No bake cookies are a timeless treat – gooey, chocolatey, and packed with chewy oats and peanut butter – and easy to whip up with no oven needed!

Old Fashioned No Bake Cookies

When I was in elementary school, the lunch ladies would occasionally serve us chocolate no bake cookies. What a treat! There’s something about those chewy, melt-in-your-mouth morsels and rich flavor that is just so satisfying. It was my favorite school lunch dessert! I wanted to find a recipe that re-created that nostalgic cookie from my childhood.

This no bake cookie recipe is the real deal. It’s adapted from a very old vintage church cookbook that my mother-in-law has in her collection. These are rich, chewy, and sweet. I originally thought about cutting back on the sugar a bit, but decided to keep these as authentic as possible. They’re cookies after all, meant to be a treat, so they should be sweet right?!

Made with just a handful of pantry staples – oats, peanut butter, cocoa powder, and a touch of nostalgia – this recipe is a breeze to whip up. No fancy equipment or baking skills required, just a stovetop and a baking sheet. In minutes, you’ll be creating a batch of chewy, chocolatey goodness that will transport you right back to your school days!

Ingredients

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1/2 cup salted butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
3 cups quick oats (NOT old fashioned oats)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2TB peanut butter

Helpful Kitchen Tools

Instructions

Add butter to saucepan and cook on medium heat until it just starts to brown.
Add sugar, cocoa powder, and milk and stir to combine. Increase heat as need to bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 90 seconds – 2 minutes.
Remove pot from heat and stir in the oats, peanut butter, salt, and vanilla.
Make 2TB scoops on your prepared baking sheet and allow cookies to set for at least 1 hour.

Prep Tips

Oats – It is important to use quick oats for this recipe. Old-fashioned oats or rolled oats do not have enough time to cook and soften, so do not use those varieties of oatmeal. Quick oats are needed because they are pre-cooked and will have that perfect soft texture for the recipe. We tried it with old-fashioned oats just to make sure, and I don’t recommend them.
Cocoa Powder – Use unsweetened cocoa powder for baking, NOT hot cocoa mix. For seasoned bakers this is probably a given, but I do get asked this question sometimes and I want to make sure to provide a clear answer just in case. No judgement here! This is a recipe that is perfect for beginners, so don’t be intimidated at all!
Peanut Butter – If allergies are a concern, you can substitute with almond butter or even sunflower seed butter.
Cooking – The cooking time is fairly specific here, kind of like candy-making where you want to boil for a certain amount of time. Don’t start the timer until your mixture reaches a true boil. After 90 seconds, remove the pan from heat right away so you don’t over cook and end up with hard cookies.
Gluten Free – This is a gluten-free recipe IF you make sure to use oats that are specifically labeled as such. While oats themselves do not contain gluten, they are sometimes produced in facilities that also handle gluten ingredients. So if cross-contamination is a concern you’ll definitely want to check labels before you get started.
Keto Variation – Yes, you can make a low carb version of no bake cookies that are actually quite delicious! Try our keto no bake cookie recipe here!
Storage – Keep your no bake oatmeal cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. You can also keep refrigerated for up to a week or freeze them for long term storage. If frozen, simply allow to thaw to room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy.

More No Bake Dessert Recipes To Try

No Bake Cookie Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)

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stack of chocolate oatmeal no bake cookies.

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5 from 1 vote