The Best Ever Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
These are the best-ever chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies. I’m not kidding when I say that these cookies are so good, that they almost shouldn’t be legal. Almost. 🙂 But in terms of chocolate peanut butter desserts, you can’t go wrong with whipping up a batch of these oatmeal no-bake cookies.
No one is immune to chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies.
Oh, and they are an incredibly budget-friendly and easy dessert to make. I’m not kidding when I say I have a slight problem with these cookies–I may have made 2 batches of these bad boys this week– and thought about making a 3rd batch. Trust me, you’ll understand when you try them.
Why No-Bake Cookies Are the Best Pantry Dessert
Don’t you just love desserts that you always have all the ingredients around to whip up at any time? Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies are one of those pantry staple desserts! It doesn’t have any unique ingredients–just all the staples you already have on hand. Perfect & Dangerous. Peanut butter, oats, cocoa powder (that’s right, no chocolate chips), butter, milk, sugar, vanilla, & salt. That’s it!
How The Best Ever Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies Started
When I got my first post-college job, I moved to a small city new-to-me-city, Harrisburg, PA. Before getting my first apartment, I rented out an empty “in-law” suite from the sweetest older couple. They were such a fun couple to stay with, and the wife made the BEST no-bake cookies of all time.
Nearly every other week while I stayed there, she whipped up a batch of the no-bake cookies for her grandkids, husband, (and me) to enjoy! When she would make a new batch, I would come back from work to find a Tupperware container filled to the brim with my favorite treat! I loved seeing that Tupperware container.
So much for my pre-wedding diet.
Her chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies were the perfect winter treat. They were so good, but also very dangerous because I was trying to fit into my wedding dress for my upcoming wedding (just a few months away at that point). Before I moved out, she wrote the recipe down for me, and believe me–I cherish it. Over the years, I have made a few small tweaks and adjustments to the recipe here and there, but they still bring me back to my favorite host couple. 🙂
The Ingredients
Cocoa powder: I love that this recipe uses cocoa powder because it helps make these no-bake cookies a budget-friendly choice and a wonderful pantry cookie! I used black cocoa powder (which makes my cookies look a bit dark). Any cocoa will work great as well.
Oats: Get a whole-grain boost! Rolled oats (or old-fashioned oats) are the only oats that I suggest for these cookies. The oats will soften overnight. Which in my opinion, makes the cookies best a day after you make them. Hello, lunch dessert.
Peanut Butter: Don’t use natural peanut butter–drippy peanut butter will not work well with this recipe. This recipe is meant to use creamy peanut butter.
Butter: I use unsalted butter, which is why I add salt to the recipe as well. If you use salted butter for this recipe, consider decreasing the amount of salt you use.
Milk: I have only used whole or 2% milk in this recipe. If you use non-dairy alternatives, leave a comment and let me know how it goes!
Vanilla: The vanilla brings out the chocolate flavor, so add some in for a deeper flavor profile.
Salt: As I mentioned above, if you use salted butter, you might need to adjust the salt content in this recipe. But the salt is important in bringing out the sweetness of the dish.
How to Make The Best Ever Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
Ready to make The Best Ever Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies? After you make them once you will want to make them all the time.
- In a large bowl add oats, peanut butter, and salt. Don’t stir the ingredients together (it will be easier to do so a step further along). Set the bowl aside.
- In a medium saucepan over the stove, melt the butter.
- After the butter is melted, add the milk, sugar, vanilla, and cocoa powder. Turn the burner to medium-high heat and stir the mixture consistently until it comes to a boil.
- Let the chocolate mixture boil for 1 minute and then remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Immediately dump the hot chocolate mixture into the large bowl with the oats. Stir everything together until all the oats are evenly coated with the chocolate mixture. Set aside for 4 minutes. While you wait for the mixture to cool, line 3 sheet pans with wax paper.
- Spoon cookies out (about 2 Tbsp) in size onto the wax paper lined sheets.
- Place the cookie sheets in the refrigerator for 2 hrs to harden.
- If desired, melt 2 oz ( I use 2 bars of 0.88 oz Aldi’s Moser Roth Madagascan Vanilla White Chocolate Bars) in the microwave and drizzle the chocolate over the top of the no-cookies. Place cookies back in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Serve the cookies chilled. Store the cookies in the refrigerator.
Aldi Tip: White Chocolate Drizzle
I love Aldi’s chocolate selection! If you like to bake, Aldi’s chocolate selection is an absolute pantry dream. Especially the Aldi’s Moser Roth Madagascan Vanilla White chocolate bars.
Did I mention it’s under $2 for a pack of 5 of the white chocolate bars? Unbelievable.
I rarely use white chocolate, but I love having it around for a white chocolate drizzle. Unfortunately, when I do purchase white chocolate chips, I have to open up a whole bag for a little drizzle. But the Aldi’s Moser Roth Madagascan Vanilla White chocolate bars are perfect to have on hand because they come in a package of 5 0.88oz bars. 2 bars, melted in the microwave for around 45 seconds to 1 minute, make the perfect drizzle with little effort and you can store the rest of the unopened bars in your pantry.
Also, the Aldi’s Moser Roth Madagascan Vanilla White chocolate bars have REAL vanilla beans in them. Plus it’s good white chocolate that you might want to eat by itself (which is more than can be said about most white chocolate chips). When you see it on the shelf, stock up your pantry. It often sells out.
Where Should I Store Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
Store your chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies covered in the fridge for up to 1 week. Serve cold.
More Easy, Budget-Friendly Dessert Recipes
I love a good easy AND inexpensive dessert. Check out more of my easy budget-friendly recipes:
The Best Ever Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter not natural peanut butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder black cocoa, dutch process, or unsweetened
- 1 Tbsp vanilla
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl add oats, peanut butter, and salt. Don’t stir the ingredients together (it will be easier to do so a step further along). Set the bowl aside.
- In a medium saucepan over the stove, melt the butter.
- After the butter is melted, add the milk, sugar, vanilla, and cocoa powder. Turn the burner to medium-high heat and stir the mixture consistently until it comes to a boil.
- Let the chocolate mixture boil for 1 minute and then remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Immediately dump the hot chocolate mixture into the large bowl with the oats. Stir everything together until all the oats are evenly coated with the chocolate mixture. Set aside for 4 minutes. While you wait for the mixture to cool, line 3 sheet pans with wax paper.
- Spoon cookies out (about 2 Tbsp) in size onto the wax paper lined sheets.
- Place the cookie sheets in the refrigerator for 2 hrs to harden.
- If desired, melt 2 oz ( I use 2 bars of 0.88 oz Aldi’s Moser Roth Madagascan Vanilla White Chocolate Bars) in the microwave and drizzle the chocolate over the top of the no-cookies. Place cookies back in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Serve the cookies chilled. Store the cookies in the refrigerator.
