Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies

This is a family favorite recipe and now you can make it too!

Here we go! Recipe #8 in my Christmas cookie palooza. And it’s legendary.

Kevin’s favorite foods: chicken wings, green bean casserole, beer, and the Quinn family no-bake cookies. The man never really requests dessert recipes because, let’s face it, there’s plenty of sugar in our house. But the 2 times he HAS requested dessert, it’s been for his family’s no-bake cookies. And one time he even made them himself because GASP! I didn’t feel like baking. Or no-baking. You know what I mean.

My husband grew up making and eating these chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies with his family. They’re so easy, anyone can make them. And now that I’m part of the Quinn family, too– I’ve had the pleasure experiencing them. Because these cookies are SO much more than cookies. Eating one is quite the experience. There is nothing on earth quite like them. And, after one bite, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

There are, like, a billion and a half recipes for no-bake cookies swirling around the internet and most of them call for the same ingredients as the Quinn recipe. What makes each recipe a little different is the ratio of ingredients. More butter, less sugar, more cocoa, less peanut butter. You get the idea. The Quinn recipe, in my eyes and on my tastebuds, perfects that ratio. Just enough sugar, just enough cocoa, and definitely enough peanut butter.

There’s no turning on the oven for no-bake cookies (uh, duh)– instead, the cookies firm up in the refrigerator. Which is perfect if you’re having a baking marathon day and other cookies need the oven! Or if you have dinner in the oven. Or are in a fight with your oven. Me = currently. (I should really clean the substance burning at the bottom of it.)

Making these chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies is incredibly simple, but let me show you a few pictures of the process.

On the stove, you’ll boil butter, sugar, milk, and cocoa together. Your kitchen will smell like a chocolate candy bar. It’s awesome. Then you’ll stir in peanut butter and vanilla extract. The mixture will be thick and beautiful.

LET ME EAT THAT SPOONFUL. ↓ ↓

Then, you’ll pour that completely divine chocolate peanut butter mixture over a large bowl of oats. Quick oats are the key to making these no-bake cookies. Why? Quick oats are more fine and powdery than whole oats. Because they’re cut smaller, they’ll act more as flour, binding all of the ingredients together and producing solid no-bake cookies. Cookies that won’t fall apart easily.

Here’s my secret…

I never buy quick oats. I make my own from whole, old-fashioned oats. I pulse them a few times in my food processor to cut them smaller. Voila. Quick oats.

You’ll need 3 cups of quick oats.

Now, shape them into cookies. I usually use about 1 Tablespoon of dough per cookie. Just drop them on a nonstick surface like parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and shape them into neat circles. OR leave them as blobs if you aren’t psycho about making cookies pretty like I am.

Here’s where the magic happens. And when you can kick your feet up because you don’t have to do anything. Just stick the cookies in the refrigerator to set. That’s all. That’s literally all you do. Practically effortless cookies, just how I like ’em.

This recipe is so easy, you’ll feel like you’re doing something wrong.

As you can see, preparing them is a snap– no more than 15 minutes tops! So little work with one giant reward: a plate of chocolate and peanut butter goodness. Oh! And the cookies aren’t dry or gritty like some no-bakes. Rather, they’re soft and chewy– and taste like hot fudge meets a peanut butter cup… or something just as fantastic. If you can stop at only one, I applaud you. Also: what’s wrong with you?

A huge thank you to mama Quinn for passing down this wildly simple, yet completely addictive gem of a recipe! No-bakes forever.

PS: If using certified gluten free oats, this recipe is gluten free.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies

• 
  Author: Sally


• 
  Prep Time: 15 minutes


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  Cook Time: 0 minutes


• 
  Total Time: 1 hour


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  Yield: 24 cookies


• 
  Category: Cookies


• 
  Method: No-Bake


• 
  Cuisine: American

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Description

Give the oven a break! Whip up a batch of these super simple, no-fuss chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies. They’re addictive!

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Ingredients

• 3 cups (240g) quick oats*


• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 60g) unsalted butter*


• 1 and 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar


• 1/2 cup (120ml) milk (any milk works– I usually use skim or almond milk)


• 1/4 cup (21g) natural unsweetened or dutch-process cocoa powder


• 2/3 cup (170g) creamy peanut butter*


• 1 Tablespoon (15ml) pure vanilla extract (yes, a full Tablespoon!)

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Instructions

1. Place oats in a large bowl. Set aside.


2. Combine the butter, sugar, milk, and cocoa together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the butter melts, then bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute without whisking. Remove from heat and, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until completely combined. Pour this mixture over the oats, then stir to combine it all. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes. This allows the oats to soak up some moisture.


3. During the 5 minutes, line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. And make sure there is enough room in your refrigerator for the baking sheets.


4. Using a 1-Tablespoon cookie scoop (or simply a spoon!), drop a Tablespoon of dough onto the lined baking sheets. If desired, flatten out and shape into a cookie. Repeat with the rest of the dough.


5. Refrigerate the cookies for at least 30 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and enjoy! Store leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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Notes

1. Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can prepare the dough through step 2. Then, cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The mixture will be very firm after spending time in the refrigerator, so allow it to come to room temperature before continuing with step 3. No-bake cookies can be frozen up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.


2. Oats: Use oats labeled “quick oats.” You can buy whole oats (which are thicker cut) and pulse them in the food processor 4-5 times to make finer cut quick oats.


3. Oil: Coconut oil works instead of butter! Coconut oil works because it solidifies.


4. Peanut Butter: This recipe works best using a non-natural style peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. I don’t recommend an oily natural style peanut butter.

Keywords: chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies, no-bake cookies

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Two more no-bake chocolate & peanut butter packed recipes to try:

Peanut Butter M&Ms Truffles

and 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Fudge.

See more no-bake recipes.

See more gluten free recipes.

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