chances are, your family has their own version of the classic recipe. (If so, what do you call them?)
Also Try These: Almond Butter Brownies
It’s no secret why these cookies are so popular.
They combine the best two flavors in the history of all desserts: peanut butter and chocolate.
And the fact that they’re so quick whip up makes this recipe great to have on hand any time you’re craving chocolate or need a last-minute dessert to bring to a party.
The original recipe–at least the one I grew up with–calls for a full two cups of sugar! That’s insane – there’s absolutely no need for that much sugar. I cut it down to just half a cup in my recipe, and they are still plenty sweet.
Above – watch the video how to make the chocolate no bake cookies!
Impossible to stop at just one.
If you watch the video, you’ll notice the batch looks rather small. I’ll often do a half batch if I’m making them for myself, because having the full batch around would be too dangerous!
For the best chocolate no bake cookies, they are also really delicious frozen.
Just pop one out of the freezer any time you need some chocolate!
How To Make Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies
Gather your ingredients: oats, cocoa powder, peanut butter, salt, butter or oil (or more peanut butter), and sweetener of choice.
Warm the liquid ingredients until they’re easily stir-able. You can even do this in a pot on the stove if you want to make the entire recipe in one pot.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Chill until firm enough to form into balls or cookie shapes with your hands or a cookie scoop, then place on a wax or parchment-lined plate and chill to set.
Rolled Oats or Quick Oats?
You can use either! I used old fashioned oats when I made the healthy no bake cookies for the video and quick oats for the cookies in the first photo. (I’ve made these a lottttt!) The version with rolled oats will have a chewier texture, so it just depends on your own personal preference.
Leftover oats? Make your own Oat Milk – Here’s Everything You Need To Know.
No Bake Cookie Flavors / Add-In Ideas
Feel free to stir in a handful of chia seeds, flax seeds, raisins, dried fruit, hemp seeds, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, or sugar free chocolate chips.
If you want to make them without peanut butter, you can also substitute almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower butter, or even coconut butter.
And for sweetener, you can use pretty much anything – brown sugar, unrefined sugar, pure maple syrup, honey, agave, xylitol (for sugar free no bakes), etc. Use a liquid sweetener for no bake cookies without milk.
Are They Vegan? Gluten free? Keto?
For vegan chocolate no bake cookies, I’ve included the option to use coconut oil instead of butter. Vegan butter also works, as does simply adding extra peanut butter and omitting the butter entirely. They’re not keto, but I linked to a keto no bake option in the recipe below if you need one. And the cookies can be suitable for gluten free diets, as they have no flour. If you want to ensure no cross-contamination with wheat ingredients, just use Certified Gluten Free Oats.
Can You Bake Them?
I haven’t tried it. If anyone tries before I do, be sure to report back!
The recipe was adapted from these Healthy Butterfingers.
Chocolate No Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 cups quick oats (For keto no-bakes, try these Fat Bombs)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup peanut butter or allergy-friendly sub
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave (or 2/3 cup sugar and 1/2 cup milk of choice)
- 1/4 cup butter or coconut oil
- optional 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- optional handful mini chocolate chips, shredded coconut, etc.
Instructions
- Warm the liquid ingredients until easily stir-able. (Feel free to do this in a pot on the stove if you want to make the entire recipe in one pot. Turn off the heat once liquid ingredients are softened.) Stir in remaining ingredients. Chill until firm enough to form into balls or cookie shapes with your hands or a cookie scoop, then place on a wax or parchment-lined plate and chill again to set. I like to refrigerate or freeze leftovers, but they can also be left out in a cool place.View Nutrition Facts
Notes
Have you made this recipe?
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More Healthy Chocolate Recipes:
Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Banana Ice Cream – TEN Different Ways!
D says
These were great! I was able to throw in some Amazing Grass greens powder to hide veggies from the kids too!
Melinda Muyargas says
These were quick and yummy! I couldn’t help but have some before they were even chilled.
Michel says
Loved these so much! I was craving something sweet and was able to whip these up in 10 mins.
CCK Media Team says
Thank you so much for trying them 🙂
Kimberly says
These are fantastic! Thank you! I quartered the recipe so I don’t eat as many! And honestly, it might even be a good enough food for breakfast since it’s not loaded with sugar and it has oatmeal!! Thanks!
CCK Media Team says
Thank you so much for making them!
Anne-Marie says
Hi Katie,
Is the nut butter considered a liquid? Should I melt that down along with the vanilla, butter, and other liquid ingredients? By the way, I am trying pumpkin seed butter! Thanks!
CCK Media Team says
Hi, yes it is!
Mary says
Again this recipe does not disappoint….super amazing and so quick to make…..I’ve been ordered to make them again!
Mary says
These are amazing…..Will definitely make again! I use half the amount of sugar or sweetener than recipe gives and it’s more than enough….
Barbara says
I like the taste of these cookies. I don’t like how chewy the oatmeal is in the cookie. I make them exactly as given except I only use 1 Tbls of maple syrup as I’m trying not to have any sweetener, and they are plenty sweet for me. Has anyone soaked the oats in milk before making the cookies? I was thinking that may give the cookies a bit better texture, but then thought maybe the dough would get mushy.
Brenda says
These turned out wonderfully! Exactly like the no-bakes I remember from childhood. I’ll use this recipe again and again. Thanks!
KG says
How many of these no-bake cookies were used in calculating the nutrition? Due to carbs, fats and sugar counting with diabetic issues, it’s always a huge plus to know in order to stay within specific counts. Thanks so much for your help. I can hardly wait to make these…one of my life favorites!
KG says
I’m fearful that I won’t get a cookie. It’s not because anything turned out poorly; it’s that I don’t want to stay out of the mixture long enough to scoop cookies. I tasted what was left on my spatula after combining all of the ingredients. Oh, my, it is WONDERFUL!! I’ve been wanting these cookies for close to nine months and, thanks to you, I can now have them. THANK YOU IMMENSELY for your time and trouble in making this recipe and sharing it so that it works for those of us who have nutritional restrictions due to health issues!
KG says
Although both are truth, please forgive me for commenting twice. I attempted submitting this comment; however it failed to show that it had been received. Being way too good to not leave a comment, I wrote a second one. It also failed to show receipt and waiting for modification, but I’m happy it was. People should try them!
KG says
This is a FANTASTIC recipe! I can’t believe how closely they are in taste to the chock-full-of-sugar version I was accustomed to making. I can’t have sugar anymore and have wanted these cookies for many months. Thanks to you, this recipe is allowing me to make and eat them again…if I can stay out of the batter until scooping them! THANK YOU MANY, MANY TIMES!!!