No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Sweet, simple no-bake cookies with a chocolatey, peanut-buttery flavor made with oatmeal, sugar, cocoa, and peanut butter. Perfect for kids in the kitchen!
Sweet, simple no-bake cookies with a chocolatey, peanut-buttery flavor made with oatmeal, sugar, cocoa, and peanut butter. Perfect for kids in the kitchen!
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1-stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk (whole milk will also work)
- 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (i use ghirardellis unsweetened cocoa)
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
- 3 cups quick rolled oats uncooked
- Carbohydrate 14.1831520833333 g
- Cholesterol 7.25611111111111 mg
- Fat 3.78362347222222 g
- Fiber 1.25746531539493 g
- Protein 1.56548527777778 g
- Saturated Fat 1.98755319444444 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (23g)
- Sodium 7.06348611111111 mg
- Sugar 12.9256867679384 g
- Trans Fat 0.284488597222222 g
- Calories 92 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large saucepan set over medium heat, combine sugar, butter, evaporated milk, cocoa, and salt.
- Heat, stirring frequently until boiling.
- Cover saucepan for 30 seconds to allow steam to wash sugar crystals down sides of pan.
- Uncover saucepan and continue to boil while stirring continuously for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.
- Add quick oats and mix until well combined.
- Let mixture stand for 1 to 2 minutes to allow oats to absorb some of the liquid.
- Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper, parchment or silicon baking sheets and allow to cool completely.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
- (You can also pour this mixture into a 9-inch square pan that has been greased with unsalted butter, let cool, then cut into squares.)
Granulated sugar performs the heavy structural work in traditional stove-top drop cookies, transforming from a dissolved crystal matrix into a firm binder as moisture evaporates. Originating in mid-century American households as a resourceful way to produce confectionery treats without turning on a thermal oven, these drop sweets rely entirely on precise sugar cooking chemistry rather than leavening agents. Controlling the boil duration ensures the final texture strikes a balance between fudge-like smoothness and structural integrity.
- Start counting the exact one to one-and-a-half-minute boiling window only after the saucepan achieves a vigorous, rolling boil rather than a lazy simmer.
- Cover the saucepan for the first thirty seconds of heating to generate steam that dissolves stray sugar crystals clinging to the sides, preventing grainy crystallization in the finished batch.
- Allow the hot mixture to rest for precisely one to two minutes off the heat after stirring in the oats so the grains can absorb excess moisture before spooning.
- Drop the warm batter onto parchment paper, wax paper, or a silicone baking mat using rounded tablespoonfuls for uniform cooling dimensions.
- Store the cooled confections in an airtight container at standard room temperature to maintain their optimal chewiness over several days.
Judging doneness relies entirely on visual observation of the bubbling liquid and accurate timing rather than relying on a digital probe. Undercooking the sugar mixture yields a loose, soupy batter that fails to set, while overcooking evaporates too much moisture and produces dry, crumbly results.
