How to Make No Bake Cookies

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: July 12, 2022 References Approved

No bake cookies are a great treat to make when you want to avoid using your oven, and there are almost as many varieties of no-bake cookies as there are standard, baked cookies. Keep reading if you are interested in learning a few different recipes that can satisfy your sweet tooth.

Ingredients

Basic No Bake Cookies^{[1]
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Makes about 12 cookies

2 cups (400 grams) sugar
1 cup (225 milliliters) milk (or milk substitute)
½ cup (112.50 grams/ 1 stick) butter
¼ - 1/3 cup (31.25 to 41.67 grams) cocoa powder
3 cups (420 grams) quick-cooking oats
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Peanut Butter Cookies^{[2]
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Makes about 12 cookies

2 cups (400 grams) sugar
½ cup (112.50 milliliters) milk
½ cup (112.50 grams) butter
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
½ cup (125 grams) smooth peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups (420 grams) quick-cooking oats

Vegan, Peanut-free, Gluten-Free Cookies^{[3]
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Makes about 12, 1 ½ inch (3.81 centimeters) square-shaped cookies

2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons almond milk, soy milk, or other non-dairy milk
¼ cup (42.50 grams) coconut palm sugar or brown sugar
2 teaspoons – 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (105 grams) oat flour (gluten-free) or finely ground oats
¾ cup (105 grams) almond flour
¼ cup ground raw sugar
1/3 to ½ cup (60 to 90 grams) vegan mini chocolate chips or vegan dark chocolate chunks

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Basic No Bake Cookies

1
Cover a baking sheet with some parchment or wax paper. You won't be baking these cookies, but you still will need some place to put them. You can also line a cupcake tin with paper cupcake liners. Each cupcake liner will hold one drop of cookie dough.
- Consider storing the baking sheet in the refrigerator while you are making the dough. This will make it cold, and allow the cookies to finish sooner.
2
Add the sugar, butter, milk, and cocoa powder into a cooking pot. Mix the ingredients together with a spoon or spatula. Be sure to cut the butter into smaller cubes before adding it into the pot. This will help it melt faster.
- If you are lactose intolerant, consider using almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, or lactose-free milk.
- Add a ¼ teaspoon of salt to cut down on the sweetness. The salt will also help bring out the other flavors.^{[4]
  X
  Research source} Add it into the cooking pot before the butter starts to melt and stir it in well.
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3
Turn the stove on and set the heat to medium. Keep stirring the cookie dough so it does not burn. Wait until the butter melts. This will take about 3-4 minutes.
4
When it starts to boil, take the pot off the stove and add the oats. Be sure to use quick-cooking oats. Stir the oats into the dough with a spoon or a spatula. Keep stirring until the oats are evenly coated.
5
Use a spoon to put the dough onto the wax paper. Scoop some of the dough out using a tablespoon, then drop it onto the wax paper. The dough will be shaped like clumpy balls. If you want, you can flatten the clumps by pressing down on them with the back of the spoon.
- Try making some cookie balls instead. Roll the dough into small balls first, then roll the balls around in a bowl filled with shredded coconut, crushed nut, or cocoa powder.
6
Try adding toppings to your cookies. You can drizzle some melted chocolate or caramel sauce over them, too.
7
Put the tray inside the refrigerator and leave it there for at least 30 minutes. However, if you do not have a bunch of time, the cookies can go into the freezer for about 15 minutes.^{[5]
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8
Serve the cookies when they are hard. If you serve them too soon, they will start to melt and fall apart.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Peanut Butter Cookies

1
Cover a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Keep the baking sheet in the fridge while you are making the dough. This will make the sheet cold and help the cookies set faster.
2
Mix the sugar, milk, butter, cocoa powder, and salt in a pot. Stir everything with a spoon or a spatula. Consider cutting the butter into smaller cubes; this will help it melt faster in the next steps.
- If you are lactose intolerant, try using almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, or lactose-free milk instead.
- If you don't like peanut butter, you can make chocolate hazelnut cookies instead. Start by reducing the cocoa powder to just 2 tablespoons. You can substitute chocolate hazelnut spread for the peanut butter later.
3
Turn the stove on and boil the mixture for one minute. This will allow the sugar to dissolve completely. You will end up with something that looks watery.
4
Add the peanut butter, vanilla, and oats. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the rest of the ingredients. Keep stirring until the oats are completely covered.^{[6]
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- If you are making chocolate hazelnut cookies, use 1 cup (250 grams) of chocolate hazelnut spread instead.
5
Take the pot off the stove. Once everything is mixed together, take the pot off the stove and set it down onto a heat-resistant surface.
6
Use a spoon to drop the dough onto the wax paper. You will end up with lumpy clumps. If you want, you can press the back of the spoon against the cookies to flatten them.
- You can also roll the dough into small balls, and then roll the balls in a bowl filled with shredded coconut, crushed nut, or cocoa powder.
7
Consider adding some toppings to your cookies. You can drizzle melted chocolate or caramel sauce over the cookies to make them even yummier.
8
Put the tray into the refrigerator and leave it there for at least half an hour. You can also leave the tray in the freezer for 15 minutes instead.
9
Serve the cookies when they are cold and hard. If you try to eat them too soon, they will get gooey and messy.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Vegan, Peanut-free, Gluten-Free Cookies

1
Melt the coconut oil in a pot over low heat. Coconut oil is usually solid, so you will need to melt it.
2
Pour in the almond milk, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract, and mix with a spoon or spatula. Turn the head up to medium, and stir in the ingredients. You can also use brown sugar instead of coconut sugar. If you do not like the taste of almond milk, try soy milk, coconut milk, or lactose-free milk instead.
3
Stir in the oat flour, almond flour, ground sugar, and salt. You want to end up with a thick, consistency. If the batter is too soft, add some more oat or almond flour. If it is too dry, add in some more coconut oil or milk. Keep in mind, however, that the cookies will harden once you put them into the fridge, so try not to add too much flour.
4
Take the pot off the stove and add in the chocolate chips. You can also use chocolate chunks. Make sure to get the dairy-free or vegan variety. Stir the chocolate chips into the batter until they are evenly distributed.
5
If you don't have a very big sweet tooth, use vegan dark chocolate. This will help cut back on the sweetness.
6
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you do not have parchment paper, you can use wax paper instead. Since you will be spreading the batter over this, it might be a good idea to tape the paper to the baking sheet. This will keep the paper in place and prevent it from moving about.
7
Scoop the dough onto the parchment paper and press it into a rectangle. You want it to be about 7 by 8 inches (17.78 by 20.32 centimeters) and ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) thick. Flatten the edges by pressing them in with a spatula.
8
Put the baking sheet into the refrigerator and wait until the dough becomes hard. This will take at least 30 minutes. If you are in a hurry, you can put the tray into the freezer for about 15 minutes.
9
Cut the dough into 1 ½ inch (3.81 centimeter) squares and serve. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I use cornflakes instead of oats?

Qamar

Top Answerer

Yes, cornflakes can also be used instead of oats, but do note your cookies might be a little crunchy.
Question

If you don't have a stove, how long do you microwave the ingredients for cookies without peanut butter?

Community Answer

It varies for your microwave. Start at 30 seconds, and keep checking on it until it's melted, which should be 1-2 minutes.
Question

Do I have to use parchment or wax paper, or could I use foil?

Community Answer

You could, hypothetically, use foil, but it might be harder to get the things off of it. Parchment paper and wax paper are specifically designed so you can remove things easily without ripping it or having food stick to it.