These chewy chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies are naturally gluten-free and made without eggs. They have only 8 ingredients and come together in just 5 minutes. With a crisp shell and soft gooey center that turns almost fudge-like over time, nostalgic no-bake cookies are loaded with old-fashioned rolled oats and can easily be made vegan!
This post is sponsored by Andronico's Community Markets, a long-term partner of Snixy Kitchen, but the opinions are all my own.
Nearly all my Midwestern and Southern friends have an "old family recipe" for a classic chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookie, each with minor variations. I didn't grow up making no-bake cookies (instead I was sneaking bites of another no-bake favorite, edible cookie dough), but instead turned to them in this current egg shortage. After comparing notes with my friends and neighbors and testing these cookies over a dozen times to figure out the best ratio, I've landed on what I think is THE perfect chewy no-bake cookie.
The best part? You only need 8 ingredients and 5 minutes to make these cookies!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Naturally Gluten-Free (and can be made dairy-free and/or vegan)
- Gooey, chewy, AND fudgy: When they first cool and set up, the cookies are ultra-chewy and gooey. The longer they sit, the more fudge-like they become, just like my ultra fudgy Gluten-Free Brownie Cookies.
- Buttery, chocolatey, and nutty: There is no star flavor, instead this recipe is developed so the butter, chocolate, and peanut butter all shine through equally.
- Few ingredients with NO EGGS: These no-bake cookies require just 8 pantry-staple ingredients and no eggs!
- Takes just 5 minutes: The prep time for these cookies is just 5 minutes. Do the dishes while they cool and reward yourself with a little treat.
My Best Tips for Chewy and Fudgy No-Bake Cookies
- Measure ingredients first: Its important to have all of your ingredients pre-measured and ready because the timing of these cookies is key! You don't want to waste 30 seconds measuring the oats while the chocolate base slightly cools or it's going to be hard to mix in the oats. Instead, you want to add the oats immediately after stirring in the peanut butter.
- Don't overcook the chocolate mixture: Overcooking this mixture will remove more moisture from the cookies, creating a dry crumbly cookie. If you find your cookies turned out drier than you'd like, reduce this cooking time by 15 seconds.
- Let the mixture rest for 2-3 minutes before scooping: This will allow the rolled oats to soak up moisture and the base to thicken so the cookies are thick when scooped onto the baking sheet.
- Use a cookie scoop: To speed up the time and ensure even cookies, I recommend a medium cookie scoop!
Just 8 Main Ingredients for these Gluten-Free No-Bake Cookies
You need just 8 ingredients for these gluten-free no-bake cookies! If you don't have these on hand all ready, Bay Area folks can stock their pantry at their local Andronico's Community Market. They've got everything you need for a well-stocked pantry from organic no-stir peanut butter to organic gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats!
Tip: For a well-stocked pantry, keep all the ingredients for these cookies on hand at all times!
- Unsalted butter: But you can also use salted butter if that's what you have on hand - salt + chocolate = heavenly. Stick-based vegan butter will also work.
- Sugars: I prefer making these cookies with a combination of granulated and light brown sugar, which gives a richer flavor and chewier texture. If you don't have brown sugar, you can also use just granulated sugar! Coconut sugar will also work, although the results will be less sweet.
- Cocoa power: While any kind will work, I prefer a high-quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder for most baking for the strong, rich, chocolate-y flavor, including these cookies and my one-bowl moist Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes.
- Milk: For the creamiest cookies, I recommend whole milk, but you can use any milk, including plant milk.
- Peanut butter: Use a creamy no-stir peanut butter.
- Gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats: I tested this recipe with old fashioned, quick-cooking, and a combination of the two. My favorite, hands down, is with old-fashioned rolled oats, which leaves big pieces of oats studded throughout the cookie, creating the most pleasant texture. While the recipe is forgiving and works well with quick cooking, I found that quick cooking oats soak up more moisture, leaving a denser, less chewy cookie.
- Vanilla extract: For that classic cookie flavor.
- Salt: Salt is necessary for chocolate cookies as it enhances the sweetness and balances the bitterness. You could even go extra far and sprinkle some flakey salt on top!
How to Make No-Bake Cookies in 5 Minutes
You heard me: You just need 5 minutes to make this fudgy, chewy, chocolate-y bliss.
Add the butter, sugars, cocoa powder, and milk to a medium sauce pan.
Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the butter melts and the mixture boils.
Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, stop stirring and cook for exactly 1 minute. Your one-minute timer starts as soon as the mixture comes to a full rolling boil even in the center (not just around the edges).
Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter.
Add the oats, vanilla, and salt.
Stir to combine, then let rest for 2-3 minutes while you line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop 2-tablespoon-sized balls of the mixture onto the prepare baking sheet. If your cookie spreads too much, let the mixture cool for another minute. Working quickly, scoop all of the cookies.
Before removing the cookies from the baking sheet, let them cool completely until firm to the touch, 1-2 hours at room temperature or 15-30 minutes in the fridge.
Recipe
Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, or plant-butter for vegan or dairy-free.
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (36 g) cocoa powder
- ½ cup (120 g) whole milk, or other dairy or non-dairy milk
- ½ cup (123 g) creamy peanut butter, no-stir
- 2 ¾ cups (270 g) gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the butter, sugars, cocoa powder, and milk to a medium sauce pan. Measure out all of the other ingredients and have them ready to go near the stove.
- Cook the butter mixture over medium-high heat, stirring, until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a full rolling boil even in the center (not just around the edges). Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, stop stirring and cook for exactly 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and working quickly, stir in the peanut butter, followed by the oats, vanilla, and salt, until completely mixed.
- Let the mixture rest for 2-3 minutes for the oats to soak up a bit of moisture while you line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (Otherwise your cookies will be quite thin.)
- Scoop 2-tablespoon-sized balls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. I recommend a medium cookie scoop. If your cookie spreads too much, let the mixture cool for another minute. Working quickly, scoop all of the cookies onto the baking sheet with a cookie scoop or spoon, shaping them into mounds, if needed.
- Before removing the cookies from the baking sheet, let them cool completely until firm to the touch, 1-2 hours at room temperature or 15-30 minutes in the fridge.
- Store on the counter in an air-tight container for up to 3 days or in the fridge for a week. Enjoy straight from the fridge or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
How to store no-bake cookies
These cookies will keep on your counter in an air-tight container for up to 3 days or in the fridge for a week. The longer you store them, the texture goes from gooey and chewy to more fudge-like. Both are equally as delicious with different textural experiences! My friend Nissa said that growing up she kept them in the fridge because they were so delicious cold - I've tested them both at room temperature and in the fridge and love them equally!Did you make this recipe? Please leave a review and rating to let me and others know how you liked it!
Ashley -
Can you remove the peanut butter? What would you replace with with??
Sarah Menanix -
While I haven’t tried it, some friends have suggested you could sub out the peanut butter for 3-4oz finely chopped chocolate, mixing into the hot sugars until it melts. This should work, but the results will likely be less chewy.
Courtney -
Finally aftet several recipes, I found a recipe that compares to the No-Bakes I grew up with. Scrumptious!
Mary -
I made these for my bible study group. I remember making similar cookies growing up but no longer have the recipe. These brought back those old memories. They were easy to make and so delicious. The peanut butter is a nice addition. Everybody loved them and I will keep this recipe around. Thank you fir sharing!
Kristyn A. Varner -
My mom has always made the best no-bake cookies, but every time I try to make her recipe, it’s just not the same! So when I got this recipe in an email, I had to give it a try. They are so good! I have made them 4 or 5 times now and I never have a problem with them setting up or being dry like my mom’s, but they taste identical! Thank you, Sarah!
Denise -
I’m not sure what is meant by no-stir peanut butter…..can natural, no-stir peanut butter be used or do you use the type containing sugar and hydrogenated oil?
Sarah Menanix -
Yes, natural no-stir peanut butter will work too! In other words, you want one where the fat doesn't separate as those tend to be much thinner in consistency.