No Bakes

This classic No Bake Cookies recipe is a nostalgic childhood favorite! Made with peanut butter, chocolate, and oats, these chewy no bakes come together in just a few minutes, no oven required.  No bakes are a quick and easy treat for any time of year! 

Everyone has childhood memories of classic no bake cookies, right?? I can remember making no bakes as a kid. In fact, I think it was no bakes was one of the first I ever learned to make! Many years later and I still love the delicious combination of fudgy chocolate, creamy peanut butter, and soft oats. 

Yup, still a kid at a heart. 

One of the best parts about making no bakes is how easy they are. You can have a batch made and cooling in about 15 minutes flat. Plus, no need to turn on the oven! I mean, honestly, could a cookie recipe get much easier than this? 

Making no bakes, also known as preacher cookies, is a great option for when you’re short on time or as a summer dessert recipe when it’s too hot to turn the oven on. It’s also really fun to make with kids (especially older kids, since you do have to move quickly). Whatever your excuse, these cookies won’t disappoint. 

Why do they call them preacher cookies?

Classic no bake cookies are also known as preacher cookies. The reason being is that if the preacher made a house visit unexpectedly no bakes were something a housewife could quickly whip with just a few pantry staple ingredients on hand and they were ready in a jiffy.

So quick, simple dessert ready for those unexpected guests – like your preacher!

Ingredients Needed

• Granulated Sugar – Just regular white sugar here, nothing special. 
• Milk – The recipe should work equally well with 1%, 2%, or whole milk. 
• Unsalted butter – You will be adding salt later, so use unsalted here. 
• Cocoa powder – Use unsweetened, natural cocoa powder (not dutch-processed). 
• Quick oats – Also called instant oats. If you use Old fashioned rolled oats it will give them a different texture. I prefer quick oats. You could also put old fashioned oats in a food processor to turn them into quick oats.
• Peanut butter – Smooth/creamy peanut butter adds delicious flavor and texture. 
• Vanilla extract – A little goes a long way to round out the flavor of the whole cookie. 
• Salt – Use just a bit of table salt to balance the sweetness of the sugar. 

How to Make No Bakes – Step by Step

Prep the pan. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. Definitely do this before making the dough. 

Boil the wet ingredients. Bring the sugar, milk, butter and cocoa powder to a boil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Let boil at a rolling boil for 60 seconds (use a timer if it helps). 

Add remaining ingredients. Immediately remove from heat and add oats, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir to combine. 

Scoop cookies. Place teaspoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space in between each. Allow to cool at room temperature until hardened, about 30 minutes. 

Recipe Tips

• Have your ingredients ready. Once the sugar mixture boils, the rest of the ingredients need to be added right away. Having everything measured and ready to go will make the process smoother. 
• Have the baking sheet ready. Once the dough is made, it needs to be scooped right away before it sets. So have the baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment before you make the dough. 
• Don’t boil the mixture for more than 60 seconds. The timing here is key to getting a moist cookie. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then start a 60 second timer. Any longer and the cookie may become too dry and crumbly in the end. 
• Don’t substitute old fashioned oats. Instant or quick oats will give you the perfect texture you’re looking for. 
• Scoop the dough as soon as it’s ready. Don’t wait to scoop the dough or it will firm up in the bowl. 

Recipe FAQ’s

More Cookie Recipes To Try

If you made these no bakes and enjoyed them, then give one of these cookies a try!

• Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
• Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• Iced Lemon Cookies
• Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
• Red Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Coconut Macaroons

No Bakes (Preacher Cookies)

This classic No Bake Cookies recipe is a nostalgic childhood favorite! Made with peanut butter, chocolate, and oats, these chewy cookies come together in just a few minutes, no oven required.  No bakes are a quick and easy treat for any time of year! 

5 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Cool Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 30 cookies

Calories: 165kcal

Author: Heather Perine

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups (297 g) Granulated Sugar
• ▢ ½ cup (120 mL) milk
• ▢ 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter
• ▢ ¼ cup (20 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ 3 cups (300 g) quick oats
• ▢ 1 cup (250 g) smooth peanut butter
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper.
• Bring the sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, let boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
• Immediately add oats, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir to combine.
• Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and let sit at room temperature until cooled and hardened, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Video

Notes

• Have your ingredients ready. Once the sugar mixture boils, the rest of the ingredients need to be added right away. Having everything measured and ready to go will make the process smoother. 
• Have the baking sheet ready. Once the dough is made, it needs to be scooped right away before it sets. So have the baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment before you make the dough. 
• Don’t boil the mixture for more than 60 seconds. The timing here is key to getting a moist cookie. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then start a 60 second timer. Any longer and the cookie may become too dry and crumbly in the end. 
• Don’t substitute old fashioned oats. Quick oats will give you the perfect texture you’re looking for. 
• Scoop the dough as soon as it’s ready. Don’t wait to scoop the dough or it will firm up in the bowl. 
• Storing: Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
• Freezing instructions: Store in an air-tight container and freeze for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 101IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

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