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Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies are a classic cookie recipe that are oatmeal cookies full of peanut butter flavor – no oven needed! If you’ve been looking for no bake cookie without chocolate, this is the post for you. These set up perfectly every time!
Why This No Bake Cookie Recipe Works
I’m a big fan of old-fashioned no bake cookies, especially during the summer! Not having to turn on the oven is always a plus in my book. This is basically that recipe without the cocoa powder! Easy no bake peanut butter cookies are an all-time favorite of mine. Peanut butter is the star in this recipe!
This is an easy no-bake cookie recipe with just six ingredients. They have the best texture – a slight soft crunch with chew from the oats and so much peanut butter flavor. The key is to use a thermometer and boil the mixture for the right amount of time. A thermometer takes all the guesswork out!
Ingredients Needed
- Unsalted butter – I like to dice it, so it melts quickly when you make the dough.
- Granulated Sugar – not only is this important for sweetness but the chemical reaction between the sugar and butter helps these set up.
- Milk – Nonfat milk is what I normally use but regular milk is fine too (or nondairy milk)
- Creamy peanut butter – use regular peanut butter and not a natural kind that needs stirring.
- Quick cooking oats – don’t have these? Learn how to make your own quick oats from old fashioned oats.
How to Make Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
Be sure to read the entire recipe and follow the instructions for success. Before you make the cookies, it’s very important to have all of your ingredients prepped, measured, and ready to go. This is a quick recipe once you start, so have everything ready. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
1. Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Once it’s melted, add the sugar and stir.
2. Add the milk and whisk until smooth.
3. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil and bring it to a temperature of 230°F. This usually takes about a minute and a half, but use a thermometer to be absolutely sure. If you don’t boil it long enough, your cookies will not set up correctly.
4. Take the pan off the heat and add the peanut butter, salt, vanilla.
5. Mix in the oats. Stir well to combine.
6. Use a cookie scoop to form two tablespoons of dough for each cookie. Place them on the prepared cookie sheets. Leave them at room temperature to set.
Tips From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- You can use creamy or crunchy peanut butter as long as it’s the regular kind and not natural peanut butter.
- Prep and measure your ingredients first. This isn’t the kind of recipe you can measure and mix as you go.
- For best results, use a candy thermometer or instant-read thermometer when you boil the mixture. It makes it so much easier, and you don’t have to worry if you boiled it long enough. This is my favorite instant read thermometer!
- If you want to add some mix-ins, chopped nuts or m&ms work well for this recipe!
- Store these in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They’ll last a week in the refrigerator, and you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
FAQs
Swap the peanut butter for Biscoff cookie spread, Nutella, almond butter, or other nut butter that you like. You can also use Sun Butter which is a sunflower seed spread. When no-bake cookies are made the right way, they’re irresistible!
No bake oatmeal cookies don’t set if the mixture wasn’t boiled long enough. This is why a thermometer is so helpful! The temperature should be 230°F when you take the pan off the heat.
If you use natural peanut butter, or if you don’t measure your oats properly or if you cook them too long (past 230°F) they can get dry and crumbly.
Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter diced
- 1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (118ml) nonfat milk
- ½ cup (133g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (243g) quick cooking oats
Instructions
- Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- It’s very important that all your ingredients are measured and ready to go before you start and make sure you’ve read the directions before making these cookies. The process goes fast!
- Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and milk. Whisk until smooth then bring to a boil and cook for about 1 ½ minutes, stirring occasionally. NOTE: you MUST boil them long enough or they will not set. To be sure of this, boil the mixture until it reaches 230°F on a candy or instant read thermometer. If you do not have a thermometer, this will take about 1 ½ minutes on medium heat.
- Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, salt, vanilla, and oats.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop 2 tablespoon size balls of cookie mixture onto the prepared baking sheets. Let sit to set or chill to harden quicker.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- You can use creamy or crunchy peanut butter as long as it’s the regular kind and not natural peanut butter.
- Prep and measure your ingredients first. This isn’t the kind of recipe you can measure and mix as you go.
- For best results, use a candy thermometer or instant-read thermometer when you boil the mixture. It makes it so much easier, and you don’t have to worry if you boiled it long enough. This is my favorite instant read thermometer!
- If you want to add some mix-ins, chopped nuts or m&ms work well for this recipe!
Recipe Nutrition
My Thermometer
There are cheaper versions on amazon but this is the one I love.
Other No Bake Recipes
These Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies are made with oats and peanut butter and set up perfectly every time! They are such an easy cookie to make when you need something delicious, fast!
Last Updated on March 31, 2024
These came out great!! I made with 1c peanut butter. They are sweet, i wondered if I could cut down the sugar? I also added mini choc chips to the tops!!
You could probably cut it down a bit, but not too much or the chemistry might not work out.
wow. What a waste of time. I bake ALOT and the instructions were easy. But 230° is too hot. So dry they wouldn’t even hold a shape.
That shouldn’t have happened – I always use the same temp. What kind of peanut butter did you use?
Way too much sugar in this recipe. I make fudge often, so i do like sweets, but less sugar, for this recipe, would make it much better.
I’m sorry you didn’t like them – there is not a way to reduce the sugar without affecting the chemistry of the recipe. What peanut butter did you use? Possibly make sure to use a peanut butter without added sugar.
Can you use old fashioned oats also, or can you like mix them ?
You can make quick oats from old fashioned by pulsing them in a food processor a few times. Measure out the oats needed in the recipe after pulsing.
I’m type 2 diabetic and the chocolate no bake are my weakness I can see where these would be also. Is there a way I could make these cookies diabetic friendly
What do you mean by non-fat milk?
Is it skim milk?
0% fat – fat free milk
Can you use whole milk? I don’t even buy non fat.
Yes you can
Can I use something else as a substitution for parchment paper or no?
A silicone baking mat would work, or foil sprayed with nonstick spray. You don’t have to have anything – it’s more just for easy clean up.
Shiny side of freezer paper or waxed paper.
I’ve been craving a peanut butter no bake cookie from my local convenience store and they’ve been out for weeks. So I decided I was going to make them. These are even better and I’m stocked for a while. THANK YOU! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
In the past (like 10 years ago or so) I made the chocolate version of these and I am not a sweets person but I want to try these I was wondering if these will freeze well? Since it takes me forever to finish eating a batch of cookies.
Yes I’ve frozen them and thawed them – they’re just fine.
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