No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 2 cups old fashioned or quick oats
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar or brown sugar for a richer flavor
- ½ cup butter or coconut oil for a dairy free version
- ½ cup milk or almond/oat milk for a dairy free option
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter or almond/sunflower butter for nut free
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Optional Add-Ins:
- ½ cup chocolate chips for extra chocolatey flavor
- ¼ cup shredded coconut
- ¼ cup chopped nuts
Instructions
1. Prepare Your Ingredients:
- Measure all your ingredients and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
2. Make the Chocolate Mixture:
- In a medium saucepan, combine butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and milk.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.
- Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and let it boil for exactly 60 seconds without stirring.
- 💡 Pro Tip: The boiling time is crucial, too short and the cookies won't set, too long and they'll be dry and crumbly.
3. Mix in Peanut Butter and Oats:
- Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in peanut butter, vanilla extract, and salt until the peanut butter melts and the mixture is smooth.
- Add oats (and any optional add-ins) and mix until the oats are fully coated.
4. Shape the Cookies:
- Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Leave space between cookies to prevent them from sticking together.
5. Let Them Set:
- Allow the cookies to set at room temperature for about 30 minutes until firm.
- For faster setting, place them in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
Notes
For a vegan or dairy free version, use coconut oil instead of butter and plant based milk. To make these cookies sugar free, swap the sugar for monk fruit sweetener or erythritol. These cookies can be stored at room temperature for a week, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for 3 months.
