No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies are sweet, chewy and take just a few minutes to make. They're the perfect quick and easy summer treat!
The kids are officially on summer vacation -- woo hoo! Seriously, I am ridiculously happy about this. We had so much going on these last few weeks, including an end-f-the-year history project that involved dressing one kid as General Patton. Good times!
Anyway, we wanted to celebrate the beginning of summer vacation and the end of tests, projects and homework by making a sweet treat. Since we're already having triple digit temps, baking cookies or anything else is out of the question -- at least in the afternoon.
I used to make no-bake cookies and treats when the kids were younger, but I lost the recipe in one of our many moves. But when I was searching through my grandma's vintage recipe collection, I found the recipe for these easy no bake cookies. They only take about 15 minutes to make, so they're perfect for when you want a chocolaty sweet treat, but you don't have a lot of time or energy.
These no bake cookies are loaded with oats, peanut butter and chocolate, and you can even add your favorite extras to make them extra special. We used, chocolate chips, coconut and little Sno Caps. We also left a few plain, and they were just as good.
To make these no bake chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cookies, all you do is melt a few of the ingredients together on the stove, and then you let the mixture boil for a minute. Next, you stir in the remaining ingredients, and drop the mixture onto wax-paper lined trays until firm. That's it! Totally easy peasy, right?!
The only thing you have to watch for is not letting the mixture boil for more than a minute. We were working with a vintage recipe that didn't really make this clear, and the first batch was no bueno! I did a quick search and found similar recipes online, so the second time, I increased the milk and very carefully timed the boiling.
Basically, the minute the mixture starts to bubble gently, you start timing, and after a minute, mix in the peanut butter, then the oats and other ingredients. I even added a little bit of cinnamon since we love cinnamon in chocolate desserts!
The result is a batch of super delicious no bake cookies that the kids, and really, the whole family loves!
How to Make No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 cups quick cooking oats
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot, melt the sugar, milk, butter, cocoa and cinnamon together over medium heat, stirring frequently
- When melted, raise the heat to medium high, and when mixture comes to a gentle rolling boil, or starts bubbling, cook for one minute then remove from heat
- Stir in the peanut butter, and when melted, stir in the oats and vanilla extract
- When mixture is completely combined, drop by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper-lined baking sheets. Top with any extras at this point
- Refrigerate until firm, and store in fridge
Notes
Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.
Nutrition
If you're looking for an easy no bake cookie or treat recipe to make with your kids this summer, give these no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies a try. Even if you don't have kids, make them for yourself, your friends, your family -- you get the idea. I hope you like them as much as we do!
Happy Summer,
Shared at Weekend Potluck
Miz Helen says
Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday! Hope you are having a great week and come back to see us real soon.
Miz Helen
Michelle | A Latte Food says
I'm all about no bake cookies! And chocolate. ???? These look perfect!
Erin @ The Speckled Palate says
You can never go wrong with chocolate and oatmeal together! YUM.
Amy @ Little Dairy on the Prairie says
I love a good No Bake Recipe in the Summer!
Matthew Cetta says
Yes to No Bake cuz seriously, that oven needs to stay off until October.
Dee says
Oh yes -- Amen to that!
Des @ Life's Ambrosia says
Yay for no bake cookies!
Lynn says
I love the no bake option, especially during summer. Add in that they're chocolate and oatmeal....it's like you know everything I love, haha!
Dee says
Well, great minds think alike, right?!
Jen says
You're so lucky to be on summer break. We still have a few weeks left and we're all counting the days! These look like the perfect treat to help us make it to summer!
Dee says
I think we were counting the days a month ago, but I'm so glad we're done! 🙂