These chewy and delicious Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies are made with creamy peanut butter, vanilla, brown sugar, butter and rolled oats. Ready in less than 20 minutes, they couldn't be any easier to make - just mix, set, and enjoy!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter - to make these peanut butter no bake cookies, I used unsalted butter. If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use that and omit the added salt in the recipe. (more delicious dessert recipes)
- Light Brown Sugar and Granular White Sugar- Using a combination of the 2 adds a depth of flavor to the cookies. The brown sugar imparts a delicious molasses flavor.
- Vanilla Extract - The vanilla extract helps pull all the flavors together and adds a hint of vanilla flavor. These are also great with caramel extract.
- Peanut Butter - You want to make sure you are using a thick peanut butter. The consistency will not be the same with an oilier natural variety.
- Old-Fashioned Oats - For this recipe, I used old-fashioned rolled oats. You can also use quick oats.
Step by Step Instructions
STEP 1: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and granulated sugar.
STEP 2: Continue stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sugar starts to bubble. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla extract and salt.
STEP 3: Continue mixing until smooth and all ingredients are well incorporated.
STEP 4: Using a rubber spatula, fold in the oats. Mix until all of the oats are evenly coated.
STEP 5: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a 2 inch cookie scoop to scoop 16 cookies onto the baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the cookies to set.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. (These are my favorite storage and meal prep containers)
- Make them low carb: You can make these peanut butter no bake cookies low carb by using a reduced sugar peanut butter, swapping the sugars out for a low carb sweetener like brown sugar erythritol or monk fruit, and by swapping the oats out for unsweetened coconut flakes, or even chopped mixed nuts. (Check out these Low Carb Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies)
- Make them sugar free: To make a sugar free version of these no bake cookies, simply use a no-sugar added peanut butter and replace the brown sugar and white sugar with your favorite natural sweetener substitute. (More sugar free cookie recipes)
- Add cocoa powder: for a more traditional chocolate no bake cookie, add ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Add chocolate chips: For some added crunch and some chocolatey goodness, add ½ cup of chocolate chips to the mix. (Try these Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies)
- Add Butterscotch chips: Take things up a notch and add some butterscotch chips into the mix. You can melt them in with the peanut butter, or you can mix them in when you add the oats. (I use this brand of butterscotch chips)
- Add crunchy chow mein noodles: For a no-bake haystack cookie, swap the oats out for crunch chow mein noodles. (I use this brand)
Frequently Asked Questions
No bake cookies (also sometimes referred to as preacher cookies) are typically made with oats, whereas haystack cookies are typically made with crunchy chow mein noodles.
You can make these peanut butter no bake cookies low carb by using a reduced sugar peanut butter, swapping the sugars out for a low carb sweetener like brown sugar erythritol or monk fruit, and by swapping the oats out for unsweetened coconut flakes, or even chopped mixed nuts.
Oats are naturally gluten free, but they may be processed in a plant or transported with other non-gluten free grains like wheat, barley, rye etc.
If your no bake cookies come out dry and crumbly and do not hold their shape after setting, it is likely that you did not cook the butter and sugar long enough.
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Other Recipes You Might Enjoy
Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
These chewy and delicious Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies are made with creamy peanut butter, vanilla, brown sugar, butter and rolled oats. Ready in less than 20 minutes, they couldn't be any easier to make - just mix, set, and enjoy!
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 16 cookies 1x
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter (4 ounces, or ½ cup)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed (I use this brand)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (I use this brand)
- 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (I use this brand)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats (I use this brand)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and granulated sugar.
- Continue stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sugar starts to bubble.
- Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla extract and salt. Mix until smooth.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the oats.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a 2 inch cookie scoop to scoop 16 cookies onto the baking sheet.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the cookies to set.
Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Make them low carb: You can make these peanut butter no bake cookies low carb by using a reduced sugar peanut butter, swapping the sugars out for a low carb sweetener like brown sugar erythritol or monk fruit, and by swapping the oats out for unsweetened coconut flakes, or even chopped mixed nuts.
- Make them sugar free: To make a sugar free version of these no bake cookies, simply use a no-sugar added peanut butter and replace the brown sugar and white sugar with your favorite natural sweetener substitute.
- Add cocoa powder: for a more traditional chocolate no bake cookie, add ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Add chocolate chips: For some added crunch and some chocolatey goodness, add ½ cup of chocolate chips to the mix.
- Add Butterscotch chips: Take things up a notch and add some butterscotch chips into the mix. You can melt them in with the peanut butter, or you can mix them in when you add the oats.
- Add crunchy chow mein noodles: For a no-bake haystack cookie, swap the oats out for crunch chow mien noodles.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert Recipes
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 165
- Fat: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
Keywords: preacher cookies, haystack cookies, no bake cookies, peanut butter no bake cookies, low carb no bake cookies, no bake peanut butter cookies
Claudia Lamascolo says
I honestly just made these they looked so good but they taste even better my husband and grand kids loved them and so easy!
★★★★★
Beth Sachs says
These no bake cookies sound amazing. My kids love anything with peanut butter!
★★★★★
Anjali says
I made these with my kids as an after school treat and they were a total hit!! Sweet, soft, and peanut buttery - so good!
★★★★★
Alisa Infanti says
These are amazing! I like to have two with my afternoon tea. The peanut butter gives me a little fat and protein to continue on!
★★★★★
Tara says
Such a fantastic no bake cookie! Those flavors sound amazing and I love how they come together in less than 20 minutes. Yum!
★★★★★
Dena says
Has anyone made these using vegan butter, such as Earth Balance?
Larry P. says
Just made these...took longer to get the ingredients lined up for cooking (I moved slowly)but well worth the effort. They turned out great . Ate one before I put the cookie sheets in fridge. Delicious! Going to try more no bake cookies when these are gone...which won't be long.
Thanks for a great recipe
Larry P. says
Just made these. Easy.
Taste great. Going to try more no bake cookies when these are gone...which won't be long! Thanks for a great recipe.
★★★★★