No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

We'll be honest, we've never met a cookie we didn't like. Chewy or crispy, spiced or chocolatey, salted or sweet — we tend to like them all. This recipe for no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies comes to us from recipe developer and registered dietitian nutritionist, Kristen Carli, MS, RD.

While not crispy, these cookies become fudgey once set. Since the batter doesn't include any flour, there's no rise and no need to bake them. Instead, they're made from chocolate, rolled oats, and melted peanut butter, then chilled to allow them to cool and set. Can you say "yum"?

Since these cookies are fudgey, they're best stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Be sure to separate stacked layers of cookies with parchment paper to allow for easy separation. If these are left out at room temperature, depending on the temperature in your kitchen, they may begin to melt and become liquidy.

To make these no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies, we'll need to start by gathering our ingredients. For this recipe, we'll need unsalted butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, milk, vanilla extract, peanut butter, and rolled oats. Not only are these cookies no bake, but they're completely gluten free if you make sure to use certified gluten-free oats.

To start, we'll grab a medium saucepan. Over medium heat, add the butter, cocoa powder, sugar, and milk. Stir until the mixture is combined and the butter is completely melted. If needed, use a whisk to break up the cocoa powder in order to get it fully incorporated.

Once the mixture is combined thoroughly, add the vanilla extract, oats, and peanut butter. Using a wooden spoon, stir well until combined. The peanut butter will begin to melt from the residual heat of the cocoa powder mixture, allowing it to become a thin batter.

Prepare a large baking sheet (or two small baking sheets) with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop, scoop out portions onto the baking sheet, placing them about 2 inches apart. The batter will be thin, but it shouldn't be runny. Repeat with all the batter. Allow the cookies to cool for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. If you want to speed up the process, allow them to cool in the fridge to fully set.