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No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies (with Coconut)

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updated: 02/19/26

5 from 17 votes
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

These no bake Chocolate Peanut Oatmeal Cookies come together with a few simple ingredients in about 10 minutes. They are chewy, delicious, and so chocolatey perfect. 

Make these peanut butter chocolate no bake cookies when you are in a pinch or when you need a fast easy treat. Love these but not interested in coconut? Make these: No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies.

a stack of no bake chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cookies up close

We are in full on holiday mode around here. Quinn had her holiday concert on Monday and tonight we had Gavin’s choir and band concert. Can I tell you something that my kids don’t know? Their concerts make me super emotional. I don’t know why! I don’t want to be the weird mom who is silently sobbing while their child is singing “Over the river and through the woods” off key with 100 other 7 year olds . . . . but I kind of am!

Or it could be that the holidays are just making me super emotional.  The fact that I ate like 7 of these no bake chocolate peanut butter cookies without blinking might be supporting evidence.

Reader Review

Fantastic recipe! My husband was asking for no bake cookies and I hadn’t made them in many many years so I went on the hunt and found this recipe. Perfection! I used sugar in the raw because I realized I was out of granulated sugar and they still turned out amazing. Thank you!

How to Make No Bake Chocolate Peanut Oatmeal Cookies

These no bake chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cookies come together so fast. For the full recipe with all the measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  1. Melt the ingredients together. Heat up the sugar, milk, butter and cocoa powder.
  2. Bring it to a boil. This is a key step. You want to make sure that the mixture comes to a roaring boil and stays there for a full minute. If you don’t do this, the cookies will not set.
  3. Stir in remaining ingredients. Finish the recipe off by stirring in the oats, coconut, and peanut butter.
up close of a peanut butter chocolate no bake cookie

Tips and Tricks

  • Make sure your sugar mixture comes to a roaring boil. In step two of this recipe you are to bring the mixture to a roaring boil and then let it boil for a full minute. You need to see really big bubbles that are nonstop. Once you to that point, then you can start your timer and boil the mixture for a minute.
  • Use name brand butter. This is the other tip that will ensure that your cookies set. In my experience, some off brand butters (such as Kirkland) contain a higher moisture ratio, resulting in cookies that don’t set.
  • Leave out the coconut. If your family doesn’t love coconut, replace it with another 1/4 cup of oats like in my no bake chocolate oatmeal cookie recipe.
  • Don’t fret about what oats you use. Both quick cooking and old fashioned oats will work in this recipe. I like using old fashioned because of the look and texture it brings, but both will work well.
  • Don’t use a sugar substitute. I haven’t tried this personally, but I’ve had readers test it with poor results.

Storing

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Oatmeal Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to two weeks. Store them in an airtight container. As with all recipes, use your best discretion when it comes to leftovers.

Freezing

These are amazing to freeze. Freeze them in a single layer for a few hours, in other words, flash freeze them. Then transfer them to an airtight container and store them in your freezer for up to three months. When ready to eat, allow them to thaw at room temperature. In a single layer, it will take less than 30 minutes for them to thaw.

no bake cookies with coconut on a white plate

If you make these delicious no bake cookies or any of my other recipes please leave me a comment. I love hearing from you!

a stack of coconut chocolate peanut butter cookies
5 from 17 votes

Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

Author: Lisa Longley
Serves: 32 cookies
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
These no bake Chocolate Peanut Oatmeal Cookies come together with a few simple ingredients in about 10 minutes. They are chewy, delicious, and so chocolatey perfect. 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups granulated sugar (396 grams)
  • 1/2 cup milk (118.3 ml)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter see note (113 grams)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (42 grams)
  • 2 cups old fashioned oats (178 grams)
  • 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut read here about leaving out coconut
  • 1 cup smooth peanut butter (270 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Line two baking sheets with wax paper or parchment paper.
  • In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the granulated sugar, milk, butter, and coco powder. Bring to a boil, while stirring consistently.
    2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Boil for one minute while continuing to stir. (It is very important that it is at a full boil for one minute.)
  • Remove from the heat and stir in remaining ingredients.
    2 cups old fashioned oats, 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, 1 cup smooth peanut butter, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Using a large spoon or a cookie scoop, spoon large spoonfuls of the mixture onto the waxed paper. Allow to cool completely. Eat immediately or store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Notes

I highly recommend using name brand butter in this recipe. In my experience, off brand butter, for example Kirkland butter, the cookie does not set.
Serving: 1cookie Calories: 141kcal (7%) Carbohydrates: 21g (7%) Protein: 3g (6%) Fat: 6g (9%) Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) Cholesterol: 1mg Sodium: 35mg (2%) Potassium: 27mg (1%) Fiber: 2g (8%) Sugar: 15g (17%) Calcium: 10mg (1%) Iron: 0.5mg (3%)
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
a stack of coconut chocolate peanut butter cookies

did you make this

Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

I’d love to see what you made! Tag me @lisasimplejoy and hashtag it #simplejoyrecipes!

Lisa is the founder of Simple Joy. Lisa, is a self taught cook and avid lover of all things food, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For the last 10 years Lisa has been reading cookbooks, experimenting in the kitchen, and learning everything she possibly can about cooking. The result has been the ability to create recipes, both classics and new twists, that readers fall in love with and make with ease. Lisa loves not only providing delicious and easy recipes, but also giving the why behind what we are doing in the kitchen. She gets such great joy in sharing my love for food.

Lisa has been featured in many media outlets. These outlets include Country Living, Real Simple, Today, Parade, Good Housekeeping, Buzzfeed, Delish, Elle, and many others.

Prior to becoming a food creator, Lisa was a social worker. She received her master’s in social work from the University of Milwaukee and worked in child welfare.

Lisa is the mom to four amazing kids: Gavin, Elliot, Quinn, and Piper. Gavin, Quinn, and Piper are happy, amazing kids she loves spending time with.

Her husband, Nathan, is her partner in life and in business. He is her rock in more ways than one and supports all of her crazy dreams.

Lisa and Nathan lost their second child, Elliot, when he was 8 days old. If you want to know more about Elliot, you can read it here. If you want to read more of Lisa’s experience of grief, you can read this post.

Reader Interactions

    5 from 17 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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  1. Ellie Palmer says

    they Look wonderful I am going to try them.

    • Lisa Longley says

      I hope you love them!

  2. Denise says

    The one minute boil time is very important I set a timer and they come out perfect every time

  3. Kali says

    Will these work with Crunchy Peanut Butter too?

    • Lisa Longley says

      I haven’t tried it with crunch peanut butter yet! If you do, let me know how it goes.

    • Melissa says

      yes crunchy PB works well – I only use this so I can have bits of nuts

  4. Karen says

    Mine didn’t harden. I followed the directions and even placed them in the fridge. This morning they were still gooey. Any ideas what I did wrong??

    Thank you

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so sorry that this recipe didn’t work for you! Is it at all possible that one of the measurements was off? A little extra milk or extra butter wouldn’t be great for this recipe.

  5. Marg says

    What is cocoa butter and where do you find it? Can anything else be used?

    • Lisa Longley says

      Sorry, that is a type-o in the post. It is supposed to say cocoa, and butter. If you look at the recipe card and instructions it is more clear.

    • Mary says

      I’ve been making these cookies, minus the coconut for over 45 years! Always a hit.

      • Lisa Longley says

        The best, right Mary?

  6. Ellen Hall says

    Can these cookies be froze

    • Lisa Longley says

      Yes, these freeze very well!

  7. Maryjane says

    Same thing happened to me, the fridge would t even get them hard or setup. They were gooey!! I winded up tossing them.

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so sorry Maryjane. There is nothing more frustrating than a recipe that doesn’t work out. Is it possible that you didn’t have everything at a boil for a minute?

  8. Amber says

    Can I use “not peanut butter” (wow butter) for my fiancé who is allergic to peanuts?

    • Lisa Longley says

      I haven’t tried that Amber, but I have a little experience with sun butter and I would think the consistency of that would work fine. I would guess that your Wow Butter would also work but would want to try it myself before I said for sure.

  9. Peggy says

    I’m not a fan of coconut.. what can I substitute for it.?!

    • Lisa Longley says

      I think you could try it with more oats instead, but I would have to experiment with it to know for sure.

  10. Patricia West says

    5 stars
    These cookies turned out great! My husband loves them and said you were delusional if you think they will last here for a week, maybe a couple of days. Love this recipe.

    Pat West

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so glad you liked them, Pat!

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