Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

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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!

a pile of no bake cookies on a cooling rack, surrounded by a pink towel and ingredients

Table of Contents show

Ingredients in peanut butter no bake cookies

ingredients in bowls, peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, butter, salt

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.

How to make no bake cookies

a saucepan with melted butter, white sugar and brown sugar in it

Step by Step Instructions

STEP 1: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and granulated sugar.

a sauce pan with melted butter, white sugar, brown sugar and peanut butter in it

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.

a sauce pan with melted butter, white sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter and oats in it

STEP 4: Using a rubber spatula, fold in the oats. Mix until all of the oats are evenly coated.

a baking sheet lined with parchment paper full of peanut butter no bake cookies

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

What is the difference between no bake cookies and haystacks?

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.

How do you make low carb no bake cookies?

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.

Are oats gluten free?

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.

Why are my cookies dry and crumbly?

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.

a cooling rack with peanut butter no bake cookies on it. One has a bite taken out of it

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