This Small Batch No Bake Cookies recipe is my go-to dessert when I’m looking for something, quick soft, gooey and flavorful! These chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies are super moist and are made with quick oats to provide the perfect texture! 

Adding oats is a delicious way to mix up your cookie repertoire! Be sure to check out my Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies, White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies and Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. I even use oat flour in my Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and you’d be surprised at what a game changer it is! 

Small batch chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies on a white parchment paper.

Why This Recipe Works

  • One pot and no oven preheating. This is a great dessert recipe if you need to satisfy your sweet tooth ASAP! It’s super quick to make because you do it on the stove (no need to wait for your oven to preheat) and it’s all done in one pot! 
  • Small batch no-bake cookies. I love being able to make these no bake cookies because it’s the perfect amount! This small batch no bake cookies recipe makes about 12 cookies. Just enough to enjoy, share but not having no bake cookies for days! It’s the perfect small batch dessert!  
  • Super moist no bake cookies! Please promise me you will never make dry no-bake cookies again! This no-bake cookie recipe makes soft, creamy and rich classic no-bake cookies. It’s all about getting the right amount of oats in there. The cookies will set up when they cool, you don’t need a bunch of oats packed in there to help them set. That will just make the cookies dry. When you take a bite of these no bakes, it will be soft and creamy chocolate peanut butter goodness in your mouth!

Ingredient Notes

Chocolate peanut butter oatmeal no bake cookies ingredients on a white marble background.
  • Butter: I typically always use unsalted butter in baking. This recipe doesn’t call for salt. So if you use salted butter, just note that there may be a saltier flavor. 
  • Sugar: Bringing the mixture to a boil will ensure that the sugar is melted. We want the sugar granules to melt so we get that nice, smooth texture. 
  • Milk: You can use whatever percentage of milk you prefer. If you use milk other than cow’s milk, just know that the flavor will change. One time my parents used almond milk and it definitely had a different flavor than this recipe guarantees! 
  • Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: The trick is to get the right amount of cocoa powder to bring in the chocolate flavor without overpowering the peanut butter. 
  • Peanut Butter: I use creamy peanut butter because it makes the cookies melt in your mouth, but chunky is always an option too. I don’t recommend natural peanut butter because it often has oil separation which will add liquid that the recipe doesn’t account for. 
  • Quick Oats: Make sure you use quick oats because they are the perfect size and texture. Old fashioned oats can’t compete here! The old fashioned oats are a bit larger and will take on more of the moisture from your chocolate mixture, making the cookies dry.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Melt the butter. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter.
  2. Make the chocolate mixture. Add the milk, sugar and cocoa powder. Stir until smooth and no cocoa powder lumps remain.
Milk being poured into a white pot that has melted butter and sugar in it.
A white pot with cocoa powder, milk, and sugar in it, for making a small batch no bake cookie recipe.
  1. Bring to a boil. Slowly bring to boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring often. 
A white spatula stirring a chocolate mixture in a white pot.
A liquid chocolate mixture used to make chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies, boiling in a white pot.
  1. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Take the pan off the burner and add the peanut butter and vanilla.  Stir until combined.  
A dollop of peanut butter in a pot filled with a brown liquid mixture.
A spatula stirring peanut butter into a chocolate mixture.
  1. Add the oats. Add the quick oats and stir until coated. 
Quick oats in a white pot with chocolate peanut butter sauce.
Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookie mixture in a white pot.
  1. Form into cookies. Using a small cookie scoop or two spoons, portion and lay out to cool on a small piece of wax paper. Let set. Enjoy!  
A hand grabbing a Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies from a white parchment paper.

Recipe Tips

Don’t turn the heat up too high. You want to keep the heat at a good medium-low temperature because anything higher than that can burn the cocoa mixture.

Use a timer. When the mixture begins to boil, start the timer and let boil for 2 minutes, making sure to stir occasionally while it boils.

This is a pretty fast-paced recipe, so make sure to have the peanut butter measured and ready before you begin. This will help make the process go much more smoothly.

To reduce time having to break little cocoa powder lumps in the chocolate mixture, you can combine the granulated sugar and cocoa powder in a separate bowl and whisk until combined. Then add that to the pan with the milk. 

Even though you are taking the pan off the heat, the peanut butter will melt from the heat of the mixture and the pan. 

Once you add the oats, immediately start spooning onto the wax paper. The chocolate will start setting within a minute or two, so you want to get the cookies portioned out while the mixture is still soft. 

When you get to the point of adding the oats, do so slowly. You may not need all of the oats. You don’t want the mixture to be too runny, but you also don’t want it to be too dry. Oddly enough, depending on the climate, the amount of oats I add can vary by 1/8 cup.

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing

Store in an airtight container or Ziplock bag at room temperature for 2-3 days. 

To freeze, flash freeze on a baking sheet until solid (about 5-10 minutes) transfer to a Ziplock bag or airtight container and store in the freezer for 2-3 months. Remove and let thaw. 

I recommend making these cookies right when or just before you want to serve them. They are best enjoyed fresh. Although they do keep for a few days to enjoy some leftover. The small batch no bake cookies is nice because you can typically enjoy them all fresh with a group of people.

FAQs

Can I double this recipe?

Yes! While this is a small batch recipe and designed to make about 12 no-bake cookies, you can easily double it to make 24. The steps and instructions are the same, the only difference is that the measurements are twice the amount currently requested.

What do I do if my no-bake mixture seems too thin?

If your no-bake cookies seem to be too runny, add in more quick oats a tablespoon at a time. This will help to thicken the mixture up without detracting from the flavor and taste.

Can I freeze no-bake cookies?

Yes! After the cookies have completely set, place them on a large plate or baking sheet, and then stick them in the freezer for 1-2 hours to flash freeze. After they’ve been frozen solid, transfer them to a Ziplock bag and let them remain in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

Are no-bake cookies gluten free?

If you use a certified gluten free oat then yes, they can be! Those with allergies against gluten such as Celiacs know that oats and wheat are rotated on farmer fields and can contain traces of wheat, despite not being a wheat product. Certified GF oats are not rotated crops and are 100% gluten free and safe to consume.

How to make nut-free no-bake cookies?

Thanks to a kind reader, it was suggested to use SunButter in place of the peanut butter for a nut-free no-bake cookie.

A bite taken out of a Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookie.

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A chocolate peanut butter oatmeal no bake cookie on a white parchment paper.
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4.88 from 32 votes

Small Batch No Bake Cookies

My most favorite cookie of ALL TIME! These chocolate peanut butter oatmeal no-bake cookies are soft, rich, and completely irresistible! 
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 12 cookies

Ingredients
 

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 T cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter - I use creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cup quick oats - SEE NOTES! You may not use all of the oats, and you may need a tad more. Just depends.

Instructions
 

  • In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. 
  • When the butter has melted, add the milk, sugar, and cocoa powder. Stir. Slowly bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. I never let it sit too long without stirring. 
  • Remove from heat. Add the peanut butter and vanilla. Stir. Add the quick oats (not all at once, because you may not need all of them… you don't want the mixture to be too runny or too dry. Climate and altitude can affect the amount needed) and stir until evenly coated.
  • Lay out a small piece of wax paper. Drop by spoonfuls onto the wax paper. Let cool. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

When you get to the point of adding the oats, do so slowly. You may not need all of the oats. You don’t want the mixture to be too runny, but you also don’t want it to be too dry. Oddly enough, depending on the climate, the amount of oats I add can vary by 1/4 cup or more!
Store in an airtight container or Ziplock bag at room temperature for 2-3 days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 149kcal (7%)Carbohydrates: 19g (6%)Protein: 2g (4%)Fat: 7g (11%)Saturated Fat: 3g (15%)Cholesterol: 10mg (3%)Sodium: 61mg (3%)Potassium: 81mg (2%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 13g (14%)Vitamin A: 125IU (3%)Calcium: 14mg (1%)Iron: 0.6mg (3%)
author: Whitney Wright
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review on the blog post letting me know how you liked this recipe! Take a picture and tag @saltandbaker on Tik Tok, Instagram, and Facebook so I can see what you’re making!
The BEST EVER chocolate peanut butter oatmeal no-bake cookies!