No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies are an old-timey favorite and one of the easiest and most delicious cookies you’ll ever make. I think pretty much everyone has had these cookies at one time or another and pretty much everyone loves them.
No oven needed for these cookies which have the most amazing texture and you likely have all the ingredients on hand. You’ll need butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, milk, quick-cooking oats, peanut butter, and vanilla extract.
Love butterfingers? Try these No-Bake Butterfinger Oatmeal Cookies.
How To Make
(More detailed instructions in recipe card below.)
- Add the butter, cocoa powder, sugar, and milk to a saucepan.
- Cook the chocolate mixture. Bring mixture to a rolling boil and then boil for 90 seconds. Set a timer and keep track because the cookies might not set up right if you boil the mixture too long or not long enough.
- Add remaining ingredients. Remove from heat and stir in oats, peanut butter, and vanilla.
- Form Cookies. Drop mixture by spoonfuls onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Let cool. Let cool for 30 minutes to set up.
Then remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients. So simple!
In less than 10 minutes you can have the ingredients measured, the batter mixed together and shaped into cookies. These No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies do need a little while to set, but you won’t have to wait long. They should only take about 30 minutes to set up. If they are still too wet at this point, try sticking them in the fridge.
This recipe makes a pretty large batch of cookies- about 24 cookies. They are dense and filling cookies so they will go a long way. That being said, it is hard to not go back for another. 🙂
★★★★★
What readers are saying
Tastes like my childhood! My mom always popped them into the fridge for a really amazing treat. Try them on the counter but also can put some in the fridge! It’ll blow your mind.
Amazing recipe thank you for sharing! My kids adored these, and it brought me closer to my Mom and memories. This was the cookie my mom made every weekend in the summer.
Why Did My Cookies Not Set Up?
It’s very important to boil the chocolate mixture for the right amount of time.
- If you don’t boil it long enough, the cookies won’t set up.
- If you boil it too long, the cookies will be dry and crumbly.
Storage
These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days.
More No-Bake Sweet Treats
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- No-Bake Butterfinger Oatmeal Cookies
- No-Bake Butterfinger Oreo Icebox Cake
- No-Bake Oreo Pie
- No-Bake Butterscotch Pie
- Millionaire Pie
Watch the video below to see how to make these easy cookies!
No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces so it meltes faster
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 cups quick-cooking oats
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa powder, sugar, and milk,
- Stir well and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 90 seconds, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the oats, peanut butter, and vanilla.
- Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets lined with wax paper or parchment paper. Let cool to set.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Source: Bless Your Heart
Originally published February 27, 2018.
Try using Amish butter you will never use anything else after that : ) yummy for any tummy !!!
Family favorite. Our recipe is similar. We didn’t add peanut butter. Cocoa was 4 Tbsp.. Oats were 3 1/2 cups. Rest was the same.
Thk you for the comment. Been trying to figure out how to do them without the PB
I have found that the quick oats blends into the chocolate mixture in smaller pieces; the Old Fashioned oats are flakier, with more defined oatmeal taste. It’s mainly a matter of preference, as both taste great.
I switched to almond butter, dark cocoa powder, and raw sugar. My cookies taste great and firmed up a bit soft, stuck to the wax paper, and were sticky to the touch when handled (so much you have to lick your fingers clean after eating one). I’d like them to firm up a bit more. Has anyone else addressed this (with a little flour, xanthan gum or something else) to make the cookies firmer and not sticky?
Cook the liquid a bit longer. Do a candy test: When a drop of hot liquid dripped into a glass of water rolls into a firm round ball, it’s done. Then add oats, PB, vanilla & spoon out.
As a side note, I’ve found that most confections don’t set well if they are in a damp area or are cooled too fast (makes them sweat).
Does it matter if you use quick oats or long old fashion cooking oats?
I’ve used both but the ones I’ve made with old fashioned oats don’t set right for me.
I’m sure my mom used regular oatmeal cause that did not have quick oats back then??
Can I use regular oatmeal instead of quick cooking oats?
Yes you can, in fact I refuse to use quick cooking oats. I use regular oats as I like the texture better.
I also like the tip about cooking for only 90 seconds, I have regularly over cooked mine and they tend to firm up in the pan. Not bad if you like cookie “bites”, but that is not how I like to enjoy them.
How about sucralose instead of sugar ? Is it still doable ?
I have not tried it with sucralose. Let us know if you give it a try.
Curious to know how the cookies turned out using the sucralose?
This is almost exactly our “family” recipe, except we swap milk for water. It’s a lovely chocolate punch in the teeth and it’s perfect for a small indulgent treat (trust me you don’t need more than one!). Thanks for the recipe, the measurements are perfect!
I’ve been making these for almost twenty years (and I still lose the recipe every time), but this time I swapped the butter for a “Light” stick butter I found last shopping trip. Still works and tastes great!
Do I have to use peanut butter in this recipe? Will it change the texture or ruin anything?
The ones I make are nearly identical and without peanut butter, so it’ll be fine. Did you try it?
My favorite variation has no peanut butter, includes a generous pinch of sea salt to the pot at the beginning, and swaps special dark chocolate cocoa powder for the regular kind. I also use less vanilla, only 0.5 tsp, and also boil mine for at least 2 minutes. They keep well in the freezer.
I have made these cookies since 1975 & without peanut butter as I am allergic. This cookie is very nostalgic since I am now 54.