I love no-bake cookies as well as peanut butter. Combine the two and add some oats and you have a winning combination that is so incredibly easy to make. These no-bake peanut butter cookies are so yummy.
I like these cookies so much, I may or may not have eaten no-bake peanut butter cookies for breakfast. Shh, don’t tell. If I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Gather the ingredients and tools
In order to make these delicious no-bake peanut butter cookies you will need the following ingredients and tools:
- White Granulated Sugar – The sugar makes up the main sweet element for this dish.
- Milk – I generally use whole milk but you can use other milk too if you like.
- Butter – Use unsalted or salted butter. They both work great for this recipe.
- Peanut Butter – Peanut butter is the star of this dish. You can use homemade peanut butter or store-bought.
- Vanilla Extract – This will add flavor to the cookies. And also enhance the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Quick Oats – Quick oats work great for no-bake cookies because they are smaller. The traditional old-fashioned oats don’t work as well. But you can always grind those up a bit in a food processor and then use them.
Tools
- Pot
- Wooden spoon or Silicone Spoon
- Silicone mat or parchment paper
- Sheet pan or cookie sheet
Step 2: How to make No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
Begin by adding the milk, butter, and sugar to a medium sauce pot. Place it on your stovetop burner and set the heat to medium heat. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Make sure to continually stir the mixture. After it comes to a rolling boil continue to cook it for 1 minute. Then remove it from the heat. Heating the milk serves two purposes, one to dissolve the sugar and two it will cook the oats.
Sometimes no-bake cookies won’t set properly. Most of the time it is because the mixture didn’t boil long enough.
Step 3: Peanut Butter and Oats
Pour the hot liquid into a large bowl and then add in the peanut butter. Stir it with a spatula until it melts. Then add in the vanilla extract. Once the vanilla has been stirred in, add in the oats. Stir the oats until everything is blended.
The resulting texture will be a thick oatmeal.
Step 4: Form the No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
Use two large spoons and spoon some of the cookie dough onto a sheet pan or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. You can use the spoons to shape the dough to make them more round if you like. Once you have about 12 of them on the pan chill the pan of cookies in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour until they set.
Once the cookies have set they are ready to be eaten. Enjoy!
Why didn’t my cookies set?
There are a few reasons why the cookies may have not set properly. The most common reason is that the milk and sugar mixture wasn’t boiled long enough. Make sure it comes to a full rolling boil before you set the time for 1 minute.
Why are my cookies grainy?
If the cookies taste grainy, it means the sugar didn’t fully dissolve in the hot milk. Bringing it to a rolling boil should solve that problem.
How long do no-bake peanut butter cookies last?
If stored in an airtight container the cookies will last a few weeks at room temperature or longer if in the fridge or frozen.
No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
Equipment
- pot
- Wooden spoon or Silicone Spoon
- Silicone Mat or parchment paper
- Sheet pan or cookie sheet
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups of white granulated sugar 350g
- 1/2 cup of milk 1%, 2%, Whole, etc. (125ml)
- 1/2 cup of unsalted butter 115g
- 3/4 cup of peanut butter 190g
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract 5ml
- 3 1/4 cups of old fashioned or quick oats 295g
Instructions
- Add the milk, butter, and sugar to a medium saucepot. With burner set to medium heat, bring the milk and sugar to a boil. After it comes to a rolling boil allow it to cook for 1 minute before removing it from the heat.
- After you remove the pot from the heat pour it into a large bowl and then stir in the vanilla extract and the peanut butter. Once the peanut butter has melted, add in the oats. Stir the oats until completely coated.
- Spoon the peanut butter oatmeal onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. They won't spread, so you can put them pretty close together. Shape the cookies with the spoons to get them more round if you like.
- Chill the cookies in the fridge for at least 30 minutes until they have set. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
If you are having trouble with the cookies setting, try boiling the mixture a little longer before removing it. Nutrition
Do you like this recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it. If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.
Here are a few more recipes you may like:
No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Hello Matt, Greetings from across the pond, I am from a small village on the Wirral, Merseyside, England . I love your no bake cookies. I am an oldie who can never remember to turn my stove off. I have had, have you any more excellent recipes for no cook. Take care and stay safe ? Marion.
Hello, Marion! Greetings to you as well. 🙂 Here are a few more no-bake recipes: https://inthekitchenwithmatt.com/no-bake-cheesecake and https://inthekitchenwithmatt.com/no-bake-chocolate-oatmeal-cookies and https://inthekitchenwithmatt.com/strawberry-cheesecake-mousse-chocolate-cups and https://inthekitchenwithmatt.com/chocolate-raspberry-tart
This looks so delicious. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Thank you! You are welcome! 🙂
Now, this is something I can definitely make at home with the kids. That looks quite tasty and easy to make as well.
Thank you!! 🙂
What a delicious and healthy recipe! Love that it´s no-Bake and has Peanut Butter! Thanks for the inspiration!
thank you, Anna!! You are very welcome. 🙂 🙂
It’s hard to say no to anything made out of peanut butter (unless you are allergic) and thanks a lot for the recipe! They look yummy and easy to make~ Knycx journeying
Thanks!