When I need dessert recipes in a hurry, I turn to quick and easy options like haystack cookies, buckeye balls, avalanche cookies and these no bake peanut butter cookies. Sometimes you just don’t feel like turning on the oven to bake! These no bake peanut butter cookies taste just as amazing as something that would come from the oven, but they’re ready start to finish in just minutes. These cookies are similar to the popular classic peanut butter chocolate no bake cookie recipe, except we’re skipping the chocolate and adding a second dose of peanut butter in the form of coated peanut butter candies (such as Reese’s Pieces). The candies add a pop of color and a nice crunch, they’re really the perfect addition to this cookie.
No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need sugar, butter, milk, creamy peanut butter, quick cooking oats and peanut butter candies such as Reese’s Pieces.
How Do You Make No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies?
Place the sugar, butter and milk in a pot on the stove over medium heat. When the butter melts, bring the mixture to a boil and cook for exactly one minute. Take the saucepan off the heat and add the peanut butter and stir until smooth. Next, stir in the oats. Drop dollops of the dough onto parchment paper or waxed paper on a baking sheet, and use a spoon to flatten them into cookie shapes. Quickly press the candies on top of the cookies. Cool completely until the cookies are firm, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Cookies
Be sure you’re standing at the stove watching because this mixture needs to cook for exactly one minute. If you overcook the sugar mixture the cookies might turn out crumbly. The beauty of these no bake peanut butter cookies is that you can make them as big or as small as you like. I do 2 tablespoons of dough for my cookies. This recipe calls for quick oats, which can also be called 1 minute oats. Do not use rolled oats or old fashioned oats, as the texture will be overly chewy. No bake cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Flavor Variations
While this recipe is delicious as-is, you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
Flavorings: You can add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder for a chocolate peanut butter cookie. Another great option is to use Nutella instead of peanut butter. You can also add a little vanilla extract. Toppings: Instead of peanut butter candies, top your cookies with M&M candies, chopped peanuts, a drizzle of melted chocolate, coarse sea salt, or make your cookies smaller and add a chocolate kiss on top to make no bake peanut butter blossoms.
