Introduction
Want cocoa peanut butter cookies without switching on the oven? These chewy little numbers start in a saucepan and set in the fridge. Cocoa brings the chocolate flavour, peanut butter adds a salty-sweet kick, and oats give every bite some satisfying texture.
We’ve made this version with plant-based ingredients, so there’s no dairy in the recipe. You’ll need a few cupboard staples, a tray and a little patience while the cookies chill. That’s the tricky bit.
LoveRaw® has a soft spot for the chocolate and peanut combination, and these cookies are an excellent excuse to enjoy it. Keep them simple or finish them with a little extra choc and crunch.
No-Bake Cocoa Peanut Butter Oat Cookies Recipe
These cookies are soft and fudgy rather than crisp. They’re adapted from Sally’s Baking no-bake cookie recipe, using plant milk and coconut oil.
Serves: 24 cookies, approximately
Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 30 to 60 minutes chilling
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 85g coconut oil
- 300g granulated sugar
- 120ml unsweetened plant milk, such as oat or soya
- 21g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 170g smooth peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 255g quick-cooking oats
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
Method
- Line a large tray, or two smaller trays, with baking paper. Check that the tray will fit in your fridge.
- Add the coconut oil, sugar, plant milk and cocoa powder to a medium saucepan. Warm over a medium heat, whisking until the coconut oil melts and the mixture is combined.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it’s bubbling across the centre, stop whisking and let it boil for 1 minute. Set a timer.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the oats and salt. Stir until the oats are coated, then leave the mixture to stand for 5 minutes.
- Spoon portions onto the lined tray. Gently flatten them with the back of the spoon if you prefer a more cookie-like shape.
- Refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes, until set. Keep any leftovers covered in the fridge.
The mixture will be hot when it comes off the hob, so use a spoon rather than your fingers to shape the cookies. Once chilled, they should hold together when lifted from the paper while still having a soft, fudgy bite.
Getting the Texture Right
The one-minute boil matters. Start the timer when the mixture is bubbling across the centre, not when you spot the first little bubbles at the edge.
If the mixture doesn’t boil for long enough, the cookies can stay too soft. Boil it for too long and they can turn dry and crumbly. Having the peanut butter, oats and vanilla measured before you start makes the whole process much easier.
Tip: Line your tray and clear a space in the fridge before you switch on the hob. The mixture thickens as it cools, so you’ll want to scoop it without hunting for baking paper.
Quick oats or rolled oats?
Quick-cooking oats give the cookies a softer texture and help the mixture hold its shape. Ordinary rolled oats work too, but you’ll notice a more pronounced oat texture and a chewier bite.
Don’t swap in steel-cut oats for this recipe. They won’t give you the same texture in a cookie that’s set rather than baked.
Which peanut butter should you use?
Smooth peanut butter is the easiest to stir through the hot cocoa mixture. A thicker, well-mixed peanut butter will give you the most predictable texture.
If yours separates in the jar, stir the oil back in thoroughly before measuring. A particularly runny peanut butter can make the mixture softer, so leave it to stand for around 10 minutes before scooping if it needs extra time to thicken.
Cocoa powder, not drinking chocolate
Choose unsweetened cocoa powder for a proper chocolate hit. Either natural or Dutch-process cocoa works here.
Drinking chocolate and hot chocolate powders often contain added sugar or other ingredients. They aren’t a direct swap for the cocoa in this recipe, especially when the sugar also helps the cookies set.
Make Them Your Own
The cocoa, peanut butter and oat combination is a classic for a reason. Still, a little something on top never hurt a cookie.
Add a salty finish
Scatter a few flakes of sea salt over the cookies just after scooping. They’ll stick better while the tops are still soft, and the salt gives the sweetness a little contrast.
If your peanut butter is already quite salty, taste a little once the mixture is cool enough and go gently with the topping.
Bring on the peanut crunch
Chop a few roasted peanuts and press them into the tops before chilling. You’ll get a crunchier finish without changing the oat mixture itself.
For an extra chocolate and peanut moment, add pieces of M:lk® Choc Peanut Butter Cups to the cookies once they’ve cooled. It’s a good way to turn a simple batch into something worthy of the good plate.
Try a wafer topping
Want more crunch? Chop a M:lk Choc Cre&m® Wafer Bar and scatter the pieces over the cookies just before serving. The wafer adds a crisp contrast to the soft cocoa and peanut butter base.
Keep the wafer separate if you’re storing the cookies for later. Adding it just before serving gives you a better shot at keeping that crunch.
Switch the flavour
Smooth almond butter can replace the peanut butter for a different nutty flavour. The consistency of nut butters varies, so expect the mixture to feel a little different and give it time to set.
For a hazelnut finish, add a small spoonful of Hazelnut Cacao Spread "Choco Love" to a chilled cookie. Keep it as a topping rather than replacing the measured peanut butter in the base, since the recipe relies on its particular ingredient balance.
What If the Cookies Don’t Set?
First, give them their full chilling time. They’ll feel softer when freshly scooped and should firm up as they cool.
If they’re still too soft after an hour in the fridge, the cocoa mixture may not have boiled for long enough, or the ingredients may have been measured differently. A very runny peanut butter can make a difference too. You can still enjoy the mixture chilled with a spoon or crumbled over a dairy-free dessert.
Next time, start the timer only when the mixture is bubbling across the centre. Measure the oats and peanut butter carefully rather than adding them by eye.
Why are my cookies dry or crumbly?
The mixture may have boiled for too long, or there may be too many oats in the pan. Once you’ve added the oats, leave the mixture to stand as directed, but don’t wait so long that it becomes difficult to scoop.
If the batch is already crumbly, don’t bin those chocolatey bits. Spoon them over a dessert, or press loose pieces together and enjoy them as a more rustic treat.
Serving and Storing Your Cookies
Let the cookies set before lifting them from the baking paper. Serve them straight from the fridge for a firmer bite, or leave them out briefly if you prefer them softer.
For sharing, arrange them on a plate and add the toppings just before serving. A few plain cookies alongside a few topped with peanut pieces or wafer gives everyone a choice without making another batch.
Keep the cookies in a covered container in the fridge for up to a week. Once they’re fully set, you can also freeze them in a sealed container for up to three months. Separate layers with baking paper and thaw the cookies in the fridge before serving.
Conclusion
These cocoa peanut butter cookies deliver a fudgy, chewy treat without asking anything of your oven. Keep the base simple, then add your favourite topping when the chocolate craving calls.
- Time the boil from the moment the mixture bubbles across the centre.
- Use quick oats for a softer bite or rolled oats for more chew.
- Chill until the cookies hold their shape.
Tip: For a little extra crunch, finish your batch with chopped wafer and explore the LoveRaw wafer bar collection.
FAQ
Are no-bake cocoa peanut butter cookies vegan?
This recipe uses plant milk and coconut oil instead of dairy ingredients. Check the labels on your ingredients and any toppings to make sure they suit you.
Can I make these cookies with rolled oats?
Yes. Rolled oats give the cookies a chewier texture, while quick-cooking oats make a softer cookie that holds its shape well. Use the same weight listed in the recipe.
How long do no-bake cookies take to set?
Allow around 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge after shaping. If your peanut butter is especially runny or your cookies are large, they may need a little longer.
Can I make them without oats?
The oats give this particular recipe its texture and help the cookies hold together. Rather than leaving them out or swapping them for another ingredient by eye, choose a recipe developed without oats.
