No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

"These are wonderful, quick cookies. It is one of the first things I learned to "cook." You can add more or less oats (3 cups work best for me). I have found that the weather makes a difference on the consistency, its best to make them on a nice sunny day. Also, It is very important not to boil them for longer than one minute."
 
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photo by Jonathan Melendez photo by Jonathan Melendez
photo by Jonathan Melendez
photo by Joe B photo by Joe B
photo by sandybarefeet photo by sandybarefeet
photo by StephanieHarless5 photo by StephanieHarless5
photo by Brenda R. photo by Brenda R.
Ready In:
6mins
Ingredients:
9
Yields:
24 cookies
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ingredients

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directions

  • Add the first six ingredients into a 4-quart sauce pan.
  • Bring to a rolling boil and hold for 1 minute.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Add peanut butter into the hot mixture and stir until melted.
  • Add in vanilla. (almond extract is good also, but I only use 1/2 teaspoon almond extract with 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract).
  • Mix in the dry oats until they are completely coated.
  • Drop cookies by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper.
  • Let cool until set.
  • *Please remember that even if you do follow the recipe exactly, it doesn't always turn out just right. I've had these not set up for me or be hard and dry. But most of the time, the recipe is just right. I adjusted the sugar in the recipe by substituting 1/2 cup of white sugar for 1/2 cup brown sugar, this makes them more moist. I have also found that it makes a difference if you use quick cooking oats or old fashioned. In my experience it takes more old fashioned oats than quick cooking and I like the texture of the quick cooking better. When you make it a few hundred times like I have you learn a couple of things:) Also, Chunky peanut butter tends to make them more dry and crumbly.

Questions & Replies

  1. Can you freeze these? I'd like to send them to my daughter across the country in Washington state and thought maybe they'd ship a little better if I froze them first?
     
  2. Consistency can be achieved by weight measurements for ingredients. Also, it seems that the big gap from the comments can be answered with the temperature of the boil when complete. Five or ten degrees can easily make the different between goop and rocks. Some say boil 30-40 seconds, others a minute or so. Temperature at which to stop the boil is key here. Has anyone measured a successful run of this recipe and can cite temperature and, if possible, ingredient weights? Thank you! If I make these, I'll record weights and temperature and report back.
     
  3. What if I added all the ingredients together before I looked at the directions? Lol geez I can’t believe myself ??
     
  4. Can I use almond milk instead of cows milk in this recipe chocolate no bake cookies
     
  5. Can these cookies be made ahead of time for Christmas and then freeze or just store in an airtight container??
     
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Reviews

  1. Have been making these for decades, but these are not the easiest to make set up correctly every time--but they still taste good. Many factors affect how they set up: heat, humidity, how long and hot you boil it, how long you stir it after boiling, what kind of oatmeal, etc, and it's important to work quickly after the boil timer is up. I always set a timer for boiling. After boiling stir in just the oatmeal and only 3 cups of oatmeal, stirring quickly for 2 minutes--and if it is not somewhat less shiny add another 1/2 cup oatmeal. (But I've had it already trying to set up at this point, too, and then they are too dry--I don't know how to fix it when it does this.) Then add peanut butter, and if desired chopped nuts and/or coconut or cereal, stirring quickly before dropping on waxed paper. Hope this helps some who have been having this set up too moist or dry... this really is a rather difficult recipe but even when it flops it still tastes good.
     
  2. JUST LIKE MOM USED TO MAKE! I allow it to boil for only 30-40 seconds, otherwise the cookies are dried out. This makes slightly gooey cookies once they've set up - an awesome texture right out of the friedge. I always add a handful of shredded coconut (1/3C or so). Fun to throw in nuts, and even a few marshmallows at the very end. Versatile and tasty as ever. BEWARE: I've gained 4lbs since finding this recipe last month. :)
     
  3. I love this cookie recipe! It has been one of my favorites for when I have a sweet tooth and need something quick! You can also add a little bit of coconut (1/4 cup) to it if you want, but they are delicious without!
     
  4. I just made these and they are delicious! It is just my husband and myself, so I halved everything for the recipe, and it was still great. We used chunky peanut butter and they turned out perfect for us. To try something out, I crushed up some pretzels when there was about a cup and a half of batter left just to see what it would taste like. I mixed the pretzels in with the remaining batter, and spooned them on wax paper. Now I wish I had mixed pretzels in with the entire batch! :) They were delicious! Thank you so much for posting this recipe!!!! :)
     
  5. Jenny, I too over the years have had trouble with this recipe not turning out every time. I have found if you consistently use real butter or parkay margarine and evaporated milk, bring to boil on medium heat and then cook only 1 minute more mine turn out every time. These tricks have helped me hope they work for you too. Also mom used about a 1/4 less oatmeal this helped the cookies to be a bit thinner and spread out to look like a cookie. I read somewhere once that the weather can affect them also.
     
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Tweaks

  1. The trick and the utmost importance is to bring the first six ingregiants to a ROLLING BOIL for one minute. It breaks or makes the cookie. Most important. One minute ROLLING BOIL. NOT 1 minute 5. Seconds or 55 seconds. 1 MINUTE
     
  2. You are basically making fudge. Depending on humidity and temperature timing your boil will only work some of the time. The best method is the use the soft ball method. While you are boiling drop a small drop of the mixture into a glass of cool water. When it forms a soft ball it is done. This happens at 235 degrees F. This gives you much more reliable results. Google Soft Ball Stage.
     
  3. I’m a big fan of dark chocolate and honey. That being said I substituted the creamy peanut butter for Peter Pan honey roasted peanut butter. On the 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder I used 2 tbs of Hershey cocoa powder and 2 tbs of Hershey special dark chocolate. Definitely brings out a new level of flavors.
     
  4. Mexican mocha with almonds.
     
  5. 1/2 cup butter or margarine 2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened baking chocolate (Bakers) 2 cups granulated sugar Pinch kosher or sea salt 1/2 cup milk 2 tablespoons peanut butter (I prefer chunky peanut butter) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 cups quick-cooking oats **I also add 1 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts
     

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

I am a homemaker with 2 children, a son in law, a dog and a cat. I've been married to my wonderful husband for over 30 years. I have always LOVED to cooked and experiment. I have recently started cooking for the public and it?s going well. ?
 
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