They are pretty perfect for the summer too, anything that doesn't involve turning the oven on in my apartment is a great recipe to me. And the fact that there are only 7 ingredients makes it even better!
No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats
Line a baking sheet or smooth surface with wax paper, set aside. Cut butter into small pieces and place in large saucepan with sugar, milk, and cocoa powder. Bring ingredients to a rolling boil while stirring continuously. Boil for one minute and remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla till throughly blended. Add in quick oats and drop by teaspoon-full onto waxed paper. Let cool until hardened.
To make shaped cookies, spray cookie cutters with non-stick cooking spray and set on waxed paper. Drop cookie mixture into cookie cutter, ensure the mixture fills in all the gaps. Let cool until hardened and gently remove cookie cutter.
Thanks to Michelle at Brown Eyed Baker for the recipe.
If you are impatient or the cookies are too soft, chill in refrigerator till hardened. Since it is so hot outside, I prefer these cookies cold anyways!
I would also recommend using a high-quality cocoa powder as it is the main thing you taste in these cookies. I used organic chunky peanut butter and loved the additional texture of the peanuts in the cookies.
I loved having fun with these cookies and using different shapes of cookie cutters. I think these would be great in football and helmet shapes for upcoming Sunday football or even to send out for all those holiday cookies you'll be baking!
What is your favorite cookie cutter?
These look delicious! Great pictures!
ReplyDeleteThese are so cute, and what a great idea to use cookie cutters. I made something very similar over the weekend (haven't posted them yet), but mine are a lot lumpier (used muesli) so they wouldn't cut well into pretty shapes even if I did think to try it (which I admit I didn't)!
ReplyDeleteI love the cookie cutter shapes...what a great idea!! I'll have to try that on my next batch.
ReplyDeleteThose are too cute, I love the different shapes. Love the whole oatmeal thing. I bet they are good.
ReplyDeleteLook how cute your shaped cookies are!! So sweet.
ReplyDeleteI think my favorite cookie cutters are my wacky-shaped ones from Ikea :)
Wow, no bake cookies seem perfect for summer, and these especially look delicious :)
ReplyDeleteYum... perfect for the summer.
ReplyDeleteI love the heart shapes!
ReplyDeleteThose look so good! I, too, love the hearts
ReplyDeleteMy mom makes these for us! I adore them!! She never made hearts though... :)
ReplyDeleteThese look scrumptious and I love the shapes!
ReplyDeleteThat's such an awesome idea, using the cookie cutters! These are really cute & they look delicious.
ReplyDeleteI've been making these cookies for years! They are so delicious! I have never had cute shapes, though. Mine are always just hardened blobs....yours look much better! Just became your newest follower!
ReplyDeleteMmm! I would love to try these!
ReplyDeleteThese are adorable, Debbie, and what a fun idea! I hadn't heard of no-bake cookies since joining the food blog world, but you've definitely inspired me to try! Thanks for sharing this great recipe.
ReplyDeleteThese are so cute! There's nothing I love more than some easy, no-bake cookies. Well, I think I love cheese more, but that it! :D
ReplyDeleteI just had a conversation about these cookies yesterday afternoon! They're so goood and so easy!
ReplyDeleteVery cute! I can't wait to make these!
ReplyDeleteI want! What a great recipe. And no bake even better.
ReplyDeleteSo cute! I don't have many but my favourite will be my flower shape cutter
ReplyDeleteAw, they look so cute and delicious! :)
ReplyDeletewhat a lovely blog and these look fantastic. i'm happy to be your newest follower (-:
ReplyDeletelooks delicious
ReplyDeleteHow cute are these?!?!
ReplyDeleteI think my plain old circle cutter is my fave. I use it for everything!
I have never seen that recipe made into shapes. I love the idea! They look so cute and easy to handle that way!!!
ReplyDeleteOh man, these are just genius!!!
ReplyDeleteThese look amazing!! my daughter and I make cookies all the time in the fall but it's too warm to be baking all the time in the summer, these are a must try. Maybe today!? hm i wonder if i have cocoa powder??
ReplyDeleteI am not a HUGE peanut butter fan, but these look so darn cute that I think I would give them a whirl anyway. Or maybe substitute something for the peanut butter? Any suggestions?
ReplyDelete@ The Cilantropist: Do you like a different type of nut butter, such as Almond Butter? or perhaps try an Soy Nut Butter or a Sunflower Butter. Let me know how it turns out!
ReplyDeleteOh, this is so fun! I love the idea and can't wait to include these in my daughter's lunch. I have a baby oak leaf cookie cutter that I use for making the top crust on apple pies in the fall. That's definitely my favorite.
ReplyDeleteGreat cookie recipe, they sound FAB! What a great idea, to use cookie cutters to make these cookies into fun shapes and I think I would do what you did and use chunky PB, great idea!
ReplyDeleteAny chance there could be a substitute for the peanut butter? I've got a peanut-reactive nephew..
ReplyDelete@anonymous: I am not familiar with peanut allergies, but I think soynut or sunflower butters would be a great substitute. Let me know how it turns out!
ReplyDeleteWant a great chocolate add-in for yogurt (or ice cream)??? Crumble one of these cookies (or use the leftover crumbs) and enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI've been eating these for as long as I can remember- and yes, one can substitute other nut butters (or even Nutella) without a problem. You may have to adjust the oatmeal by a tablespoon or two (give or take) so they aren't too dry.
Here is a link to a recipe that uses Nutella instead of peanut butter for those who don't want to use peanut buter. Note that it uses 1/2 cup of cocoa instead of the 1/4 cup in the chocolate oatmeal recipe here. Also, this Nutella variation calls for Frangelico liquer but I've never used it. Sometimes I will splash about 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and maybe 1/4 tsp of almond extract. (I highly recommend Perignotti Italian cocoa for an especially rich chocolate flavor - for these cookies or any baking that calls for cocoa.)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bakeorbreak.com/recipes/2007/02/06/nutella-oatmeal-cookies/
Wonderful to discover your blog...thank you.
@Connecticut baker: Thanks so much for all the recommendations! I will have to remember that next time I make something with PB.
ReplyDeleteI have made these cookies for years, but I never would have thought to use cookie cutters as molds. Great idea!
ReplyDeleteThis is my dad's favorite cookie. I make them all the time. I have to admit, however, that I honestly thought that two cups of sugar was a typo. I've been using less sugar with pretty good results, though they don't set up as well without refrigeration. I also make a variation with half coconut oil and half butter and 1/2 cup of coconut for some of the oats. I am excited to try the cookie cutter idea. Thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteWould coconut work instead of oats?
ReplyDelete@Anonymous: I bet it would work with Coconut! You may have to mess with the dry to wet ratio a bit, but let me know if they work out!
ReplyDeleteIs there something gluten free that I could use as a substitute for the Oats? Other then the coconut? That would be good except Im sugar free as well. Maybe some rice crispy type cereal?
ReplyDeleteJust made these no bake cookies with your recipe! They are sooo good! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThese also turn out GREAT if you put the liquid mix in the microwave for 3 1/2 minutes, remove and stir, then put back in microwave for 3 1/2 more minutes. Stir in pb, oats, and vanilla.
ReplyDeleteI love these. I like to freeze them and take out a few at time. Great frozen treats!
ReplyDeletei just made these cookies and for some reason they wont get hard,what can i do now?
ReplyDeleteI grew up with these as a child, my siblings& I called them doo-doo cookies because my grandmother would drop them on wax paper. They took their mound shape. I enjoy a formed cookie, so after seeing your blog I either use a mini muffin pan or a small square baking pan. And cut them into squares". I only use 1/4 C. brown sugar, no butter, add raisins and dry roasted peanuts. They always turn out awesome. I've also added dried blueberries, very good as well. Thank you for sharing
ReplyDeleteOnly thing u are leaving out is powdered sugar too that's what I use to make them creamy and this works good. My recipe is a little different.
ReplyDeleteI recently made these for a party and added a little bit of curry powder and cinnamon. I know it doesn't sound good but they were awesome and got rave reviews. I posted the recipe over at my blog http://homemaker4allseasons.blogspot.com/2013/03/awesome-no-bake-cookies-with-surprise.html
ReplyDeleteI like the cute heart shape, by the way
This has become my go to recipe for these cookies. It's nice to have a version that never fails. :)
ReplyDeletegood
ReplyDeletewow. this is one of the best recipes I have read on oatmeal cookies. Infact, i have to ask vivanswers to do my homework as I make these ones. thanks so much.
ReplyDelete