No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
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All you need is 6 ingredients to make these easy no-bake peanut butter oatmeal cookies (or cookie bars if that’s more your style). They’re fudgy, chewy, and downright delectable!
These no-bake peanut butter oatmeal cookies are the ones you most likely remember from your childhood. We usually had them in a chocolate form like this no-bake chocolate cookie recipe. But I somehow ended up with an entire family who loves peanut butter. Anything peanut butter. Seriously.
We go through one of the huge jars each and every week. They love PB&J sandwiches, peanut butter on toast, peanut butter balls (which I try to always keep in the freezer), peanut butter cookies, and of course… my sensational homemade yellow cake with old-fashioned peanut butter fudge icing.
But you know what? I don’t mind if they enjoy this particular no-bake peanut butter oatmeal cookie recipe because it’s so easy to make. All you need is 6 ingredients: sugar, oats, peanut butter, vanilla extra, butter, and milk. The first step is to bring the butter, sugar, and milk to a boil in a saucepot. Then all you have to do is mix in the remaining ingredients and you have yourself a cookie “dough.”
Then it’s up to you whether you make cookies or cookie bars like in the picture above. I’ve included instructions for both. Either way, the hard part is letting them cool before serving. But y’all know they’re worth the wait! Fudgy, chewy, and every kid’s favorite, I think we’re all about due for a batch today. What do you think? If you love these make sure check out some of my other recipes like Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookie Bars, Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies, Homemade Peanut Butter Cups, and Peanut Butter Protein Balls.
Recipe Ingredients
- Granulated sugar
- Oats (old-fashioned or quick oats work)
- Creamy peanut butter
- Vanilla extract
- Unsalted butter (or margarine)
- Milk
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Place sugar, butter, and milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Stir constantly and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
Once it reaches a full rolling boil, continue to stir and boil for one minute.
(I usually boil for 1.5 minutes to be on the safe side).
After it’s boiled for a minute, remove it from the heat and add in the peanut butter and vanilla.
Stir until smooth and creamy and all of the peanut butter is melted.
Then add in your oats and stir those up really well.
Now, you have two options.
First, the old-fashioned way. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease it with cooking spray.
Then drop spoonfuls of the “cookie dough” onto the baking sheet (use a cookie scoop to make life easier). Shape them into cookies (press them down with a fork) and let them cool completely before serving.
Personally, I just prefer the pan method because it is so much less work and they make cute little cookie bites when you cut them. But you can do whatever cranks your tractor!
The second option is to line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil and grease it with cooking spray.
Pour the cookie mixture into the greased baking dish.
Like so.
Now press the mixture into the baking dish and let it cool before serving.
You can speed up the cooling process by placing your baking pan in the fridge. In about one hour that’ll be set and you’ll be ready to roll!
Once they’re set, cut them however you like.
You might opt for small cookie bites or bigger cookie bars.
But let me tell y’all, no matter how you cut them or prepare them, they taste delicious in any shape or form.
Oops, I couldn’t resist—I had to take a bite!
Storage
- Store cookies in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature for up to one week.
- You can also freeze cookies for up to three months. Thaw them at room temperature before serving.
Recipe Notes
- For extra flavor, swap the white sugar for dark or light brown sugar.
- You want to use rolled oats, whether that’s old-fashioned or quick oats. Stay away from instant oats!
- As for the milk, any option will do.
- If you prefer your cookies to be more salty than sweet, you can use salted butter instead or use unsalted butter and add a pinch of salt.
- Want to add a little bit more flavor? Fold in 1/2 cup of coconut flakes.
Recipe FAQs
Why are my no-bake oatmeal cookies not setting?
If your peanut butter oatmeal cookies are too wet or gooey, this means you didn’t boil the ingredients for long enough. Make sure it reaches a full boil before you start timing and then only let it boil for a further 1 to 1.5 minutes. Alternatively, if the mixture is too dry, you boiled the ingredients for too long.
Can you use natural peanut butter in cookies?
I don’t recommend using natural peanut butter in any cookie recipe because the oils and fats aren’t evenly distributed. When you mix it into the dough, you’ll find that it affects the cookie texture and some bits are drier than others.
Can you make no-bake cookies without peanut butter?
Besides peanut butter, you can use another creamy spread, like Biscoff cookie spread, Nutella, almond butter, or Sun Butter.
How do you make no-bake chocolate peanut butter cookies?
There are a few options when it comes to no-bake chocolate cookies:
- Drizzle melted semi-sweet chocolate over the top of the cookies before letting them cool.
- Add 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder to the other ingredients you boil in the saucepan.
- Fold in 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips when you add the oats. Besides choc chips, you can use Reese’s candy or mini M&M’s.
You may also like these peanut butter treats:
Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies
Chocolate & Peanut Butter Balls (No Baking Necessary)
Easy Homemade Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 3 cups oats
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place butter, sugar, and milk in a heavy saucepot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.2 cups granulated sugar, 1/4 cup butter or margarine, 1/2 cup milk
- Once it reaches a full rolling boil, continue to stir and boil for 1 to 1.5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla until peanut butter is melted. Stir in oats.3 cups oats, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Drop spoonfuls onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet to make cookies or pour the batter all at once into a greased 8x8 baking dish to make cookie bars. Allow them to cool completely before serving.
Nutrition
“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are
conscious of our treasures.”
– Thornton Wilder
Submitted by Jenny
My daughter makes these and they are wonderful, mostly for the holidays. She and I make candies and cookies, pies and cakes for all of the company that we have at different times. Love your great work and you are so cheerful all the time.
Christy, I know this is pretty far down on the list of comments, but do these ship well? I have a dear friend who is stationed in Afghanistan and when I ask him what he wants in a care package, these cookies are what he asks for. I havent sent him any because I was so afraid they would melt and be a mess when they reached him…. Thank you!
Well I’m experimenting on that for ya right now! I put some out in my car when I read this and I’m going to report back tomorrow around lunch and see how they have fared. I may do a microwave test, too. I’m thinking they will ship fine, but I would use margarine instead of butter when making them to be on the safe side and have one less thing to worry about. My M & M Cookie bars ship fantastically, I have sent those to Afghanistan and Iraq and sometimes they’ve taken over a month to get there! Here is the link. It is a great recipe to switch up into oatmeal scotches, chocolate chip bars, you name it! https://www.southernplate.com/2009/01/mm-oatmeal-bars-made-with-baking-mix.html and this is a fall spin on the same recipe https://www.southernplate.com/2010/10/festive-fall-cookie-bars-one-bowl-easy.html
I’ve sent many things and this is the one recipe that keeps getting requests!
I have shipped these to England when my hubby and I was engaged. As long as they are firmed up and put in an airtight container- they will ship just fine. They will last up to a month in the A/T container so if it takes a week to get to them, they still have three to eat them….not that they’ll last that long once they arrive on site. Same goes for the chocolate version. 😉
For those who can’t eat chocolate (my son couldn’t as a child), try carob. You can find it in some groceries and almost all natural food stores such as Whole Foods, even some internet sites. It has no caffeine and tastes just like chocolate. I used to make brownies with carob powder and butter buds so they were low fat. You can substitute carob powder for solid chocolate by adding more butter. He never knew he wasn’t eating chocolate but isn’t a big chocolate fan until this day because it tastes different from carob to him.
I love these! My Aunt Joan makes these every year at the holidays. Yum!!
This is so funny that you would post this now…I just made some yesterday! I guess it’s true when they say good minds think alike! (giggle)
Has anyone tried making these with Sunbutter or any other nut butter? My son is allergic to peanuts. Just wondering if these other butters have the right consistency for this kind of recipe.
I haven’t tried it but I think it would work and be great! Also, check out ge chocolate ones. No pb at all 🙂
Hi, Katie (and Christy too),
Yes, I’ve made these with SunButter, and it worked deliciously (they disappeared as an after school snack around our house quite swiftly). I would just use Natural SunButter, however (not the kind with flax seeds). Thanks for the reminder on a great creation! YUM!
Christy (or anyone)?? Can you please tell me how to properly store these cookies and how long before they ‘expire’? That way I can figure out how many I need to eat daily since there is only me in my home now.
I too sure appreciate finding Southern Plate and have been a fan for a loooooong time now! Can’t wait to hear upcoming holiday stories and get more great recipes.
When my daughter makes them, she puts them in a wax paper lined cookie tin (like the ones from Christmas), and sticks them in the fridge. Can’t tell you how long they last, because they don’t last long–LOL.