No-Bake Chocolate Cookies

The fastest cookies that can be made are my mom’s No-Bake Chocolate Cookies.

With texture from quick oats, color from the cocoa and flavor from the peanut butter these cookies are classic and delicious.

Fast Cookie Recipe

My mom makes a batch of these cookies multiple times a month. This no bake chocolate oatmeal cookie is the first recipe that she taught each of my kids to make!

Heat 7 ingredients on the stove, boil for 1 minute and drop the cookies onto waxed paper or a baking sheet.

One batch of 2 dozen cookies can be made in 15 to 20 minutes making this the fastest cookie recipe we have!

I committed to make four dozen cookies for a teacher appreciation event and had these ready in 30 minutes. This is a great way to make cookies for a bake sale or holiday cookie event.

This no-bake cookie recipe is so much cheaper than purchasing cookie dough or bakery cookies. People love it because like Cornflake Cookies and Monster Cookies, this is a classic dessert that most of us enjoyed in our childhood.

Things To Know About No-Bake Chocolate Cookies:

• Using a 4 teaspoon cookie scoop makes 28 cookies.
• Cookies take about 15 minutes to harden or set up. Putting a baking sheet with a non-stick liner in the refrigerator will speed up the process.
• A double batch of no-bake cookies can be made in a large, deep skillet.
• My kids love helping with this recipe and it’s the first one they have memorized and learn to make on their own!

These cookies have similar flavors to our Buckeye Bars and pair well with Almond Bark Cookies and Cherry Chocolate Candy since there’s more of a variety of flavors.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Butter – My mom’s original recipe out of a community cookbook calls for Oleo 🙂
• Granulated Sugar – Really sweetens everything up.
• Milk – We keep 2% on hand, but any type of cows milk works fine.
• Cocoa – Unsweetened cocoa powder, we typically use the store brand as the cocoa blends with several flavors in these cookies.
• Peanut Butter – Creamy is easier to work with, but crunchy could work in a pinch.
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract will enhance all of the other flavors.
• Quick Oats – Or minute oats work best, avoid rolled or old-fashioned oats.

Step By Step Instructions

Partially or mostly melt butter in a medium sized sauce pan over medium high heat.

Then add milk, granulated sugar and cocoa.

Stir well and monitor to watch for the mixture beginning to boil.

Stir every minute or so until it starts to boil. Then stir continuously until the sugar based mixture boils for one minute.

Remove from the heat and add in peanut butter, quick oats and vanilla.

Stir well and drop onto a waxed paper lined sheet or on waxed paper on the counter top.

Keep moving at a steady pace so the cookies will set up on your cookie sheet instead of in the pan.

Once the no-bake chocolate cookies are set-up and no longer tacky, store in an airtight container or self-sealing bag.

Time Saving Tips

• Set pan on the stove and turn on medium heat while you prep other ingredients or wrap up other tasks.
• Use a pan that is easy to reach in and scoop out the cookies – if the sides are too high it is easier to get burnt.
• Measure out the butter, milk, sugar and cocoa. While this mixture is heating up line the baking sheet with non-stick liners, waxed paper or parchment paper. Use this time to measure out oats, peanut butter and vanilla.
• Spray the tablespoon with nonstick cooking spray to help the peanut butter slide out more easily.

Big Batch of No-Bake Chocolate Cookies For A Crowd

This recipe freezes really well making it perfect to prep ahead of time for graduation parties, weddings or any other celebration.

We use a large skillet with tall sides to make a double batch. It doesn’t take much longer to make multiple batches in a medium sized sauce pan that we allow to cool slightly and rinse with hot water in between batches.

More Popular No-Bake Desserts

Oreo Peanut Butter Pie – Layers a creamy peanut butter mixture inside an Oreo crust.

Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough and my friend Kelsey’s Monster Cookie Dough Hummus are both desserts that are high in protein to balance out the sweet flavor.

Oreo Dirt Cake is our most popular no-bake creation that’s as classic as these cookies!